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MA ASEAN Studies, Pridi Banomyong International College, Thammasat University

The MA ASEAN Studies program of the Pridi Banomyong International College aims to produce graduates:

  1. with knowledge and understanding in the role of ASEAN Community at regional and global levels who are fully qualified to work in public and private sectors, along with international organizations.
  2. who are competent in demonstrating and disseminating knowledge which help forging solidarity of ASEAN Community.
  3. endowed with the ability to expand academics and researchers networks which help pushing forward the academic advancement regarding ASEAN Studies.
  4. who are capable of enhancing opportunities and driving mechanism in knowledge exchange of ASEAN (Thammasat University. N.d. Master’s Degree in ASEAN Studies, Pridi Banomyong International College <https://web.archive.org/web/20201020144211/https://sites.google.com/site/pbic04141112/program/asean-studies> Accessed 25 July 2020).

The core and elective courses affirm the program’s thrust toward an understanding of ASEAN the organization. Two of the three core courses are about ASEAN Cooperation in Political, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Dimensions (PD 601) and Institutional Structure and Decision Making in ASEAN (PD 602)—while the electives, described below, suggest a similar orientation (Thammasat University. 2012. Master’s Degree in ASEAN Studies (Course Offerings & Course Description), Pridi Banomyong International College < https://web.archive.org/web/20160709172210/http://www.pbic.tu.ac.th/main/content/about-asean-studies-program> Accessed 25 July 2020). 

  • Three seminar courses examine selected issues in the ASEAN.
  • One course calls for a comparative study of ASEAN members, while two courses allow the student to select an ASEAN member country and an ASEAN trading partner.
  • Ten courses focus on such topics as the ASEAN’s relationship with other regional cooperation bodies such as the European Union, North American Free Trade Agreement, and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (PD 611); ASEAN Economic Cooperation (PD 612); ASEAN Political Security Community (PD 613); ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (PD 614); and laws and regulations on trade, investment, and labor mobility in the ASEAN (PD 616).

The institutional identity of the ASEAN in the program is thus clear.