Asia is a fast-growing economic region as well as a large and diverse continent encompassing many countries, cultures and languages. On our joint honours programme in Asian Studies & Comparative Literature, you explore the cultural diversity of Asia while developing an appreciation of the literary works and traditions of Europe and beyond.
You are based in Kent’s School of European Culture and Languages (SECL) where you benefit from the wide range of expertise and the interdisciplinary culture within the School.
Asian Studies at Kent takes a multidisciplinary approach. The broad range of topics and methodologies draws on the humanities and social sciences and develops your understanding of Asian cultures, both historically and today.
Comparative Literature develops your understanding of historical and cross-cultural literary traditions. It crosses the boundaries between literature and other forms of human expression, including film, visual arts and popular culture. You do not need to be able to read a foreign language to study Comparative Literature. While we encourage you to engage with foreign languages, you study translated works alongside literature originally written in English.
In your first year of study, you are introduced to the philosophical, religious and cultural traditions of East Asia. You also explore the importance of narrative and storytelling to the make-up of societies and culture.
You have the opportunity to gain both written and spoken competency in an Asian language during all stages of your studies. You may also choose specialist modules that suit your interests including topics such as world literature, East Asian politics, Japanese culture, travel, exile and the ethnographic gaze, Chinese philosophy and gender in literature.
Between your second and third years of study you can choose to take a year abroad in an Asian country such as China, Japan or Korea.
In your final year of study, there is an option to take a dissertation module on a subject of your choice. This allows you to focus in detail on an area you are particularly passionate about.
Through Kent’s Templeman Library, you have access to a wide range of topical journals and books in hard copy and digital format.
Your designated academic advisor provides guidance for your studies and academic development.
Our Student Learning Advisory Service offers useful workshops on topics like essay writing and academic referencing.
You may want to join one of the many student-led societies at Kent, including:
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
Please note that meeting this typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee an offer being made.Please also see our general entry requirements.
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
BBB
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. A typical offer would be to achieve DDM.
34 points overall or 15 at HL
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
However, please note that international fee-paying students cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
For more advice about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 3 years full-time (4 with a year abroad), 6 years part-time
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally. You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.
You can apply to add a Year Abroad to your degree programme from your arrival at Kent until the autumn term of your second year. The Year Abroad takes place between Stages 2 and 3 at one of our partner universities. Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme. For a full list, please see Go Abroad.
You are expected to adhere to any academic progression requirements in Stages 1 and 2 to proceed to the Year Abroad. The Year Abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification.
The 2020/21 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Full-time tuition fees for Home and EU undergraduates are £9,250.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Full-time tuition fees for Home and EU undergraduates are £1,385.
Full-time tuition fees for Home and EU undergraduates are £1,385.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Teaching for all the non-language modules is through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment is by continuous assessment, coursework (essays and presentations) and written examination. Continuous assessment involves essays, assignments done in class, group presentations and contributions to seminar discussion.
If you are studying a language as part of your Asian Studies programme, language assessment is through a combination of coursework (essays, presentations, projects, translations), unseen written examinations, oral examinations, dissertation, extended essay, and computer-assisted language learning tests.
In addition, independent study is enhanced by the final-year dissertation option, which enables students to pursue a topic in greater depth, linking the different pathways of the degree programme.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
For programme aims and learning outcomes please see the programmes specification for each subject below. Please note that outcomes will depend on your specific module selection:
100% of Comparative Literature graduates who responded to the most recent national survey of graduate destinations were in work or further study within six months (DLHE, 2017).
As part of your degree, you develop critical thinking, transferable knowledge and skills that enable you to work in a variety of professions.
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
A number of our students also continue to postgraduate study.
The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:
Alongside specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers are looking for, including the ability to:
You can also gain additional skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
This course page is for the 2020/21 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.
T: +44 (0)1227 768896
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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