MEAS provided me with the unique opportunity to be able to pursue East Asia studies with a BA degree in history. MEAS as an interdisciplinary programme, allowed me to tailor my degree to my interests and needs by choosing elective courses from a wide range of advanced and specialized courses and even from allied departments. My favorite aspect of this course is when I learned basic Japanese completely from the scratch taught by a native speaking Japanese. Today, I am glad to announce that I can speak and write basic Japanese. MEAS has really helped me to develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary East Asian societies and their histories from a cross-regional perspective with the ability to compare issues found across the region. Focusing on the research track, IZO hosts a variety of lecture series and workshops which have helped me immensely to further develop my research skills and intellectual curiosity. Beyond making friends and connections with people from Asia especially, I find the professors to be really welcoming and so evidently passionate about their work. If you are considering a career in East Asia in the future, then MEAS is the programme for you.

Abraham Amofa, class of 2020
Photo credits: Abraham Amofa