Asian Studies (MA)

Why Leiden University

Top-ranked university

Leiden University's Faculty of Humanities consistently ranks among the top 30 humanities faculties worldwide by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Here, you can access resources found nowhere else in the world, such as Leiden University's famous collections of Asian artefacts; learn from researchers whose expertise spans all corners of Asia; and choose from an expansive curriculum that includes specialised subjects not available elsewhere.

A centre of expertise on languages and cultures of the world

When it comes to languages and cultures, Leiden University is the university. The global expertise present places our university at the top. In Leiden and The Hague, we study languages and cultures from all regions of the world and from prehistory to the present day. In this way we create a broad view of the world; the key to mutual understanding.

Close, individual tuition 

At Leiden, we take a student-centred approach to learning. Teaching takes the form of small-scale lectures, seminars and tutorials, where every student has the opportunity to participate in debates and share their ideas. A high level of focused attention from lecturers also keeps you engaged and on track to meet your goals. A flexible programme format means that whatever your interests or career goals, our faculty members can help you customise the programme to meet these requirements.

An excellent start to your career

Our reputation as a centre of excellence means that your qualification is respected by organisations worldwide. Our graduates enjoy successful careers thanks to their broad and global mind-sets, specialised and in-depth knowledge, and strong critical-thinking skills. The success of our alumni speaks for itself: our graduates are equipped to solve the challenges facing society now and in the future.

Diversity and inclusion

We are convinced that our education can only flourish if everyone within the programme feels supported, respected and empowered to do their best work. We find it important to offer a learning environment that allows for different perspectives and points of view that students bring with them, depending on their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, health, religion, age or socio-economic background. Every new generation sees the world from a new perspective – and our students are the newest generation. We look forward to hearing more about your perspective. Leiden University has been pursuing diversity policy since 2014, with the aim of creating a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment for all staff and students.