Transnational Korean Studies
The Korean Studies minor is an inter-departmental and interdisciplinary program that allows students to explore and deepen their interest in and knowledge of Korea. Korean Studies at UC San Diego places special emphasis on modern Korea as a transnational formation, exploring how Korea has been shaped and constructed itself under changing historical circumstances and in relation to other nation-states, empires and their histories and cultures. Course offerings for the minor include the disciplines of History, Literature and Language, Culture and Popular Culture Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Political Science, International Relations and Globalization Studies.
UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please use the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for all advising questions.
For all others, or undergraduate students who need to submit petitions or schedule a meeting, please email koreanstudies@ucsd.edu.
People
Program Director
Jin-kyung Lee, Literature
Academic Advising
UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please direct your advising questions to "Korean Studies" in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC). Information on how to schedule an appointment is detailed on the "Meet with Advisor" page in VAC.
Core Faculty
Patty J. Ahn, Communication
Hyejin Cho, Literature, Lecturer
Stephan M. Haggard, School of Global Policy and Strategy
Todd A. Henry, History
Byung Chu (Dredge) Kang, Anthropology
Joo Ok Kim, Literature
Jeyseon Lee, Literature, Lecturer
Jin-kyung Lee, Literature
Munseob Lee, School of Global Policy and Strategy
Kyong Park, Visual Arts
Nancy Yim, Literature, Lecturer
Affiliated Faculty
Joseph D. Hankins, Anthropology
Nancy Kwak, History
Ping-Hui Liao, Literature
Daniel Widener, History
Korean Studies Librarian
Jin Moon
jinmoon@ucsd.edu
Minor
Korean Studies Minor
The Korean Studies minor requires that students complete a minimum of 28 units of Korea and/or Korea-related courses. Normally 28 units add up to 7 courses, if each course is a 4-unit course. If courses taken offer more than 4 units (i.e., some Korean language courses), then more than 28 units may be needed to fulfill the program’s minimum requirement.
- 7 courses, with a maximum of 3 lower-division courses.
- All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
- The minor does not require language or lower-division courses. Students are not required to take Korean, but we strongly recommend that they take language courses as part of their overall specialization.
- The approved list of courses is divided into two categories: Korea courses (100% Korea content) and Korea-related courses (at least 1/3 Korea content). For Korea-related course, students need to petition to have these courses count toward the minor. The courses can be seen at the bottom of the page.
- For “topics courses,” make sure the content is on Korea and Korea-related issues as only those courses will count toward the minor.
- Graduate courses offered by GPS faculty allow enrollment of undergraduate students on a limited basis with the instructor’s permission.
- Students are encouraged to take advantage of Korean Studies courses when they study in the Education Abroad Program at Yonsei University, a participating institution in the UC EAP program. Students may petition courses taken abroad to apply toward the requirements.
Resources
Student Resources
UC San Diego Undergraduate Student Resources
Course Offerings
This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Courses with * require a petition: How to Petition Courses
The email for petition submission: koreanstudies@ucsd.edu
For advising questions about the minor, please contact Korean Studies through the Virtual Advising Center (VAC). If your question is about a specific course, please contact the department offering the course. Korean Studies does not offer any courses.
The Department of Literature has a strong four-year Korean language program (through advanced reading) and details are on the Literature website. Additionally, students seeking further details may visit the Korean Language Program website.
Summer Session I 2025
Non-language Korean courses
- LTEA 142. Korean Film, Literature, and Popular Culture (4)
- LTWL 155. Gender Studies: Food in East Asian Media and Beyond (4)
Summer Session II 2025
Non-language Korean courses
- HIEA 154. Korean History Through Film (4)
Academic Year 2025-2026 Courses
Fall 2025
Non-language Korean courses
- COMM 148. Global Cultures of K-Pop (4)
- HIEA 153. Social and Cultural History of Twentieth-Century Korea (4)
- LTEA 143. Gender and Sexuality in Korean Literature and Culture: Masculinities in Korean Literature and Culture (4)
- LTEA 145. Topics in Korean Culture: Developmentalism and Environmentalism in Modern Korea (4)
- LTCS 130. Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Class, and Culture (4)
Korean language courses
- LTKO 1A. Beginning Korean: First Year I (5)
- LTKO 2A. Intermediate Korean: Second Year I (5)
- LTKO 130F. Advanced-Korean: Third-Year (4)
Graduate courses (department and faculty approval required)
- GPPS 408. Korean Security (4)
Winter 2026
Non-language Korean courses
- ANSC 101A. Korean Wave Media and Cultural Change (4)
- HIEA 152. Histories and Cultures of the Modern Korean Diaspora (4)
- LTEA 141. Modern Korean Literature in Translation from 1945 to the Present: Multiethnic South Korea (4)
- LTEA 142. Korean Film, Literature, and Popular Culture: Horror in South Korean Film and Drama (4)
- *LTEN 181. Asian American Literature (4) with Professor Joo Ok Kim
Korean language courses
- LTKO 1B. Beginning Korean: First Year II (5)
- LTKO 2B. Intermediate Korean: Second Year II (5)
- LTKO 130W. Advanced-Korean: Third-Year (4)
Spring 2026
Non-language Korean courses
- HIEA 154. Korean History through Film (4)
- LTEA 144. Korean American Literature and Other Literatures of the Korean Diaspora: Diasporic Korean Cultures in the Global Contexts (4)
- VIS 103A. Contemporary Arts in South Korea (4)
Korean language courses
- LTKO 1C. Beginning Korean: First Year III (5)
- LTKO 2C. Intermediate Korean: Second Year III (5)
- LTKO 130P. Advanced-Korean: Third-Year (4)
- LTKO 135. Readings in Sino-Korean Characters (4)
Events
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Please see below for responses to commonly asked questions. If you have further questions, please contact the program through the Virtual Advising Center (VAC).
Can I apply study abroad courses to my minor?
Students may petition courses taken abroad to apply toward the requirements. Interested in Studying Abroad? Consider UC Education Program, Opportunities Abroad Program or UC San Diego Global Seminars.
I took a course not listed on the course catalog. May I count it toward my major or minor?
You will need to petition the course to see if it will apply towards your minor.
Other Resources
The Korean Studies Library Collection
The Library collects materials in both English and Korean to support Korean Studies research. The Korean language collection is located in the East Asia Collection, which occupies the entire 4th floor of the Geisel Library Building. The English-language collection of materials are located throughout the rest of the Geisel Library Building. Our collection emphases are modern and contemporary Korean history and literature, including Korean film studies, and contemporary Korean politics, international relations, reunification, business and industries. For more information, see the Library's Korean Language e-resources.
Korean Studies Librarian: Jin Moon
jinmoon@ucsd.edu
858-534-1811
UC San Diego Student Organizations
Mannam
This is an GPS-based, graduate student-led organization for those interested in learning about Korea. Mannam’s objective is to promote cultural understanding and cross-regional networking with other members of the GPS community while enhancing academic and professional interests in all aspects of Korea, including politics, economy, language, and society. Mannam has played a key role in organizing the GPS Korean film festival each year.
Other Undergraduate or Graduate Student Groups
Please check to see the list of current students organizations, which change each year.
Community Organizations
Asian and Pacific American Coalition
The Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) mission is to cultivate civic engagement to forward the voices of San Diego’s Asian Pacific American community.
Asian Business Association of San Diego
ABA provides a strong voice on business, cultural and political issues of interest to San Diego’s Asian and Pacific Islander community. ABA was founded in 1990, and has grown to its current membership of almost 400 members. A non-profit 501(c)(6) organization, ABA is funded by membership dues, corporate sponsorships, and the City and County of San Diego. ABA facilitates the growth and development of member businesses through ongoing entrepreneurial education, communication and business networking programs. One of our major goals is to enable members to participate fully in San Diego’s economic development, without regard to race, color, creed or national origin.
The mission of ABA is to unite, promote and advocate the San Diego Asian business community. We provide resources for economic growth and help businesses to compete effectively in the local and global marketplace. Mainstream in our focus, ABA facilitates the growth and development of member businesses through ongoing entrepreneurial education, communication and business networking programs. One of our major goals is to enable members to participate fully in San Diego economic development, without regard for race, color, creed or national origin.
National Association of Asian American Professionals
The National Association of Asian American Professionals is a non-profit professional organization that promotes the career advancement and leadership development of Asian American professionals in all fields through networking, respecting Asian multiculturalism, and supporting diversity and community service. There are currently over 25 chapters, ventures, and affiliates across the United States and Canada and a growing North American membership of over 3,000.