Chair(s): 
Edmund Gilday

Students concentrating in East Asian Studies work in the areas of language and literature, history, music, philosophy, political science, and religion. Participation in an off-campus study program in China, Japan, or Taiwan is encouraged (see Off-Campus Study). In the senior year, the student is expected to complete a 2- or 4-credit interdisciplinary research project involving at least two academic disciplines.

Concentration Requirements: 

Required, 22 or 24 credits as follows (at least 8 of the 16 credits from parts 2 and 3 must focus on the same region [China or Japan] as that of the language credits of part 1; at least 4 of the 16 must focus on the other region):

1. 4 credits Chinese or Japanese beyond the 221 level (or equivalent)

2. 8 credits from:

  • Chinese 275 Chinese Literary Tradition (in Translation)
  • Chinese 277 Modern China through Literature and Film (in Translation)
  • Chinese 331 Advanced Chinese I
  • Chinese 332 Advanced Chinese II
  • Japanese 279 Modern Japanese Fiction and Film
  • Japanese 295 Special Topics in Japanese
  • Japanese 331 Advanced Japanese I
  • Japanese 332 Advanced Japanese II
  • Social Studies/Humanities 131 China’s Ancient World

3. 8 credits from:

  • Chinese/Philosophy 241 Chinese Philosophical Tradition
  • Chinese and Japanese history courses as approved by the concentration
  • History 37x Advanced Studies in Asian History
  • Political Science 275 Politics of the People’s Republic of China
  • Religious Studies 117 Major Asian Religions
  • Religious Studies 221 Religious Traditions of Japan
  • Religious Studies 222 Religious Traditions of China

4. Two or four credits of a senior interdisciplinary project involving research in at least two disciplines

NOTE: No course can be counted toward more than one concentration requirement.

* Indicates courses not offered every year.