The Ph.D. program in Korean Studies is designed to address the diverse professional and academic objectives of today's students. This program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum combining history, sociology, and political science. Admission to the program is competitive and limited to candidates with an M.A. degree in humanities and social sciences.

The curriculum encompasses the two fields of the Korean Studies Program: 1) Korean History, Society & Culture 2) Korean Politics and Economy. To fulfill all requirements for a Ph.D., a student must complete all course requirements (48 credit units) that include five courses from each field. Those with a grade point average of over 3.0 can move on to write a substantial dissertation following a comprehensive examination. The dissertation must make an original contribution to scholarship in the field of Korean Studies. Students can be given up to 24 credits units and certain required courses can be waived with permission.