Degree Requirements for Asian Studies
University Requirements
Asian studies courses are represented in the First-Year Seminar program (see list of courses, below), although these do not count toward the Asian Studies Minor. Several courses in the Asian Studies program are options in the core curriculum (in Artistic and Humanistic Approaches, as well as Connections), and Chinese and Japanese language courses meet the university’s foreign-language requirement. In general, any student may take any course offered in the program without related prior study (although some upper level courses have prerequisites, as indicated in departmental listings).
Requirements for the Minor
To qualify for the Asian Studies Minor, a student must meet the requirements specified below. While students self-select their participation in the Asian Studies Program through declaration of the Minor with the Academic Advising office, each student seeking the Minor should coordinate her or his program with the Director of the Asian Studies Program and is encouraged to select a primary or secondary advisor from among the faculty members in the program.
Minor in Asian Studies
The Asian Studies minor consists of five units, of which four are elective courses. Of the four electives two must be from the Humanities and two from the Social Sciences. One of the four elective courses must also be a core course chosen from a designated list. Detailed requirements are:
- A total of four elective Asian Studies courses, two of which must be in the Social Sciences, and two in the Humanities.
- Among these four electives, one must be a core course chosen from those listed below:
- ALC 205 Great Books of China and Japan (Humanities)
- ARTH 278 Survey of Asian Art (Humanities)
- PG 323 Asian Political Systems (Social Science)
- IPE 333 Political Economy of Southeast Asia (Social Science)
- Asia 344.
- No more than two electives can be used to fulfill the requirements of a major or another minor.
- At least two of the four elective courses must be taken at the 300 or 400 level.
- Good academic standing upon entering the program, overall GPA in the program of 2.5 or above, and grades of C- or better in all program courses (no Pass/Fail).
- Upon approval of the Asian Studies Program Director, students may complete up to two of the required units of study for the minor when enrolled in a study abroad program in Asia.
Students pursuing the Asian Studies minor are encouraged, but not required, to participate in experiences such as internships, international work and study, or field research in Asia.
Variation of requirements is possible, as arranged with the Asian Studies Committee by way of the Director of the program. Courses applicable to the Asian Studies minor have no time limit.
Humanities Elective Courses in Asian Studies:
- ALC 205 Great Books of China and Japan (core course)
- ALC 215 Stories of the Strange: From Fox Spirits to the Monkey King in Chinese Literature
- ALC 225 Visualized Fiction: Cinematic Adaptations of Traditional Chinese Literature
- ALC 310 Death and Desire in Premodern Japanese Literature
- ALC 320 Self and Society in Modern Japanese Literature
- ALC 325 Chinese Cinema: Ideology and the Box Office
- ALC 330 Writing the Margins in Contemporary Japanese Literature
- ALC 345 Revenge and Retribution in Chinese Literature
- ARTH 278 Survey of Asian Art (core course)
- ARTH 367 Chinese Art
- ARTH 368 Japanese Art
- ARTH 369 Twentieth-Century Chinese Art
- ARTH 370 Buddhist Art
- ARTH 371 East Asian Calligraphy
- ENGL 356 Bollywood Film
- ENGL 361 South Asian Fiction
- HIST 245 Chinese Civilization
- HIST 248 History of Japan: 1600 to Present
- HIST 343 Law, Society, and Justice in China
- HIST 344 Resistance, Rebellion, and Revolution in China, 1800 to the Present
- HIST 349 Women of East Asia
- HUM 330 Tao and Landscape Art
- MUS 321 Music of South Asia
- PHIL 311 Classical Chinese Philosophy
- REL 208 Yoga and the Ascetic Imperative
- REL 231 Korean Religions and Culture
- REL 233 Japanese Religious Traditions
- REL 234 Chinese Religious Traditions
- REL 300 Japanimals: Power, Knowledge, and Spirituality at the Intersection of Species
- REL 328 Religion, the State, and Nationalism in Japan
- REL 332 Buddhism
- REL 333 Asian Women and Religion
- REL 334 Vedic Religion and Brahmanism
- REL 335 Classical Hinduism
- REL 336 Tantra and Alchemy
Social Science Elective Courses in Asian Studies:
- BUS 471 Business in Asia
- BUS 474 Business in India and South Asia
- CONN 395 China and Latin America: A New Era of Transpacific Relations
- IPE 323 Tourism and the Global Order (cross-listed as SOAN 323)
- IPE 333 Political Economy of Southeast Asia (core course)
- IPE 388 Exploring the Chinese Economy
- PG 323 Asian Political Systems (core course)
- PG 372 Japanese Political Economy
- PG 378 Chinese Political Economy
- SOAN 222 Culture and Society of Southeast Asia
- SOAN 225 Asian Medical Systems
- SOAN 304 Gender and Sexuality in Japan
- SOAN 335 Third World Perspectives
- SOAN 380 Muslim Cultures and Communities
- SOAN 416 Modern India and Diaspora
Robert Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar
To qualify as a Robert Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar, a student must meet the following requirements:
- All requirements, as listed above, for the Asian Studies minor;
- One-semester senior thesis: ASIA 489, or approved research seminar course in a department participating in the program (Art, Business and Leadership, Sociology and Anthropology, Economics, English, History, International Political Economy, Politics and Government, or Religious Studies);
- Overall GPA in Asian Studies courses of 3.5 or above, grades of C- or better in all program courses (no Pass/Fail), and a grade of B- or above in ASIA 489 (or equivalent).
Pacific Rim Study Abroad Program Prerequisites
PacRim students must enroll and participate in ASIA 401, a Fall semester 0.25 orientation course, and ASIA 402, a full-unit preparation course taken by all PacRim students in the Spring semester before the travel year. PacRim students must also ensure that they have taken one additional prerequisite course beyond ASIA 401 and 402. This additional prerequisite course can be an Asian foreign language course (not including Arabic), or any course that counts towards the Asian Studies Minor (including ALC courses).
By completing all requirements for the PacRim Program, PacRim students will have fulfilled most requirements for the Asian Studies Minor or the Robert Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar distinction.