Korean
Department of Linguistics
College of Arts and Sciences
609 Baldy Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1030
Phone: 716.645.2177
Fax: 716.645.3825
Web: http://linguistics.buffalo.edu/Korean/
Karin Michelson
Chair
EunHee Lee
Program Director
About the Program
*Not a baccalaureate degree program
North and South Korea have a combined population of 68 million. Except for a small Chinese minority in South Korea, most of the people are ethnic Koreans, making Korea one of the most homogeneous countries in the world. The Korean language plays an important role in the identity of the Korean people. Korean is spoken in both North and South Korea and is written in Hangul, a phonetic alphabet created in 1446. South Korea has experienced rapid economic growth and development and is considered an Asian economic powerhouse.
The Korean curriculum provides a solid foundation for an understanding and appreciation of the rich culture of Korea. The language and culture courses offered are useful to students who aspire to an East Asia–related academic or professional career in education, government, communications, or business, as well as in other fields in the United States or abroad.
The curriculum of the Korean program includes:
• Courses designed to develop or improve competence in written and spoken Korean through the advanced level
• Courses on Korean culture (taught in English)
• Courses for the advanced study of Korean literature (taught in English)
• Courses that examine Korean business, Korean language teaching, and Korean linguistics
About Our Degrees
The curriculum of the Korean program includes:
- Courses designed to develop or improve competence in written and spoken Korean through the advanced level
- Courses on Korean culture (taught in English)
- Courses for the advanced study of Korean literature (taught in English)
The Department of Linguistics also offers minors in Japanese and Chinese. As in the Korean program, the curricula for these languages also provide a solid foundation for an understanding and appreciation of these rich and diverse cultures.
Acceptance Criteria
A minimum GPA of 2.0 in prerequisite and required courses is needed.
Application should be made when the student has completed the prerequisite courses or during the semester in which they are completed.
Degree Requirements
See the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Courses
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
Dr. EunHee Lee’s research centers on formal semantic theories with an emphasis on tense and aspect in Korean.
Practical Experience and Special Academic Opportunities
Programs for study abroad are available for those who pursue studies in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and it is encouraged particularly for majors and minors in these languages. For more information, see Study Abroad Programs.
Serious students of Korean are strongly encouraged to take Korea-related courses across the university curriculum and to study in Korea for a summer, a semester, or full academic year. For study abroad options, see the Study Abroad section or contact the Study Abroad Programs office at (716) 645-3912.
Of interest to students enrolled in Korean language courses is the Asian Studies Program, which offers a major in Asian Studies and a minor in Asian Studies. For information, contact Thomas Burkman, Director, 714 Clemens Hall at (716) 645-3474, or burkman@buffalo.edu.
Extracurricular Activities
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Many students opt to combine a minor in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean with a major in Asian studies, business administration, engineering, geography, international studies, or other humanites and social sciences.
Career Information and Further Study
The language and culture courses offered are useful to students who aspire to an East Asia–related academic or professional career in education, government, communications, business, and other fields in the United States and abroad.
Links to Further Information About This Program
- Undergraduate Catalog
- Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate Admissions
- Department of Linguistics
- College of Arts and Sciences
Last Modified: Tuesday, 7-Nov-2006 10:26:11 EST