Signature Programs

The USC Korean Studies Institute invites outstanding undergraduate students with an interest in Korea to join the KSI Undergraduate Research Fellows. As a fellow, you will:

• Receive close academic mentoring from the KSI.
• Produce a 15-20 page research paper on any Korea-related or Korean-American research topic such as politics, North Korea, literature, K-pop, and more!
• Participate in a USC mini-research conference.
• Participate in the annual USC-Michigan Korean Studies Exchange.
• Learn about fellowship and publishing opportunities.

The USC Korean Studies Institute invites applications for the Annual USC Graduate Conference in Korean Studies. This conference aims to foster a multidisciplinary community of local and regional graduate students whose research projects significantly engage Korean society and culture across the periods. It offers a platform for emerging scholars to present their work-in-progress, receive feedback from faculty and peers, and participate in interdisciplinary discussions within a supportive environment.

We welcome applicants from the humanities and social sciences who are conducting research related to Korea, East Asia, or Asian diasporas. Submissions that situate Korea within broader comparative or theoretical frameworks are especially encouraged.

KSI aims to make USC the key university that produces young scholars with the local area expertise to challenge and enhance debates about American grand strategy. Each year, USC brings 3-4 external ABD students to USC.

• We look for graduate students across disciplines who are interested in US-Asia relations.
• We welcome those without deep area expertise as well as those who are knowledgeable about the region.
• USC fills a key missing element in the grand strategy debate: training experts to build off their scholarship to effectively influence the policy debates in Washington DC.
• We want to expand the pool of young scholars and enable them to impact the American policy discourse as well as be superb scholars.

The US-Korea NextGen Scholars Program is an initiative by CSIS Korea Chair and the USC Korean Studies Institute, with support from the Korea Foundation to help mentor the next generation of Korea specialists in the United States.

This unique two-year program (non-resident) provides opportunities for mid-career Korea specialists to discuss issues of importance to US-Korea relations with policymakers, government officials, and opinion leaders in Korea and the United States.