Korean Studies is inviting expressions of interest from domestic applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) commencing in 2027.

This call invites prospective PhD applicants to develop and propose an original research project aligned with the discipline’s research strengths and supervision expertise.

We welcome applications from highly motivated candidates with strong academic preparation and a clear interest in contributing to the discipline’s areas of research focus. Applicants should demonstrate the capacity to undertake independent research and develop a well-conceived PhD project.

IMPORTANT: Do not use the “Submit an Expression of Interest” button on this page. To be considered, you must submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) using the School EOI form (click here to access the form).

The academic staff listed below represent the supervision available in Korean Studies within the Asia Institute. Applicants should review the academic expertise and consider how their proposed project aligns with the research interests of potential supervisors.

Dr Nicola Fraschini (Principal/ Co Spervisor)

Dr Nicola Fraschini’s research expertise lies in the field of applied linguistics, with specific focus on the Korean language and on language education. Dr Fraschini has researched topics such as language motivation, language learning and teaching emotions, language policies, teacher education, and issues at the intersection of plurilingualism, language identity and society. Dr Fraschini is an expert in the application of Q methodology to language research. Dr Fraschini has published books on Korean language teaching methods, Korean language learners, Korean language and society, and Q methodology.

Research areas: Korean language/linguistics, applied linguistics, language teaching and learning, Q methodology

Dr Jihye Kim (Principal/ Co Spervisor)

Dr Jihye Kim’s research expertise lies in contemporary Korean society and culture, drawing on sociology and anthropology with a particular focus on migration and ethnic studies. She has extensive experience supervising research dissertations across a wide range of topics, including nationalism, neoliberalism, migration, diaspora, multiculturalism, settlement and integration, refugee experiences, gender and sexual inequalities, LGBTQ+ issues, class and structural inequalities, discrimination, and racism. She has published numerous articles and books on Korean migrant communities in Latin America, Europe, and Australia, the global spread of Hallyu, and Korean entrepreneurship, including Korean restaurant businesses. Her current research interests also include the social and cultural impact of Korean popular culture, film, and media, as well as innovative qualitative research approaches such as ethnography, narrative inquiry, and long-term iterative interviews.

Research areas: Korean society and culture, migration

Dr Alexander Hynd (Principal/ Co Spervisor)

Dr Alexander M. Hynd is a political scientist working in the subfields of international relations and international political economy – with a particular research focus on South Korean foreign policy. Dr Hynd is available to supervise students broadly in Korean international relations and politics, with a particular interest in topics around middle powers, international hierarchies, economic coercion, nuclear weapons proliferation, and the green energy transition.

Research areas: Korean international relations, Korean politics

Dr Adam Zulawnik (Co Spervisor)

Dr Adam Zulawnik specialises in Translation and Cultural Studies, with specific focus on the function of language in culture and society within the context of Korea and Japan. Dr Zulawnik has researched topics such as translation methodology (ethics, risk management, multimodal translation) with focus on political and historical texts in the Korean and Japanese languages, linguistic nationalism in the context of popular culture, and language and identity. Dr Zulawnik is proficient in both Korean and Japanese.

Research area: Korean and Japanese language, culture and society, translation, and comparative studies (Korea and Japan)

Dr Sin Ji Jung (Co Spervisor)

Dr Sin Ji Jung specialises in bilingual acquisition and language education, with a particular focus on Korean as a heritage language. Her research examines bilingual development in children from Korean migrant families, as well as pedagogical approaches that support their language development and maintenance. Her work also explores sociolinguistic aspects of language retention in Korean and other diasporic communities, along with language ideologies and policies related to heritage languages

Research area: Korean language/linguistics, applied linguistics, language teaching and learning

HOW TO APPLY

Before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI)
Applicants should review the research areas and supervision expertise listed above and consider how their proposed research project aligns with the discipline’s areas of expertise. You do not need to contact a potential supervisor before submitting an EOI.

You should alsoensure you meet the entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) [click here to view the Handbook].Competitive applicants typically demonstrate excellent academic achievement in a relevant master’s degree, honours degree (or equivalent), usually placeing in the upper range of the grading scale at their institution, together with strong performance in a substantial independent research project (e.g. thesis).

IMPORTANT – How to submit your EOI

To be considered you must submit your expression of interest using the School EOI form:

→ Submit your Expression of Interest (School EOI form) - click here to access the form

Do not use the page “Submit Expression of Interest” button. Applications submitted via the page button will not be considered.

Deadlines

EOIs are currently being accepted from domestic applicants only. The deadline for domestic applicants is 30 August.

The EOI round for international applicants closed on 30 June and is no longer accepting submissions.

To complete the School EOI form [click here to open], you will be asked to provide:

a research proposal
a curriculum vitae (CV) - use this template [click here to open]
academic transcripts for all tertiary study
evidence of English language proficiency (if applicable)
the names of two potential supervisors aligned with your project

What happens next
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a Zoom interview with potential supervisors within approximately two weeks of the closing date.

Applicants who receive supervisor support may be invited to submit a formal application to the Doctor of Philosophy – Arts (DR-PHILART).

Submission of an EOI does not guarantee admission or scholarship selection.

Further information about the application process is available here: https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/study/graduate-research [click here to open]

Dr

Sin Ji Jung

Lecturer in Korean Studies

Asia Institute

Dr

Sin Ji Jung

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Faculty of Arts

Dr

Sin Ji Jung

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