Asian Studies

Director: Gregory P. Corning

The Asian Studies minor is designed to provide an introduction to the cultures and languages of Asia. Courses in several disciplines enable students to sample different dimensions of Asian cultures, as well as focus on a specific area of interest. Students are strongly urged to spend a summer or quarter in one of the University-approved study abroad programs in Asia. Please note that courses about the Asian American experience are considered ethnic studies courses and do not count for the Asian Studies minor. 

Requirements for the Minor

Students must complete the following requirements for a minor in Asian studies:

Culture Courses

• Two lower-division courses and four upper-division courses (maximum of two upper-division courses from a student’s major and three in any one department) selected from the list of approved courses.
• Culture courses include approved offerings in disciplines such as art history, communication, history, philosophy, political science, and religious studies

Language Courses

• Completion of the third course of the first-year, college-level sequence in an Asian language (Japanese and Chinese are offered) or demonstration of an equivalent level of proficiency by passing a language proficiency examination supervised by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
• Non-native speakers of English may satisfy this requirement by presenting professionally recognized documentation of proficiency in an Asian language

Upper-Division Courses: Asian Studies

ASIA 199. Directed Reading/Directed Research

Note: In addition to the courses listed below, many departments offer occasional special topics, directed reading, and seminar courses on Asian studies topics. Students should consult with the program director to determine the applicability of these courses, as well as study abroad courses, to the minor.

Art History Courses

ARTH 11A. Cultures & Ideas I (Art of the Indian Subcontinent I)

ARTH 12A. Cultures & Ideas II (Art of the Indian Subcontinent II)

ARTH 11A. Cultures & Ideas I (China on the Silk Roads I)

ARTH 12A. Cultures & Ideas II (China on the Silk Roads II)

ARTH 11H. Cultures & Ideas I Honors (China on the Silk Roads I)

ARTH 12H. Cultures & Ideas II Honors (China on the Silk Roads II)

ARTH 26. Art! Making China Modern

ARTH 28. Modern Indian Art

ARTH 66. Fabricating Nature in East Asia

ARTH 166. From Emaki to Manga

ARTH 167. Cityscapes, Past and Present

ARTH 181. Animated Spaces: The Hindu Temple and its Global Forms

Communication Courses

COMM 181A. Asian Popular Culture: Global influence and Political Communication

COMM 189A. Communication, Identity, and Citizenship in Asia

History Courses

HIST 11A. Cultures & Ideas I (Across the Pacific I)

HIST 12A. Cultures & Ideas II (Across the Pacific II)

HIST 48. China’s Rise to Global Power: 1949 to Present

HIST 54/154. Modern India

HIST 50/150. Gender and Sexuality in East Asia

HIST 55. Southeast Asia

HIST 92. Modern East Asia

HIST 146A. Medieval and Early Modern Japan

HIST 146B. Modern Japan in the World

HIST 147A. Wonders of Ancient China

HIST 147B. China in Revolution: 1840 to Present

HIST 151. Race and Imperialism in East Asia

HIST 152. History of Christianity in China

HIST 159. Special Topics in Asian History

Modern Language and Literatures Courses

CHIN 1–3. Introduction to Chinese Language and Chinese-speaking Cultures I, II, III

CHIN 21–23. Chinese Language and Chinese-speaking Cultures I, II, III

CHIN 100–102. Advanced Chinese Conversation: Culture and Society I, II, III

CHIN 103. Business Cultures in the Chinese-speaking World

CHIN 125.  Love and Affection in Sinophone Films

CHIN 126. Sinophone Pop Culture in a Global Context

CHIN 127. Chinese History and Culture

CHIN 128. Social Justice in Taiwan: Past, Present, and Future

CHIN 137. Modern Chinese Culture

CHIN 197. Special Topics

CHIN 198. Directed Study

CHIN 199. Directed Reading

JAPN 1–3. Japanese Language and Culture I, II, III

JAPN 21–23. Japanese Language and Culture IV, V, VI

JAPN 100. Oral Communication in Japanese

JAPN 101. Japanese Popular Culture

JAPN 102. Contemporary Japanese Society Through Media

JAPN 103. Japanese Culinary Culture

JAPN 113–115. Readings in Japanese I, II, III

JAPN 198. Directed Study

JAPN 199. Directed Reading

Philosophy Courses

PHIL 11A. Cultures & Ideas I (Beauty, Truth, and Goodness I)

PHIL 12A. Cultures & Ideas II (Beauty, Truth, and Goodness II)

PHIL 21B. Introduction to Ethics in Chinese Philosophy

PHIL 174. Uncertainty, Conflict, and Self-Development: Chinese Perspectives

PHIL 175. Chinese Philosophy

PHIL 176. Buddhist Philosophy

PHIL 177. Indian Philosophy

Political Science Courses

POLI 122. Asia-Pacific International Relations

POLI 199. Directed Reading

Religious Studies Courses

RSOC 7. South and Southeast Asian Religious Traditions

RSOC 10. Asian Religious Traditions

RSOC 11. Asian Christianity

RSOC 66. Fabricating Nature in East Asia

RSOC 85. Hinduism

RSOC 86. Buddhism

RSOC 87. Buddhism and Film

RSOC 88. Chinese Religions

TESP 78. East Asian Literature and Christianity

RSOC 106. Zen in Theory and Practice

RSOC 115. Tibetan Buddhism: A Cultural History

RSOC 130. East Asian Buddhism

TESP 194. Interreligious Studies

Women’s and Gender Studies Courses

WGST 126. Gender and Sexuality in East Asia