10 Basic Subjects In Korean For Quality Education

7 min readJul 3, 2022

Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/ko/subjects-in-korean/

Want to feel the vibe of being a Korean student? Why not learn the subjects in Korean first (과목 gwamok)? If you want to improve your vocabulary, this blog is definitely perfect for you!

Watching K-dramas that feature schools make us wanna go to South Korea and enroll in their schools. We can see how Koreans value education and learning from the cute uniforms and good times with teachers and classmates, down to parents’ hard work.

The Korean public education system is divided into primary school for six years, middle school for three years, and high school for three years. Only approximately 5% of Korea’s secondary schools were coeducational in 1996, and it only increased by 10%. Even is the schools are already coeducational, the high schools are still divided along gender lines. As we usually do in K-dramas set in the 80s, girls and boys are separated. Because the curriculum is now standardized, both boys and girls learn about domestic and technology science.

Now that you have a little bit of background about the educational system in South Korea, let’s learn the different subjects in Korean.

School Subjects In Korean

If you’re wondering what main subjects are taught in South Korean schools, then this blog is perfect for you. Moral education, Korean language, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts are the primary school’s nine main disciplines or subjects.

For middle school, which is from grades 7 to 9, the curriculum comprises 12 required subjects, extracurricular activities, and electives. Academic and vocational high schools are the two types of high schools.

The South Korean educational system’s goal in education is pretty incredible. It says:

…to foster each student’s personality and ability needed to preserve and strengthen the backbone of the nation; to develop students’ knowledge and skills to prepare them for jobs needed in society; to promote each student’s autonomy, emotional development, and critical thinking abilities to be brought to bear in and out of school; and to improve physical strength and foster a sound mind.”

With this, subjects are determined to achieve their goals at every level. Here are the basic subjects Korean students learn in school in South Korea.

도덕 교육 (Dodeog Gyoyug) — Moral Education

Respect and values are fundamental in Korean culture. I am sure you have noticed that by just watching K-dramas or watching your K-pop idols’ interviews and concerts. These traits are just a few of the traits the Korean moral education teaches Korean students. Moral education in South Korea aims to assist students in developing etiquette and moral principles to live desirable lives as Koreans. It also seeks to develop the students’ patriotism and citizenship and desire to seek global peace and co-posterity.

국어교육학 (Gugeogyoyukhak) — Korean Language Education)

Learning how to write and read Korean usually starts at home with their parents, but it is being developed in school. The Korean language is one of the Koreans’ identities, so they make that students appreciate and preserve it by including it as a subject.

사회교육학 (Sahoegyoyukak) — Social Studies Education

Social studies education is included in their curriculum to prepare students to become worthy citizens of society. Social studies cover Korean history, economy, politics, society and culture, international history, and world geography.

수학 (Suhak) — Math

Did you know that South Korea is one of the best-performing OECD countries in reading literacy, mathematics, and science? They have an average student score of 519, compared to the OECD average of 493, putting it in ninth place globally. Math is one of the main subjects taught in every school globally.

과학 (Gwahak)- Science

Science is also one of the main school subjects taught in schools worldwide. In South Korea, they have Seoul Science High School, an academy for gifted students with ages 15–to 18 interested in science.

컴퓨터 과학 (Keompyuteo Gwahak) — Computer Science

Science and technology have been rapidly growing in South Korea. Being one of the world’s most technologically advanced and digitally connected countries, South Korea pays much attention to computer education. Some of the top-performing universities for computer science are the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Yonsei University, and Sungkyunkwan University.

체육 (Cheyuk) — Physical Education

Physical education is a subject enjoyed especially in primary school and high school. PE classes are mandatory from first to tenth grades in South Korea and elective from eleventh to fourteenth.

음악 (Eum-ak) — Music

Music is really one of the school subjects taught in school. But because of the success of the K-pop industry, music education in South Korea is extra interesting.

미술 (Misul) — Arts/Art

Arts is also one of the important school subjects in Korean education because it helps unleash the creative side and potential of the students. It is also a subject that you can enjoy with your friends with the same interest.

영어 (Yeongeo) — English

Since English is a foreign language to them, Koreans who are fluent in speaking English are really admirable. English language education begins in the third grade to begin learning English in a comfortable environment by conversational exchange rather than rote memorization of grammatical rules, as is still the case in many middle and high schools.

Other School Subjects In Korean

회계학 (hoegyehak) — Accounting
농학 (nonghak) — Agricultural science
대수학 (daesuhak) — Anarchy
해부학 (haebuhak) — Anatomy
인류학 (inryuhak) — Anthropology
고고학 (gogohak) — Archaeology
건축공학 (geonchukgonghak) — Architectural engineering
건축학 (geonchukhak) — Architecture
동양사학 (dongyangsahak)- Asian history
천문학 (cheonmunhak) — Astronomy
생화학 (saenghwahak) — Biochemistry
생체공학 (saengchegonghak) — Bioengineering
생물학 (saengmulhak) — Biology
생명공학 (saengmyeonggonghak) — Biotechnology
식물학 (sikmulhak) — Botany
신문방송학 (sinmunbangsonghak) — Broadcasting
경영학 (gyeongyeonghak) — Business administration
화학공학 (hwahakgonghak) — Chemistry
중국 문학 (jungguk munhak) — Chinese literature
토목공학 (tomokgonghak) — Civil engineering
컴퓨터공학 (keompyuteogonghak) — Computer engineering
디자인학 (dijainhak) — Crafts and design
범죄학 (beomjoehak) — Criminology
세포학 (sepohak) — Cytology
무용학 (muyonghak) — Dance
가정학 (gajeonghak) — Domestic science
연극영화학 (yeongeugyeonghwahak) — Drama
역학 (yeokhak) -Dynamics
지구과학 (jigugwahak) — Earth science
생태학 (saengtaehak) — Ecology
경제학 (gyeongjehak) — Economics
교육학 (gyoyukhak) — Education
공학 (gonghak) — Engineering
영어교육학 (yeongeogyoyukhak) — English education
영문학 (yeongmunhak) — English literature
윤리학 (yunrihak) — Ethics
우생학 (usaenghak) — Eugenics
의류학 (uiryuhak) — Fashion
미술 (misul ) — Fine arts
수산학 (susanhak) — Fisheries science
민속 (minsok) — Folklore
식품영양학 (sikpumyeongyanghak) — Food and nutrition
법의학 (beobuihak) — Forensic medicine
미래학 (miraehak) — Futurology
유전학 (yujeonhak) — Genetics
지리학 (jirihak) — Geography
지질학 (jijilhak) — Geology
기하학 (gihahak) — Geometry
문법 (munbeop) — Grammar
역사학 (yeoksahak) — Historical science
가정학 (gajeonghak) — Home economics
인문학 (inmunhak) — Humanities
위생 (wisaeng) — Hygiene
산업공학 (saneopgonghak) — Industrial engineering
정보통신학 (jeongbotongsinhak) — Information and telecommunication engineering
국사학 (guksahak) — Korean history
한국학 (hangukhak) — Korean studies
국문학 (gukmunhak) — Korean literature
법학 (beophak) — Law
법학 (beophak) — Legal science
생명과학 (saengmyeonggwahak) — Life science
언어학 (eoneohak) — Linguistics
문학 (munhak) — Literature
논리 (nonri) — Logic
관리 (gwanri) — Management
수학교육학 (suhakgyoyukhak) — Mathematics education
기계공학 (gigyegonghak) — Mechanical engineering
의학 (uihak) -Medical science
기상학 (gisanghak) — Meteorology
미생물학 (misaengmulhak) — Microbiology
군사학 (gunsahak) — Military science
자연학 (jayeonhak) — Neo-Confucianism
신문공부 (sinmungongbu) — Newspaper studies
간호학 (ganhohak) — Nursing science
해양학 (haeyanghak) — Oceanography
동양학 (dongyanghak) — Oriental studies
병리학 (byeongrihak) — Pathology
교육학 (gyoyukhak) — Pedagogy
약학 (yakhak) -Pharmacy
철학 (cheolhak) — Philosophy
물리학 (mullihak) — Physics
생리학 (saengrihak) -Physiology
경찰학 (gyeongchalhak) — Police science
정치 (jeongchi) — Politics
정치학 (jeongchihak) — Political science
정치외교학 (jeongchioegyohak) — Political science and diplomacy
심리학 (simrihak ) — Religious studies
수사학 (susahak) — Rhetoric
지진학 (jijinhak ) — Seismology
기호학 (gihohak) — Semiotics
사회교육학 (sahoegyoyukhak) — Social studies education
사회복지학 (sahoebokjihak) — Social welfare
사회학 (sahoehak) — Sociology
체육학 (cheyukhak) — Sports education
통계학 (tonggyehak ) — Statistics
신학 (sinhak) — Theology
관광학 (gwangwanghak) — Tourism
수의학 (suuihak) — Veterinary medicine
서양사학 (seoyangsahak) — Western history
여성학 (yeoseonghak) — Women’s studies
세계사 (segyesa) — World history
동물학 (dongmulhak) — Zoology

Korean Vocabulary Related To School

Here are some Korean words and phrases related to the school:

Try These School-Related Korean Sentences

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