BA East Asian Studies with International Study

This course examines various facets of Chinese and East Asian visual cultures from early modern to contemporary periods, with consideration also given to diaspora communities. Chronologically and thematically organised, the course situates visual cultures of China and East Asia within the broader world by delineating: (1) the visual materialisation of cross-cultural communication between early modern China and Europe; (2) multiple sites of visual modernity shaped by the intercultural mediascape both within and without East Asia; and (3) the engagement of Chinese and Asian diaspora filmmakers with global new-wave cinema. The course ultimately aims to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the vibrant interactions between Chinese, East Asian, and other visual cultures in the world by exploring how China has been deeply embedded in East Asian contexts and the larger world beyond.

This course aims to: 

• familiarise students with visual, textual, and multimedia materials pertinent to Chinese and East Asian visual cultures from the seventeenth century to today;
• cultivate students’ skills of close reading and audiovisual analysis; 
• develop students’ ability to analyse Chinese and East Asian visual materials through English translation in conjunction with the historical contexts in which they were produced; and
• develop students’ critical skills in reading, thinking, writing, and presenting. 

This course will employ mixed lecture-seminars, screenings, directed readings, and Canvas.

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• become familiar with visual materials that embody cross-cultural exchanges between China, Easy Asia, and the world beyond;
• better understand the complex habitus many contemporary Chinese and East Asian filmmakers find themselves in and to appreciate how they socially manoeuvre within and against these confines; 
• demonstrate an ability to critically engage with the themes discussed in the module; and 
• be more aware of the interconnectedness of art and culture and the position(s) they hold in contemporary societies. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• think critically and engage in well-informed discussions; 
• critically engage with a variety of secondary literature from across different disciplines; 
• construct coherent, persuasive, and well-supported arguments in writing; and 
• process and understand complicated concepts in the field of Chinese and East Asian contemporary cinema. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• prepare audio-visual presentations; 
• manage time and work to deadlines; 
• apply critical reading skills; 
• assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others;
• present information, ideas and arguments, orally and in writing, with due regard to the target audience; and 
• demonstrate skills of analysis 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• prepare audio-visual presentations; 
• express themselves with confidence; 
• manage time and work to deadlines; 
• apply critical reading skills; 
• assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others; 
• present information, ideas and arguments, orally and in writing, with due regard to the target audience; and 
• demonstrate skills of analysis

Assessment Task	Formative or Summative	Weighting
Weekly Posts	Summative	10%
Recorded Video Presentation	Summative	20%
Final Essay	Summative	70%

Resit Assessment

Essay (2000 words)

 

 

 

Feedback method	Formative or Summative
Written and oral feedback on weekly posts	Summative
Written feedback on recorded video presentation	Summative
Written feedback on final essay	Summative
Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment)	Formative

All assigned books, book chapters, and journal articles will be available through Canvas and the library portal. 

Sample Secondary Readings:

1. Kleutghen, Kristina. Imperial Illusions: Crossing Pictorial Boundaries in the Qing Palaces. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2015. 
2. Rea, Christopher. Chinese Film Classics, 1922-1949. New York: Columbia University Press, 2021. 
3. Sun, Hongmei. Transforming Monkey: Adaptation and Representation of a Chinese Epic. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2018. 
4. Waltner, Ann. Dream of the Red Chamber: Afterlives. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2022. 

Sample Films:

1. Hou Hsiao-hsien, dir. Flowers of Shanghai.
2. Wong Kar-wai, dir. In the Mood for Love.
3. Zhang Yimou, dir. Raise the Red Lantern.

Tuition fees for home students will be £10,050 for the 2027/28 academic year. In England and Wales, tuition fees for home undergraduate students are subject to the Government fee cap, which the Government has announced will be £10,050 for the 2027/28 academic year.

Government policy is to increase the fee cap on an annual basis to reflect inflation (i.e. increasing costs), and the tuition fee home students pay in subsequent academic years will reflect any increases in the Government fee cap (which we will communicate to you as soon as we can in advance of the relevant academic year).

Tuition fees for international students will be £29,200 for the 2027/28 academic year. For subsequent academic years, the University reserves the right to increase the tuition fee by up to 7% each year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our education and wider student experience.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

The Residence Abroad year is an integral part of the course and must be completed. Some costs, such as tuition fees, are substantially lower. Other costs can vary and they are not included in the tuition fee. For example, living costs may be higher or lower than the UK, and there are travel-related costs to consider, such as paying for a passport, visa fees, health insurance, and (if needed) vaccinations. Please visit Residence Abroad for more information and indicative costs.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students .

Learn more about fees and finance for international students .

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.

We also have information on funding support for Residence Abroad .