A bachelor's degree in a major in Asian Studies, an Asian language, or a field with an emphasis on Asia, such as Cultural Geography, International Business, International Studies and Linguistics. Those who did not earn a bachelor's degree in these fields but possess language fluency and/or related work experience (such as international applicants), also are strongly encouraged to apply.
A 3.0 (B) GPA in Asia and Asian language related courses taken as an undergraduate. (A student whose GPA is less than 3.0 may appeal to the Department's Graduate Committee for a possible waiver of this requirement.)
English language competency:
International students must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS exam. For admission to graduate study, a minimum score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL is required. TOEFL official score results must be submitted from Educational Testing Service (ETS). The CSULB institution code for TOEFL reporting is 4389. If you choose to take the IELTS, a minimum score of 6.0 in each sub-section is required.
For the MA in Asian Studies, non-native speakers should be competent in an Asian language to the Intermediate-mid level according to the 2012 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. *Non-native speakers who have lived abroad may be tested for this competency and should contact the Department for further information.
The Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and the Japanese Language and Pedagogy options require a native or near-native level of proficiency for admission. Students must possess at a minimum the Intermediate-High level of Japanese language proficiency according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines in all four skills.
Two letters of recommendation (preferably from academic sources).
A short statement of the candidate's objectives in pursuing the AST MA degree.