East Asian Studies

The major in East Asian Studies is a flexible program designed for students wishing to gain familiarity with the languages, history, and cultures as well as the social, religious, and political institutions of the countries of Asia. This knowledge can be applied to a wide range of fields including law, foreign affairs, international business, secondary education, comparative literature, art history, and a variety of other professions and academic disciplines. Presently, the major focuses on China, Korea, and Japan, and the languages offered are Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. However, attention is also given to India and Southeast Asia to gain a wider perspective.

Students will be expected to fulfill general requirements for the major and also to choose an area of concentration. In each area of concentration, the student will also be expected to take a course that does not necessarily cover Asian topics but provides exposure to the methodology of the particular field. These areas of concentration might include anthropology, art history, Asian American topics, comparative literature, economics, history, linguistics, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies, sociology, or women’s studies. Examples are given below.

Each student plans an individual course of interdisci­plinary study in consultation with a department advisor. Students are admitted to the major only after their plan of study is approved.