South Asian Studies (MA) (60EC)
Career prospects
Where do our graduates work?
As a graduate of the MA in Asian Studies, you are qualified to work within a variety of fields where there is a demand for expertise in Asia, including journalism and publishing, international trade and marketing, business, public relations, education and development aid, and in government, international organisations and NGOs.
Examples of the diverse roles of our graduates include:
- Account manager at a translation agency
- Project manager at a trading and consultancy company in India
- Owner of a consultancy firm
- Consultant at a defence and security company
- Communications officer at an animation studio in Japan
- Relations management officer at an organisation promoting internationalisation in education
- Editor at an academic publishing house
- Content editor at a booking website
Research Master
If you have ambitions to pursue a PhD position or career as a researcher outside of academia you can apply for the two-year Research Master in Asian Studies on completion of the programme.
Dwin Snoeks
Graduated in South Asian Studies (MA Asian Studies)
“I work as an Underwriter for a Swiss insurance company. My task is to assess the risks of insuring individuals for disability and mortality coverages. I do this by analysing information about the personal situation, financials, travel risks, dangerous sports and so on.”
The possibility to grow “While working I decided that I wanted to grow more outside of my usual field of activity. I wanted to learn how to improve my research skills, how to interpret information correctly and I wanted to write articles. I have always been very interested in South Asia and have been there many times. Therefore, I saw South Asian Studies as the perfect MA programme to grow the way that I wanted.”
An enrichment for personal and work life “South Asian Studies brought me exactly what I expected. This study programme has provided me with many tools that I use daily in my current job. I developed as a researcher, presenter and analyst. Apart from this, the study has really broadened my horizon: I have learned to speak Hindi, got to learn the history of Tibet and now know all about Indian politics. South Asian Studies has been an enrichment in both my personal life and my career.”
In which sector do students find jobs?
The graphs below are based on alumni data from the MA Asian Studies 2016-2020.
- 26 % Government and semi-government
- 14 % Education
- 12 % Financial institutions
- 7 % IT
- 7 % Culture, sports and recreation
- 5 % Industrial sector
- 5 % Research
- 5 % Consultancy
- 5 % Information management
- 14 % Other
Career preparation
Find out how this programme exactly prepares you for your future career and check our career preparation activities.
At Leiden University, we give you the tools to become a powerful critical thinker with a strong and relevant knowledge base. Graduates of the master’s in Asian Studies understand the key academic approaches taken within Asian Studies across multiple disciplines, and how to use these concepts to conduct quality research. They have a wealth of practical and professional skills. These qualities amount to a highly attractive package for future employers.
Do you consider to put your knowledge into practice during your studies? Determine whether an internship could be an option for you. Start orientating your possibilities by visiting an internship information session. This way you can receive information about the internship procedure and listen to tips of former interns.
Notice that you will search for an internship yourself to find a place of your interest. Do you need some help with this or the application process? Do not hesitate to contact the Career Service. When you have found an internship, inform us. Then, the internship coordinator advises you how to proceed and provides your internship plan with feedback so it can be submitted for approval to the board of examiners.