Korean is Central!

Everything you need to know about the Korean Program at Central Washington University!

Welcome to Korean Studies at CWU!

We offer a First-Year Korean, in small, student-centered classes. Our program offers classes on Korean language and Korean culture, arts, history, and society. We collaborate with other departments to bring students courses on Korean film, history, geography, and political science. Our classes also pairs with the Asian Studies Major/Minor program as well as the Asian Buisiness Minor which will assist you in a core introduction into contemporary Asia.

Why Take Korean?

• Korean is one of the world's oldest living languages! Korean is spoken by nearly 80 million native speakers worldwide. There are several different theories, linking the origins of the Korean language with Japanese, Chinese and even Tibetan, though most linguistics classify Korean as the largest language isolate in the world. The earliest historical records of the language implicate that there were two different languages spoken in Korea and it was only in the 7th century that the Silla dialect became the dominant language in all of Korea. Due to the separation of the two countries North and South Korea have evolved distinct vocabularies, pronunciations and grammar.
• Korean Pop Culture has become immensely popular in the last decade! K-Pop bands such as BTS, G-Dragon and Red Velvet which have gained huge international popularity, with fans traveling from overseas to see them in concert and sold out world tours. K-Pop is characterised by a mixture of Western sounds with an Asian performance. The most popular singles even come with their own choreography, including a key dance move, that fans can learn at home. The most well-known Korean dance move is from Psy’s Gangnam Style. As of 2018 the music video has a whopping 3 Billion views on YouTube and is one of the most watched YouTube videos of all time.
• Hangul is one of the youngest alphabets worldwide and linguists Love It! Hangual is often described as being the “most perfect phonetic system” with an alphabet that fits the language like a glove. That is partially because the shape of the letters actually mimics the shape of your tongue while pronouncing them. The language is so popular with native speakers that both South and North Korea have a national holiday to honor their language.

Korean Culture Resource Center (KCRC)

A weekly space on-campus to meet, hang out, get help from your peers, and practice Korean! Learn About Korean Culture, Society, Movies, Dramas, K-Pop, and History. Meeting times change every quarter, so check in at the office to see when it's meeting this week!

Korean Study Abroad

Take advantage of study abroad programs and scholarships. Participate in many cultural events on our campus! Vist the Study Abroad website for current information.

Korean Course Offering

Year One: First-Year Korean Sequence (15 credits pre-requisite)

Fall Term - KRN 151: First-Year Korean I (5 cr.)

Winter Term - KRN 152: First-Year Korean II (5 cr.)

Spring Term -  KRN 153: First-Year Korean III (5 cr.) 

First-Year Korean Sequence counts towards a Graduation Foreign Language Requirement in the State of Washington: CWUP 5-90-050 (3H) Graduation Requirements. It is a pre-requisite for the Korean Studies Minor. You are required to take First-Year Korean Sequence if you have no knowledge of Korean language. Each course has one section and all courses are offered at the same time throughout the academic year.

Approved Electives

KRN 311- Korean Visual Culture

AST 350 - Korea Today

HIST 479 - History of Korea

RELS 350 - Korean Religion and Philosophy

POSC 369 - Korean Politics

POSC 366 - Govt and Politics of East Asia

ECON 349 - Economic Development of East Asia

Asian Studies Major/Minor Program

Visit the Asian Studies program website & Korean Studies Minor website

Overview:

This program provides students with a grasp of the region's diverse communities & their connections to the world. The curriculum has three components: a core introduction to Asian Studies, & Asian language sequence, & a choice of Asian-related elective courses in the Humanities, Social Services, and Aesthetic Experiences. These components complement & reinforce one anther to provide students with deep, multidimensional understanding of contemporary Asia.

Job Competence:

International business, translator, interpreter, bilingual editor, market researcher, consultant, immigration & social services coordinator, foreign affairs analyst, intelligence officer, & logistics specialist. Asian Studies is also an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in areas such as business & international relations. Most large corporations & many small companies have a significant & growing presence in Asia: they are looking for candidates with an expertise in the region & its connections to the world.