Course content and focus areas
The master’s program Southeast Asian Studies offers students with knowledge of the Indonesian or Malaysian language and familiarity with the Southeast Asian region the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the cultures, societies, and languages of Southeast Asia. The focus is on the Malay World (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and East Timor). The aim of this research-oriented master’s program is to enable students to conduct independent research at an advanced level. The program builds on and complements the methods learned in the bachelor’s program, empowering students to critically reflect on them, engage with theoretical concepts within their field, and connect these concepts to widely discussed theories and developments in research. Students are guided in cultural analysis and academic work.
The master’s program Southeast Asian Studies can be pursued in two different formats. Format 2 includes an integrated semester abroad, distinguishing it from Format 1.
Students following Format 1 can use the compulsory elective component to set individual academic priorities, such as the following suggested profiles:
- Classical philology and history of the Malay World
- Modern language application and society in the Malay World
- Culture and economy in Southeast Asia