East Asian Studies and International Relations

East Asian studies and international relations is a combination designed for students who want to understand a region that has become central to twenty-first century global affairs, and to engage with it through both area expertise and theoretical frameworks. East Asia encompasses China, Japan, South Korea, and their neighbours, and the cultural, historical, economic, and political dynamics of this region are increasingly shaping the world. International relations provides the conceptual tools to analyse how states and other actors interact across borders, addressing questions of security, trade, diplomacy, human rights, and the governance of shared challenges.

Together these disciplines equip you to engage with East Asian affairs at a level of sophistication that neither can achieve alone.

At the University of Leeds, this three-year full-time programme develops in-depth understanding of the culture, history, politics, and economics of the East Asian region alongside rigorous study of international relations theory and practice. You will engage with the major dynamics shaping the region, examining China's global rise, the security architecture of Northeast and Southeast Asia, Japan's post-war trajectory, and the significance of intra-regional relationships and tensions. The programme includes a sandwich year with placement and a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to live and study in East Asia or in another relevant international context, deepening both your area knowledge and your personal readiness to work internationally.

Graduates are well placed for careers in diplomacy, international organisations, think tanks, journalism, international business, the civil service, and NGOs. The combination of East Asian area expertise and international relations knowledge is particularly valuable given the region's growing importance in global affairs. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in East Asian studies, international relations, or related fields, and the combination of regional depth and theoretical analytical skills is highly regarded in academic and professional contexts alike.