This one-year master's in Southeast Asian Studies is designed for highly-motivated students interested in studying Southeast Asia from a comparative and global perspective. You will explore the countries or regions of Southeast Asia through the lens of complementary disciplines.

Customise your degree

A flexible degree format allows you to tailor your degree to reflect your interests or specific career goals. Choose from a broad range of electives, select your own area of research for your MA thesis, and focus your studies on a language and a single country, or on a specific discipline and region.

Learn a language

Knowledge of an Asian language is not required for this master’s programme, but you have the option of taking an intensive modern language course in Indonesian instead of an elective in both the first and second semesters.

Learn from internationally-acclaimed scholars

Expertise on Asia at Leiden University is internationally renowned and spans the whole of Asia. Small classes give you direct and regular contact with your lecturers. You will learn from some of Europe's best scholars in the field, many of whom are at the leading edge of Asia-related research.