Program in Asian Studies
Faculty:
Alister Inglis, Program Director, Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures
Denise M. Horn, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations
Shirong Luo, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Niloufer Sohrabji, Associate Professor of Economics
Overview:
The major in Asian Studies (AS) is designed to provide students with knowledge and understanding of Asia, a region that has become increasingly significant in the post-Cold War era. Students acquire this knowledge by studying an Asian language as well as courses in other disciplines that may include art history, economics, film studies, history, literature, philosophy, political science, religion, and sociology.
The major prepares students for further growth beyond college along a variety of paths, such as graduate study, careers in education, employment abroad or in business and institutions specializing in Asia, and service within and to the Asian American community.
A minor in Asian studies allows students to enhance their major academic program with an understanding of the history, politics, and culture of Asia. A minor may consist of, but does not require, language courses.
Departmental Honors:
Honors in Asian Studies requires a minimum GPA of 3.67 for AS courses in addition to a grade of A or A- for the senior term-paper; i.e., the paper produced as part of the course work for either AS 390 or AS 350.
The number of credits transferred from study abroad or other institutions and applied to the major shall not exceed 16 (four courses).
Program Requirements
Students must take five elective courses from the AS curriculum, including at least one of either HIST 201, HIST 202, or HIST 206. No more than three courses may be taken in any one department.
Language Courses (16 semester hours)
Students are required to study either 1) a single Asian language for four sequential semesters, or 2) two Asian languages for two semesters each. Courses taken to fulfill this part of the requirement cannot also count among the five electives from the AS curriculum.
Students who enter the Program with at least an intermediate knowledge of an Asian language may, in special cases pending the Director’s approval, complete four additional courses from the AS curriculum.
AS Curriculum (20 semester hours)
Capstone Cross-Cultural Experience (8 semester hours)
1. Study abroad, community-based or independent learning. To encourage cross- cultural experience, students complete for semester hours through either study abroad or community-based learning within an Asian American community. Students should have adequate language preparation and a significant portion of coursework completed before undertaking this experience. Thus, most students will satisfy this requirement during the junior or senior year. The precise timing will be decided in consultation with the student’s advisor. Alternatively, the student may undertake an independent study with an AS faculty member that would culminate in a research paper on a topic of the student’s own design.
2. Integrative Seminar. Successful completion of either AS 390 or, when not offered, an alternate course is mandatory for all students in the major. In this seminar, the student will produce either a research paper or some form of creative work associated with a special interest. The nature and scope of the project will be collaboratively determined with the seminar instructor and/or their advisor. HIST 364 and 362 may be undertaken in lieu of the Seminar for 2020-22.