SOAS University of London

Japan & Korea Section, Department of East Asian Languages & Culture

K400: Advanced Korean (PG)

Module Code:
FHEQ Level:
Year of study:
Taught in:
Term 1

This module aims to develop and consolidate students' advanced Korean language knowledge and skills, including listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. It also aims to allow students to develop advanced mediation skills both from English to Korean and from Korean to English. The focus is on developing advanced transferable skills around language and communication that can be used in society and will increase students' employability.

The module content focuses on current issues in Korea, including social, cultural, political and environmental, and places them in a global context. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical reading and thinking skills, as well as advanced cross-linguistic and cross-cultural mediation skills, through reading comprehension, summarisation, discussion and academic writing in Korean.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module


  1. read and understand authentic Korean materials, including newspaper articles, research articles, white papers and statistical data with the help of dictionaries
  2. express themselves cogently and coherently in Korean, both orally and in writing
  3. apply their knowledge and skills of Korean, such as structures and registers, more naturally and appropriately
  4. demonstrate broad knowledge and critical understanding of the cultures and societies of Korea
  5. further develop their mediation skills from English to Korean, and from Korean to English


Total taught hours: 30 hours. 3 hours of seminars per week for 10 weeks.

Independent study: 120 hours

Total hours for module: 150 hours

Scope and syllabus

The syllabus content will vary from year to year, depending on which national and global issues are currently topical.

Method of assessment

  • Essay in Korean of 2,500 - 3,000 words (50%)
  • Portfolio (30%)
  • Oral Presentation of 10 minutes (20%)

Suggested reading

  • Eunju Lee, Duk-Soo Park and Jaehoon Yeon. (2004). Integrated Korean: Advanced (Volumes 1 and 2). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.


Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules