How Coursework and Research Actually Work in Your First Two Years
Getting funded is only step one. Once you land, nobody hands you a schedule that says “this is what your next two years look like.” So here’s the breakdown I wish someone had given me before I started — how coursework, lab work, and research actually overlap for a Master’s student.
The 21-Credit Rule
To graduate, Master’s students need to complete 21 credit hours of coursework. That number drives almost everything about how your semesters get planned out.
On top of your major courses, basic Korean language class is mandatory, and you’ll take it in either your first or second semester:
- If you register fast enough, you can usually grab a seat in first semester.
- If not, it rolls over to second semester instead.
Either way, it’s a required box to check — plan your course load around it rather than being surprised by it.
Semester 1 & 2: Coursework, But You’re Already in the Lab
This is the part that catches people off guard: finishing your classes for the day doesn’t mean you’re done. You’re still expected to be in the lab afterward, doing lab work — helping and discussing with other lab members, starting to shape ideas for your own research, and slowly figuring out where your thesis might go.
During these first two semesters you’ll usually carry the heaviest course load — typically 3 to 4 courses — so balancing that with lab presence takes some getting used to.
Helping labmates can turn into authorship
When you help a labmate with their project, and that project is headed for a conference submission, you can end up credited as a co-author — second, third, fourth, sometimes even first author if you contributed enough. If that paper gets accepted:
- You get to travel overseas to present it.
- That trip is fully funded by your lab and university funds — separate from your monthly stipend and lab salary.
- If you’re careful with spending while traveling, that’s extra savings on top of what you’re already setting aside from your stipend.
This is one of the biggest reasons to actually show up and contribute in the lab early, even before you have your own research direction — it’s how these opportunities come to you.
Semester 3: Fewer Courses, More Research
By third semester, your course load usually drops to just 1–2 courses, much lighter than the 3–4 you were juggling before. That freed-up time isn’t a break — it’s expected to go straight into your research. This is typically when your professor starts wanting to see real results and visible progress, not just ideas.
Semester 4: Thesis Mode
Fourth semester is usually wide open — little to no coursework — so you can focus entirely on your thesis and research.
Quick Reference
| Semester | Course Load | What You’re Also Doing |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3–4 courses (+ Korean class, if taken now) | Lab onboarding, helping labmates, early ideation |
| 2nd | 3–4 courses (+ Korean class, if not taken in 1st) | Same as above, deeper lab involvement |
| 3rd | 1–2 courses | Professor expects visible research progress |
| 4th | Little to none | Full focus on thesis and research |
Even When You’re “Free,” You’re Not Off the Hook
On paper, semesters 1 and 2 can look light outside of class — but you’re still expected to be present in the lab, attend meetings, and stay involved. Skipping this because “I don’t have anything due” is a common early mistake. Presence and consistency in the lab is part of how professors judge whether you’re ready to be trusted with your own research direction later on.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Early
Some things I’d add for anyone starting out, beyond what’s covered above:
- Pick your electives with your thesis direction in mind, even loosely — it’s easier to justify a course to your professor (and get more out of it) if it connects to where your research might go.
- Talk to seniors in your lab about past conference deadlines. Submission cycles for major conferences are often planned months ahead, so knowing the rough calendar early helps you spot chances to contribute before a deadline sneaks up.
- Keep a running note of small contributions you make to labmates’ projects. It’s easy to forget who helped with what by the time a paper is actually submitted — and that record is what authorship conversations get based on.
- Ask your professor directly what “good progress” looks like for third semester, rather than guessing. Expectations vary a lot by lab.
What’s next? I’ll follow this up with a post on how to actually pick a thesis topic and how those early conversations with your professor tend to go.