General information for new students

The Centre is located on Sölvegatan 18B. For more contact information and a map, please see here.

At the Centre we have a library, a lecture room and a seminar room. In the building there is also a student kitchen with microwaves, a fridge, a freezer and a coffee machine. You will have access to the building Monday - Friday, 09.00 - 17.00. 

Lectures and seminars take place at the Centre or in the LUX building located on Helgonavägen 3.

Students who have been accepted into the programme only have the right to enrol from the semester stated in the letter of acceptance. If you cannot enter the programme on the given date you can have your place deferred but you need to submit an application to the Director of Studies specifying the reasons for such a deferral. If granted, the deferral cannot be longer than one year. 

If you want to take a pause in your studies you need to apply to the Director of Studies specifying the reasons for such a pause. If you do not apply for a pause in your studies you will be regarded as having terminated your studies and will lose your place in the programme. If you have ended your studies without notifying the Director of Studies you can only be re-accepted into the programme if there is a vacancy. In such a case the previous record of studies can be taken into account.

All course information, including course plans, schedules, literature lists, teachers, exams, and other relevant information, is found on the course pages in Canvas, the learning platform used by the Centre, to which all registered students have access. Canvas also enables students to e-mail each other and their teachers. You log in to Canvas using your student account.

Please have a look at the student guide on how to use Canvas to learn more about this platform.

Academic achievements (the student workload) at Lund University (and in Sweden) are measured according to the Swedish credit system. One and a half credits equal approximately one week of full-time studies. Thus, after one normal semester of successful full-time studies (participating according to requirements and passing the examinations), you are awarded 30 credits (ECTS). Courses at the Centre usually consist of 6, 7.5, 12 or 15 credits each. Courses are always taken sequentially with the result that there are no overlapping courses. The majority of the courses are obligatory but some courses during the second and third semesters are elective. 

The grades awarded are A, B, C, D, E or Fail (U). The highest grade is A and the lowest passing grade is E. The grade for a non-passing result is Fail (U).

In general, exams consist of seminar papers and a final home assignment. A small number of our courses include a classroom exam. Participation in the seminars is usually compulsory and you are expected to be active in discussions and presentations. If you have failed an exam you will be given a second exam opportunity a few weeks later. A further exam opportunity regarding courses completed during the past academic year will be offered in August.

For information about course exams for respective courses, look at the course page on Canvas.

The purpose of the master's programme is to train you in your ability to work independently and critically. Exams and assignments involve elements of responsibility and trust. Your work must be original and a result of your own analytical skills and intellectual efforts. All cited sources must be referenced clearly. Cutting and pasting from the Internet is not permitted, although Internet sources can be cited if referenced. If you hand in an assignment or take-home exam that to a large part consists of material cut and pasted from the Internet or quotes texts authored by others without references it is considered intentional deception. Copying from other students, helping someone to cheat and letting a fellow student copy your texts are other examples of intentional deception. If you intentionally try to deceive the examiner you will be reported to Lund University’s Disciplinary Board and will be subjected to disciplinary action.

During the introduction to the programme you will be provided with information on the principles and guidelines for academic writing.  You will also be given a handout on academic writing. 

The Centre uses an Internet tool, Urkund, to check all seminar papers/home assignments/theses, etc. for cheating and plagiarism.

If you cannot attend a lecture or seminar you should always e-mail and inform the course director that you will be absent. 

During opening hours, library staff are available and can support you on issues concerning information retrieval, databases and interlibrary loans etc. You can also book a librarian if you need help finding information for your studies.  At the beginning of the semester there is an introduction to the library services, with more detailed information provided after you have settled in. 
Find out more about the Asia library on the library web page.

The library has computers (log in using your student account) and a photocopier/scanner/printer. Inside the library there is also a quiet reading room.

Your LU card works as your library card but before you can use your LU card as a library card you need to register a library account. To be able to borrow, you then need to activate your LU card at one of the libraries at Lund University. 

Remember to bring a valid photo ID when you go to the library. Please note that your LU card is not a valid photo ID.

Through the Asia library you will be able to access all the course literature. You can borrow most of the course books for two weeks at a time.

With your student account you have access to databases, e-books and e-journals at the Lund University libraries from any electronic device. The best way to access the material is through LUBsearch, a collective entry point to all the libraries’ joint resources.

To help you find information, your subject librarian has created a subject guide especially for you. In the guide you will find special links to journals, databases etc. concerning Asia as well as information about methods, academic integrity, and how to write and cite.

Please see the Asian Studies - Subject Guide for Students

The student account gives you access to a number of electronic services that Lund University offers its students; student email, learning platforms, library services, and file storage, among other things. 

Please also see Student Services and Support for more information on what Lund University can offer you as a student.

All Lund University students must have an LU card in order to have access to university premises. The LU card has several functions: ID card within Lund University, access card for all buildings you need for your studies and borrowing card for all the university libraries. You can obtain a LU card from one of several card stations around the University.

The Academic Support Centre (ASC) is a free service open to all students studying courses and programmes conducted in English and provides individual and group consultations, workshops, and seminars on topics in three areas: the academic writing process, speaking and presentation skills, and reading and study skills.

If you have a disability, for example dyslexia, a visual impairment or ADHD, you may have the right to support during your studies. In order to receive support, you must have a certificate stating that your disability is long-term or permanent. At Lund University the following forms of learning support are offered:

• Note-taking
• Special arrangements for exams
• Study skills tuition
• Talking books
• Study support mentor

For more information please see information on the Accessibility Services web site.

Student rights may involve things such as student participation, students’ work environment, how to conduct exams and degree projects and much more. Your rights and responsibilities as a student towards the University and your department are governed by university policies and national laws and regulations. For more information on student rights please see here.

The student nations organise social activities outside of studies. The majority of the nations’ activities consist of catering, pubs and nightclubs, but also include sports activities, newspapers, choirs, scholarships and housing. To get access to a specific nation’s housing you must be a member of that particular nation. 

The Academic Society (AF) is a non-profit organization run by and for students with the goal to assemble and broaden the cultural and societal life at Lund University. Located at AF-Borgen, AF enables both associations and individuals to host events, big and small, which contribute to enriching the student life at Lund University. 

At Lund University each faculty has a student union. The student unions guarantee high-quality in education at the university by monitoring education and organizing student influence through some 1 000 posts at all levels within the university. In addition to monitoring education, the unions arrange social activities, career fairs, lectures and welcome activities for new students. 

As a student in the Master’s Programme in Asian Studies, your student union is the Student Union for Humanities and Theology.