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Korean Studies Department and Korean Culture Education at the University of Waikato
Project to Establish a Korean Studies Department at the University of Waikato
The University of Waikato, located in Hamilton, New Zealand, was established in 1964. Hamilton is the fourth-largest city in New Zealand and the largest city in the Waikato Region. The University of Waikato boasts a park-like campus surrounded by nature, and it specializes in the study of the Pacific Islands and the Oceania region in general, as well as the culture and history of New Zealand's indigenous Maori people.
Interest in Korean culture and the Korean language is growing rapidly globally and in New Zealand too. The number of students of Korean language enrolled in the New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) has been gradually increasing since 2014, and several private institutions in Auckland and Hamilton are teaching Korean. In particular, Korean culture such as K-pop, K-drama, K-film, and K-food is very popular among young people in the Waikato region.
There are eight universities in New Zealand, all of which are national universities. They are located across the country, including the largest city Auckland, capital city Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Dunedin. All the universities are general and comprehensive universities offering a variety of degree programs and research programs. However, the University of Auckland is the only university in New Zealand that teaches Korean as a regular course. In order to reflect the growing interest in Korean culture and the Korean language, the University of Waikato included Korean as a regular course in its International Languages and Cultures program in 2022, and plans to establish a Department of Korean Language in 2024.
The University of Waikato made plans in 2021 to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a Korean Studies Department. For two years from 2022 to 2023, the university benefited from the support of the Academy of Korean Studies, opening Korean and Korea-related classes as regular courses, and organizing various on-campus events in which students can experience Korean culture and get to know about Korean studies.
To graduate from the International Languages and Cultures bachelor's program, students are required to take not only their major language courses but also related social science courses. Since 2021, Korean-related modules have been included in the five courses, and from 2024, the program plans to open more specialized Korean-related courses such as contemporary Korean society and Korean history.
• INTLC221 Understanding East Asia (Korea Module)
• INTLC303 Visual Cultures of East Asia (Korea Module)
• INTLC304 Cultural Identities in the Age of Globalisation (Korea Module)
• INTLC101 International Languages and Cultures (Korea Module)
• INTLC102 Communicating Across Cultures (Korea Module)
There are eight universities in New Zealand, all of which are national universities. They are located across the country, including the largest city Auckland, capital city Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Dunedin. All the universities are general and comprehensive universities offering a variety of degree programs and research programs. However, the University of Auckland is the only university in New Zealand that teaches Korean as a regular course. In order to reflect the growing interest in Korean culture and the Korean language, the University of Waikato included Korean as a regular course in its International Languages and Cultures program in 2022, and plans to establish a Department of Korean Language in 2024.
The University of Waikato made plans in 2021 to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a Korean Studies Department. For two years from 2022 to 2023, the university benefited from the support of the Academy of Korean Studies, opening Korean and Korea-related classes as regular courses, and organizing various on-campus events in which students can experience Korean culture and get to know about Korean studies.
Establishment of Korean and Korean-related courses in the International Languages and Cultures Program
Currently, the University's Waikato's International Languages and Cultures program offers four majors -- Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and French -- and Korean was opened as a minor in 2021. As of 2022, there were four regular courses, Beginners Korean 1, Beginners Korean 2, Intermediate Korean 1, and Intermediate Korean 2, and from 2024, advanced courses will be offered as a major.To graduate from the International Languages and Cultures bachelor's program, students are required to take not only their major language courses but also related social science courses. Since 2021, Korean-related modules have been included in the five courses, and from 2024, the program plans to open more specialized Korean-related courses such as contemporary Korean society and Korean history.
• INTLC221 Understanding East Asia (Korea Module)
• INTLC303 Visual Cultures of East Asia (Korea Module)
• INTLC304 Cultural Identities in the Age of Globalisation (Korea Module)
• INTLC101 International Languages and Cultures (Korea Module)
• INTLC102 Communicating Across Cultures (Korea Module)
Operation of various Korea-related cultural and educational events
In addition to the opening of regular courses in Korean and Korean-related subjects, the University of Waikato is hosting various Korea-related cultural and educational events on the campus. They include kimbap making, K-pop contest, Korean speech contest, Korean studies special lecture series, essay contest, and hanbok experiences. These events, supported by the Academy of Korean Studies, help students experience Korean culture first-hand and get acquainted with a wide range of research related to Korean studies. This encourages students to develop an interest in Korean studies. The University of Waikato will continue to organize similar events in the future. It is hoped that the active support of the Academy of Korean Studies and the University of Waikato, as well as the continued efforts of the faculty members of the International Languages and Cultures program and the Department of Korean Studies, will provide a solid foundation for the further growth and greater influence of Korean studies at the University of Waikato.
