Prospective Students
Undergraduate Students
Once admitted to Cornell University as an undergraduate, students may elect to either major in Asian Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia or complete a minor in Southeast Asian Studies. An understanding of Southeast Asia can be essential for those students who are seeking careers in government (particularly in international relations), teaching, law, business, or academic fields directly or indirectly related to Southeast Asian Studies.
Undergraduates who minor in Southeast Asian Studies are advised by SEAP Program Faculty advisors who collaborate with them to construct a course of study based upon their particular area of interest. These students are invited to attend all formal and informal SEAP events, as well as to make use of the George McT. Kahin Center, which serves as a campus focal point for faculty and students with an interest in Southeast Asia. In order to qualify for a minor in Southeast Asian Studies, students are required to complete eighteen credits of coursework in the field. It is recommended that students begin their studies with Asian Studies 2208, "Introduction to Southeast Asia" and complete at least two courses in a Southeast Asian language at the intermediate or advanced level. Exceptional students are encouraged to prepare and defend an honors thesis under the guidance of SEAP faculty, and students who minor may also elect to enroll in courses on Southeast Asia at the graduate level, following advisor approval. It is also possible to satisfy the requirements for a minor in Southeast Asia by studying at universities in Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam through the Cornell Abroad Program. Further and more definitive information is available in the Asian Studies Department on area minors or the major.
Affiliation with the Southeast Asia Program
Undergraduate students who have an interest in Southeast Asia, but whose academic program does not allow for a minor in Southeast Asian Studies may become members of the Southeast Asian Program by registering as affiliates. An affiliate may meet informally with advisors from among SEAP Program Faculty and will be informed of all SEAP events and activities.
Graduate Students
The Southeast Asia Program coordinates exceptional resources and facilities for research and graduate study of Southeast Asia (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam). Much of the research and training in this interdisciplinary program focuses on the culture, economy, history, politics, development, and society of contemporary, colonial, and traditional Southeast Asia.
Graduate students at Cornell may pursue area and language study on Southeast Asia while they fulfill their degree requirements either in one of the fields of the Graduate School or in one of the professional schools. The Department of Asian Studies facilitates a Master's Degree Program in Southeast Asian Studies, wherein students undertake a substantial body of additional training in both language and interdisciplinary courses concerning Southeast Asia. A graduate course of study is devised by a special committee of three faculty members who supervise the student's progress toward the preparation and defense of a Master's Thesis. Forms for committee selection and approval of the course of study are available for downloading at the website of the Cornell Graduate School. Master's students in other disciplines may also minor in Southeast Asian Studies by completing one course from Asian Studies 601-604 and one other course.
Advanced language instruction through SEAP is offered in Burmese, Cambodian, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese, with federally funded FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) Fellowships are available to U.S. citizen students for language study. In addition to the major national languages of Southeast Asia, Cornell also provides training in all languages necessary for detailed contemporary and historical research on the region, including Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Pali, Portuguese, and Sanskrit. Graduate students in Southeast Asian Studies are required to demonstrate research competency in a Southeast Asian language equivalent to three years of language instruction. The Master's Degree allows students to further careers in governmental and non-governmental agencies or multinational corporations, or to prepare for a PhD program in a discipline related to Southeast Asia.
Funding and Facilities
Although financial aid to graduate students through SEAP is limited, SEAP is able to provide a number of Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Awards, tuition stipends, grants, and teaching assistantships to successful applicants. Please check SEAP funding opportunities and the Graduate School for further information on requirements and deadlines for financial aid. Graduate students are also encouraged to view our online employment database for job and internship opportunities at Cornell and beyond.
Students researching Southeast Asia at the graduate level are eligible to apply for office space at the George McT. Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia as well as access to the John M. Echols Collection in Kroch Library through the SEAP Outreach Program Assistant, Southeast Asia Program, 180 Uris Hall, Ithaca, New York, 14853.