Our Asian Studies Program geographically encompasses East Asia (China/Taiwan, Japan, the Koreas, and Mongolia), Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), and South Asia (Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). We offer in depth examinations of particular countries while also analyzing transnational issues that connect Asia, other regions, and the rest of the world including the United States. Students may also find interest in minors in Korean Studies and South and Southeast Asian Studies or in Chinese or Japanese language.
The major is designed to provide students with a coherent introduction to the language, history, and culture of these Asian societies and to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the major social and political forces at work in the region, supported by appropriate language training. Graduates of the program either continue their studies at graduate institutions or utilize their knowledge and training through employment in government, business or education relating to this increasingly important region of the world.