35 Asian Studies Course Programs

Goucher's Asian Studies minor gives students a complete perspective of Asia, spanning from Pakistan and India in the Southwest to Malaysia and Indonesia in the Indo-Pacific region. The curriculum in the Asian Studies minor is designed to provide an immersion into a variety of Asian topics from history to politics. Adding the breadth of the program, regions students will be studying include Southwest Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Rim.

The objective of this master's degree is to give students the necessary tools to understand and study the Asian world in its complexity and over the long term. This will involve acquiring in-depth knowledge concerning particular periods, regions or themes, as well as disciplinary skills in areas such as history, sociology, anthropology, geography, economics, but also paleography, art history, archeology or the study of religions. The teaching team, which brings together nearly 120 teacher-researchers working on Asia, develops demanding training linked to leading research units in the field of human and social sciences applied to the Asian region.

Wabash College’s Asian Studies minor prepares students for roles of leadership and service in a global society increasingly influenced by Asia. Offering opportunities to learn Asian languages, close mentorship by experienced faculty, and a course plan incorporating study abroad, students pursuing any major are invited to join this program. The primary goal of the Asian Studies minor program is to provide students with a solid understanding of the developments within Asia and the historical and cultural exchanges between Asia and different parts of the world that have played an important role in shaping world history and the creation of the modern world.

Take part in East Asia-related research, teaching, outreach and exchange across the Stanford campus. Undergraduate degrees in East Asian Studies are now administered by the Department of East Asian Cultures and Languages. The Stanford Global Studies Division offers internship opportunities in East Asia, and the Bing Overseas Study Program offers study abroad opportunities in East Asia.

The Asian Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Asia that spans the regions of East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and the Asian diaspora. In addition to language study, students may take courses in anthropology, art history, cinema, gender and sexuality studies, government, history, literature and culture, music, religion, and sociology. For the major, each student is required to concentrate in a geographic area or discipline, acquire a working proficiency in one of the languages of East or South Asia, develop theoretical or methodological sophistication, and demonstrate a degree of applied specialization. These principles are reflected in the requirements outlined below.

The Asian studies (transregional) minor allows students to study the diversity of Asia in a comparative framework. Complementing course work at Mount Holyoke are extracurricular activities and study abroad programs that broaden and deepen students’ understanding of Asia. On campus, you will experience regional culture at many levels, including language tables and clubs, guest lectures, performing and visual arts, film, festivals, and regional cuisine. These activities are often initiated by and benefit greatly from the diverse student population of Mount Holyoke and particularly the large numbers of students from Asian countries or with an Asian background.

The East Asian Studies Department offers a multidisciplinary approach to understanding Japan, China, and Korea. Students in the major build language competency in Japanese or Chinese and learn to communicate effectively in English and an East Asian language. They critically interpret texts, artistic masterpieces, and cultural materials, and they develop research skills using primary sources and data.

With the South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (SAMES) major at Whitman College, you’ll take a deep dive into the history, politics, literature, art and religions of the region. It’s a flexible major that will allow you to make insightful connections between subjects, countries and cultures. Led by creative, innovative faculty, the South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies program offers a holistic, challenging and global educational experience. If you’re considering a future in these influential parts of the world, the SAMES major can give you the cultural understanding to be successful.

The East Asian Studies Program is designed to educate students in the languages and cultures of East Asia, primarily China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Students learn about the history and civilization of the whole region, with a focus on either China or Japan. The program is rounded out with a senior research project undertaken by every senior major.

This course will provide students with a basic knowledge and understanding of the cultures of the main Asian countries, including elements from linguistics, literature, history of the region, socio-economic and political structures. Literature: The course may introduce students to notable works of literature from Asian countries, spanning various genres such as poetry, fiction, and drama. Through the study of literary texts, students can gain insight into cultural values, beliefs, and storytelling traditions.

The Department of Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures offers three distinct major tracks: East Asian Languages & Cultures, Chinese, and Japanese. Each major requires a minimum of ten courses. Up to four study-away credits can be counted toward a major. Below are the learning objectives and minimum requirements of the East Asian Languages and Cultures Major.

The Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies offers a multidisciplinary curriculum that examines the experiences of African, African American, and Caribbean people from the liberal arts perspective. The Africana Studies curriculum helps to unify an important area of intellectual investigation, and enhances appreciation of particular disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences. Courses accommodate the needs of majors and non-majors, providing significant preparation for careers in education, social work, public policy, law, medicine, business, international relations, and advanced research.

The Bi-College Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures is housed at both Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges. Our mission is to foster learning about East Asia through rigorous language study and through deep and exploratory engagement with prominent themes and sources from East Asian countries. EALC offers up to five years of instruction in Chinese and Japanese language and an array of courses on East Asian culture taught in English, including such topics as religion, visual culture, film, gender, history, and literature. The Major seeks to train students in language, guide them through a curriculum that situates East Asian culture within global discourses, and nurture their skills in critical thinking, research, and writing. The two language programs, Chinese and Japanese, are central and foremost in this effort.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures offers multiple pathways for students to develop their knowledge of the vibrant cultures of China, Japan and Korea. While developing linguistic and cultural fluency through our language, literature and culture courses, students will engage with a diverse array of genres from traditional poetry to popular fiction and will explore issues such as translation, identity and gender within traditional and modern contexts. Students can choose to further expand their knowledge of East Asia through courses in anthropology, art history, economics, government, history, music, religion and world literatures.

Welcome to the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures. Our courses and affiliated faculty cover world areas, histories, and cultures that extend from East Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Tibet), through South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan), Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, and Turkey, to the Middle East (Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria), the Gulf States (Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen), and North Africa (Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco).