Master's Degree programme

The Master’s degree programme in East Asian Studies (EAST) is a two year programme (120 ECTS). The programme offers high-quality academic training and multidisciplinary expertise on East Asian contemporary history, politics, and societies with a strong focus on methodology.

Further information and useful resources for current students can be found on the CEAS Intranet pages.

Applications are accepted in January. For more information about the application requirements and the process go to Master's Degree Programme in East Asian Studies.

Master's Degree in East Asian Studies

Overview of EAST programme

Degree: Master of Social Sciences

Duration: 2 academic years, 120 ECTS credits

Mode of study: Full-time

Faculty / Department: Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for East Asian Studies

Location: Turku, Finland

Language of instruction: English

Tuition fee for citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland: None

Tuition fee for citizens of non-EU/EEA countries: €8,000 / academic year

Scholarships available: check the website

FAQ

Please also check our FAQ before applying to our Master's Degree Programme.

Contact information

Academic director of the Master’s Programme,
University lecturer Sabine Burghart
sabine.burghart@utu.fi

Education coordinator Tuula Karjalainen (application process)
tuusah@utu.fi

Exchange studies

The University of Turku has bilateral agreements with several partner universities in East Asia: China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.

Further information about exchange studies and the application process is available at Applying for Exchange pages (UTU Intranet - requires a UTU account) of the International Office.

Master's Degree Theses

Master's degree theses (pro gradu) written by the students of the Centre for East Asian Studies.

2025

Kaji, Rachel: Exploring gender roles in contemporary Japan through the television show Nigeru wa haji

Sinisalmi, Rosalina: Maiko Mirage – Romanticizing Japan: Portrayal of femininity and depictions of Japan as soft power tools on NHK WORLD

Simpanen, Anni-Lotta: Imagining the Future in Today’s China: University Students’ Images of the Future

Palojärvi, Paavo: Narrating the China threat in Defense of Japan: Narrative analysis of Defense of Japan annual white papers from 2020 to 2023

Ozga, Katarzyna: The Interplay of Public Diplomacy and Social Media: How Governmental Supporter Programs Contribute to Korean Public Diplomacy and Impact the Lives and Perceptions of Participating Foreign Social Media Influencers

2024

Stasevich, Stanislav: China’s Riskisation: China’s Approaches to Sanctioned Petrostates, Cases of Russia, Iran and Venezuela

Soini, Malviina: Finland’s Connections to Manchukuo: The World of Images and Political Games: Finland’s Recognition of Manchukuo 1941 and the Images of Manchukuo of Finland’s Diplomats in Shanghai and Tokyo

Piiponniemi, Miisa: Tourist gaze and tourism gentrification in urban regeneration area: Case study on Gamcheon culture village: Content analysis of Korean travel bloggers experience

Härmä, Pieta: Experiences of Japanese Women Working in Nordic Companies Operating in Japan

Liu, Siyue: Shaping the New China: The International Propaganda of the People’s Republic of China during the Korean War, 1950-1953

Wu, Cuifeng: Exploring Significant Factors in Chinese Women’s Decision-Making about Birth Outside Marriage

Lama, Phurba Lhamu: Analyzing the perception of young Koreans towards radical feminism and their anti-feminist sentiments

Puomisto, Heidi: “Golden rice bowl of racial discrimination” : racialization of black Africans in Chinese online discussion

Kovalska, Tereza: Factors influencing plastic overconsumption in Japan from consumers’ perspective : A social experiment

Ylinen, Hanna-Mari: Development-Based Human Rights? : The Normative Endeavors of China in the United Nations Human Rights Council

Hrivnacova, Kristyna: Tradition in a New Costume: (Re)Presenting Masculinity in Japanese Figure Skating

Monllor, Maria: Imagining the Nation from the Outside: The Imagination of South Korea by Hallyu Content Consumers in Spain and Their Student Migration

2023

Turunen, Tino: Organic Without Certification: A Case Study on the Motivations of Farmers in the Village of Ogawa Machi to Become Non-Certified Organic Farmers

Kubincova, Maria: Messages from Behind Closed Doors: Exploring the First Self-published Media of Japanese Hikikomori

Kankus, Karo: Crime, Immigrants and Sham Marriage: The Framing of Foreign Female Sex Workers in Japanese Newspapers

Jiang, Yueyang: An Analysis of Social Mobility in Contemporary Shanghai

Matsui, Hinako: Living in the Bubble of Privilege: Sociological Imagination of Japanese Elite Youth from the Stories of Exchange Students in Finland

Hanhikangas, Helena: Korean Politics vs. Taekwon-Do in 1966-2002: The Organisational History of The International Taekwon-Do Federation in the Context of Korean Political Division, and How to Protect Your Institution Against Political Appropriation

Ignaczak, Anna: Numerous faces of feminism and their meaning in contemporary South Korea through the lens of the country’s young adults

Jayasundara, Jayani: China’s soft power and its cultural implication for Sri Lanka: Exploring Students’ perspectives

Peippo, Pauliina: Serving a Piece of National Nostalgia : Female Foreign Workers in the Multiculturazing Hospitality Sector in Japan

Pesola, Ella: Reconceptualizing Japan's Role During Economic Shocks : A Role Theory Analysis of Japan's National Role Conceptions and Shifts during the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 Economic Recession

Zhou, Zhiyu: A research and analysis of the reasons of the education reform in China from different perspectives

Kuznetsov Daniil: Challenges and Opportunities of Japanese Higher Computer Science Education from the Graduates’ Perspective

Kaarna, Laura: “We Will Establish a Virtuous Cycle in Which Jobs Attract People and People Attract Jobs” : Analysis of Abe Administration’s Regional Revitalization Documents from 2014 to 2020

2022

Lavikainen, Laura: The EU-China relationship through public discussion on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment

Eronen, Tessa: Pandemic Models and Image Management: South Korea’s Public Diplomacy and Nation Branding in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jungner, Frank: Perceptions of the Deployment of the Thermal High Air Area Defense in the Republic of Korea and the Discussion of Experts and Scholars

Kauranen, Pihla: The War at Home, the War Abroad : (Trans)Formations of Far-Right Activism in Contemporary Japan

Rönkkö, Tanja: Breaking the Silence: Current discussion on sexual violence in Japan and in the West in connection with intersectional feminism

Selonen, Lauri: “If they were my son I’d have to apologize” An Examination of Masculinity in Terrace House: Opening New Doors

2021

Dao, Ngoc: The Impacts of the South China Sea Disputes between Vietnam and China on the Vietnamese Government’s Perspectives on Joining the Belt Road Initiative

Haapala, Milja: Love with Flaws : A Qualitative Study on LGBTQ+ Representation in South Korean Drama

Henttonen, Heikki: CONSTRUCTING SOCIAL IDENTITY UNDER DICTATORSHIP — DEPICTION OF YOUTH AND MESSAGES TO THEM IN NORTH KOREAN CINEMA BETWEEN 1971—2016

Lampione Gombas, Noemi: “Arashi for Dream” : Idol—fan relationships in Japan

Lehto, Roosa: Rise of the China Threat: The Development of the China Discourse in the U.S. Administrative Documents in 2010-2021

Ludwiczak, Izabela: How South Korean female university students perceive women’s beauty standards and their connotations

Saarinen, Fred: PROPAGANDA IN DEMOCRACY CASE STUDY : How South Koreans in Their 20s Detect and Understand Propaganda

Sava, Ville: Manufacturing The Meiji Era : Portrayal of The Meiji Restoration in Kagoshima Museums and Heritage Sites

Siivonen, Johanna: Robotics in Japanese elderly care - attitudes of young university students and the Japanese government, and their implications

Suomalainen, Eveliina: Reducing Stigmas : How the South Korean Government Aims to Reduce Mental Health Stigmas and Stigma-based Discrimination?

Väisänen, Laura: Qualitative Content Analysis of North Korean Defectors' Self-Representations On Youtube

Ying, Hao: A Study about Impacts of China’s Universal Two-child Policy on Chinese Professional Women

Bernardi, Nicholas: While Searching for a Scoop - Developing an Understanding of Working Conditions of Journalists in Japan Through an Analysis of Firsthand Accounts

2020

Arki, Petra: Framing the Comfort Women: Non-governmental organizations and the United Nations framing the issue from 2008 till 2018

Eason, Brooke: The Okinawa Problem and Okinawa Movement: Contemporary Views and Identities

Kastepohja, Jussi: The Effect of China’s Political Reforms on Taiwanese Third Sector: Qualitative Study of Religion Affiliated Taiwanese NGOs: Border-crossing Civil Society across the Taiwan Strait

Katajamäki, Sasu: Voluntary departures, expulsions, or profitable extortion? : The politics of expulsion and the ethnic Chinese Vietnamese refugees 1975 - 1979

Kääriäinen, Lotta: China's Changing Role in the New Era, a Case Study Based on China's First Overseas Military Base in Djibouti

Santiago, Antonio: COMMUNIST SEX CULTURE AND LEWD MARXIST FEMINISTS: The Protestant Response to the 16th Seoul Queer Culture Festival

2019

Heikkinen, Milla: Attitudes Toward Future Japanese Families among Japanese University Students: Tradition, Ideals and Stigmas

Huh, Seyeon: Perception of Contemporary History in South Korea: The Formation of Contested Legacy of Syngman Rhee

Kwon, Jung Ah: The Programme "Now on My Way to Meet You" and its Impact on Exchanges between North Korean Defectors and South Koreans

Nguyen, Minh Nga: Regional initiatives for Japanese Entrepreneurs: A study on the Tokyo metropolis area

Ranta, Mika: Japan's Official Development Assistance: Case Philippines and Human Security

Sidz, Malgorzata: Reproduction of Mothering in East Asia

2018

Cahill, Samantha: Building Better Tourists? Insight into China´s Civilized Tourism´campaign

Gouiffès-Santarelli, Perrine: Road to Nowhere: Transitions to Adulthood and the New Social Vagrants in post-1997 South Korea

Hakulinen, Noora: Human Trafficking in China – An analysis of national policies and their impacts on punishment levels in human trafficking court cases between 2012-2016

Hautala, Iina: Commemorative Landscape of Dokdo in South Korea – Reflections on Dokdo's importance in the South Korean national narrative

Isohanni, Heikki: Mythology Marches to Modernity : Yōkai in Contemporary Japan

Kurki, Suvi: Finding a New Narrative of Chinese Business Leadership

Liu, Bayoing: Factionalism in the CCP and the DPP -One´s Obstruction, the Other´s Impetus

Morozova, Aleksandra: Illicit Drugs in Modern China: Production, Trafficking and Consumption

Pihl, Marko: Dependent Autonomy: A Study of Chinese Environmental Social Organisation's Operational Autonomy

Pitkänen, Ari-Joonas: A Dichotomy Dismantled – Reflections on National Identity among Supporters of Third Force Political Parties in Taiwan

Šilhánová, Barbora: From the Village to Heaven – The development of the social role of Taiwanese Bunun prayer pasibutbut in the course of the modernization of the tribe

Tuorila, Eero: Opposition Discourse on Security Policy in Japan: Case of the 2015 Legislation for Peace and Security