Asian Studies
Asian Studies Program
College of Arts and Sciences
714 Clemens Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4610
Phone: 716.645.3474
Fax: 716.645.3473
Email: asian-studies@buffalo.edu
Web: cas.buffalo.edu/depts/asianstudies/
Thomas W. Burkman
Program Director
About the Program
Why Learn about Asia? We live in an age in which major, cultures that formerly were assigned to particular geographical regions of the globe are now found globally. North America is no longer an outpost of Europe, but an invigorating composite of Asian, African, Latin, and European ingredients. Asian economies have worldwide presence, and political issues in that part of the world affect us profoundly at home. In art, theater, cinema, religion, and cuisine, Asia is here. By studying Asian civilizations and contemporary societies, we come to understand a significant part of humanity and acquire insight into ourselves.
The Asian Studies Program supports teaching, research, study abroad, and cultural events concerning Asia. The current focus of the program lies in the region of China, Japan, and Korea, with secondary attention to Southeast and South Asia.
Several Asian languages are taught in the Department of Linguistics. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are each offered through the fourth-year level. Undergraduate minors may be elected in these languages. UB students may also study Arabic, Hindi, and Sanskrit.
Students may study abroad in Asia, undertaking language study, nonlanguage classes, and graduate research. UB students can spend an academic year, a semester, or a summer at fine universities in China, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Academic credit can be transferred to UB. For information, refer to the Study Abroad section.
Degree Options
Students who wish to focus on Asia in their academic program have several options:
1. Major in Asian studies, administered by the Asian Studies Program
2. Special major in Chinese studies or Japanese studies. The director of Asian studies will advise students who wish to design a special major.
3. Asian studies track of the international studies concentration, administered by the Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Program
4. Minor in East Asian studies, administered by the Asian Studies Program
5. Minor in Chinese, administered by the Department of Linguistics
6. Minor in Japanese, administered by the Department of Linguistics
7. Minor in Korean, administered by the Department of Linguistics
Asian-American Studies. Every semester, the Asian Studies Program offers courses exploring the history, literature, and social dynamics of the Asian-American experience. One in ten undergraduates at UB is an Asian-American.
Acceptance Information
The major permits the student to explore several regions and cultures of Asia as well as the Asian experience in America. At the same time, it requires a focus on one region or culture of Asia and a related Asian language. Students take a required core of four lower-division courses and four semesters of language. Upper-level electives (six courses) include both the social sciences and the humanities. The capstone experience is a senior research course. Some students who are majoring in an established discipline can elect Asian studies as a double major or joint major.
Career Opportunities/Further Study
Students who concentrate in Asian studies find job opportunities in international business, government service, non-governmental organizations, and the arts. Some go on to professional schools in such fields as management, finance, diplomacy, and law. Others pursue graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines and enter Asia-related academic careers. Students who combine the major in Asian studies with another field through a double major or a joint major are particularly well suited for jobs that require professional training coupled with Asian linguistic ability and cultural understanding.
Asian Studies - B.A.
Acceptance Criteria
Minimum grade of C in any two courses required for the major.
Advising Notes
To graduate, minimum grade of C- required in any course in the major.
Required Courses
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
(12-18 credit hours, or 6-8 credit hours beyond the general education language requirement. Some second-year language courses are 4 credits, others are 3 credits per semester.)
Four semesters. (Students who are native speakers of an Asian language may test out of the language requirement and be required to offer in its place two additional, 3-hour courses in the upper elective category or two semesters of an Asian language other than their own.)
CORE COURSES (10 credit hours)
AS 101 Asian Studies
AS 110 The Asian American Experience
HIS 182 Asian Civilization II
PSC 229 East Asian Political Economy
UPPER LEVEL ELECTIVES (18 credit hours)
Approved, 300/400-level courses, of which 9 credit hours must relate to the culture or region of the language selected. At least 6 credit hours must be in the social sciences and at least 6 credit hours must be in the humanities. Up to 6 credit hours of language courses at the 300-level and above may be counted.
CAPSTONE COURSE
AS 480 Senior Research
Summary
Total required credit hours for the major: 37-39
Recommended Sequence of Program Requirements
FIRST YEAR
Fall - AS 101, first-semester language
Spring - HIS 182, second-semester language
SECOND YEAR
Fall - AS 110, third-semester language
Spring - PSC 229, fourth-semester language
THIRD YEAR
Fall - two upper-level electives
Spring - two upper-level electives
FOURTH YEAR
Fall - two upper-level electives
Spring - AS 480
Study abroad in Asia is recommended.
Asian Studies - Minor
About the Minor
As a companion to a major in an academic or professional field, the interdisciplinary minor in East Asian studies broadens and enriches the student’s academic experience. It conveys skills and concepts needed for appreciating the rich civilizations of China, Japan, and Korea and for dealing professionally with Asian peoples. The minor is a valuable credential for graduate study and an international career.
Acceptance Criteria
Minimum grade of C in any course required for the minor.
Advising Notes
Minimum grade of C required in any course in the minor.
Except for the language proficiency requirement, courses applied to another minor or major may not be applied to this minor.
Required Courses
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Four courses: Intermediate proficiency in an East Asian language. Students who satisfy the language requirement through a means other than coursework must take two advanced courses in addition to the three required below; only one of the two may be in the student’s major department.
CORE COURSE
One of the following: AS 220 Culture of the Arts in East Asia, HIS 182 Asian Civilization II, PSC 229 East Asian Political Economy
ADVANCED COURSES
Three approved East Asian courses at the 300/400-level. Two must be outside the student’s major department. One 300/400-level language course may be counted toward the advanced course requirement.
Summary
Total required credit hours for the minor: 24-30
Course Descriptions
AS 101 Introduction to Asian StudiesCredits: 1 | AS 110 The Asian American ExperienceCredits: 3 | |
AS 117 Asian American AuthorsCredits: 3 | AS 220 Culture & Arts of East AsiaCredits: 3 | |
AS 270 Asian American Women WritersCredits: 3 | AS 348 Asian Americans and the Visual MediaCredits: 3 | |
AS 392 Asian ReligionsCredits: 3 | AS 393 Topics in Asian StudiesCredits: 3 | |
AS 394 Topics in Asian StudiesCredits: 3 | AS 395 Topics in Asian StudiesCredits: 3 | |
AS 396 Topics in Asian American StudiesCredits: 3 | AS 397 Topics in Asian American StudiesCredits: 3 | |
AS 398 Topics in Asian American StudiesCredits: 3 | AS 480 Senior Research in Asian StudiesCredits: 3 | |
AS 499 Independent StudyCredits: 3 | ||
Updated: Nov 16, 2005 10:47:17 AM