Asian Studies

Note: Asian studies is not accepting new students as of Fall, 2024.
From literature to management, Asian Studies is an integrative program designed to prepare our students for work beyond the classroom.

Students laughing in class

Are you ready for the global marketplace?

Our students are bright, compassionate and curious about the politics, society and language of this constantly developing region.

At Simmons, we encourage you to study abroad and apply your substantial knowledge to your career. Our faculty are experts in the field, motivating you to customize this program to fit your passions.

With a keen understanding of the past and present of Asia, our students find meaningful work through internships, graduate programs, employment abroad and service within and to the Asian American community.

Requirements: Students must take five elective courses from the Asian Studies curriculum, including at least one of either HIST 201, HIST 202, or HIST 206. No more than three courses may be taken in any one department.

AS Curriculum (20 semester hours)

AS216 Asian American Cinema 4
ART252 Arts of China and Japan 4
CHIN214 Contemporary Chinese Cinema 4
CHIN201 Intermediate Chinese I 4
CHIN202 Intermediate Chinese II 4
CHIN245 Advanced Intermediate Chinese 4
CHIN246 Advanced Intermediate Chinese II 4
CHIN250 Masterpieces in Chinese Literature 4
CHIN260 Chinese Calligraphy 4
CHIN320 Reading Chinese Newspapers 4
CHIN325 Masterworks of Chinese Modern Literature 4
ECON222 Comparative Economies of East Asia 4
ECON290 Special Topics 4
HIST201 Japanese History: Politics, Society, and Everyday Life 4
HIST202 Asia to the Eighteenth Century 4
HIST203 Power & Culture: East Asia 4
HIST204 Japanese Culture: Gender, Family and Society 4
HIST205 Global Environmental History 4
HIST206 Rise of Modern China 4
HIST207 Family, Gender, and Sexuality in Chinese History 4
HIST362 Reform and Revolutions in Asia 4
HIST364 Rape of Nanjing 4
HON208 Art of Dissent 4
HON211 Balance, Harmony, and Happiness: A New Look At Classical China 4
JAPN201 Intermediate Japanese I 4
JAPN202 Intermediate Japanese II 4
JAPN245 Composition and Conversation 4
JAPN310M Japanese Civilization 4
JAPN320 Newspaper Kanji and Translation 4
JAPN325 Japanese Fables and Onomatopoeia 4
PHIL119 World Religions 4
PHIL133 Asian Philosophy 4
PHIL390 Seminar 4
POLS102 Introduction to International Politics 4
POLS104 Introduction to Comparative Politics 4
POLS220 International Organization and Law 4
POLS223 Human Rights: The Basic Dilemmas 4
POLS225 International Politics of East Asia 4
POLS229 Comparative Foreign Policy 4
POLS245M Politics of Newly Industrialized Countries 4
SOCI267 Globalization 4
SOCI270 South Asia, People & Power 4

Language Courses (16 semester hours)

Students are required to study either 1) a single East Asian language for four sequential semesters, or 2) two East Asian languages for two semesters each. Courses taken to fulfill this part of the requirement cannot also count among the five electives from the AS  curriculum.

 

Students who enter the Program with at least an intermediate knowledge of an East Asian language may, in special cases pending the Director’s approval, complete four additional courses from the Asian Studies curriculum.

Capstone Cross-Cultural Experience (8 semester hours)

1. Community-based or independent learning

To encourage cross-cultural experience, students complete four semester hours through either study abroad or community-based learning within an Asian American community. Students should have adequate language preparation and a significant portion of coursework completed before undertaking this experience. Thus, most students will satisfy this requirement during the junior or senior year. The precise timing will be decided in consultation with the student’s advisor. Alternatively, the student may undertake an independent study with an AS faculty member that would culminate in a research paper on a topic of the student's own design. 


2. CRGCS 355: Capstone Project 

The Capstone Project provides students the opportunity for intellectual inquiry on a selected topic. Projects will integrate theory and practice that address real-world problems. Students will draw areas of interest from the CRGCS programs (Africana Studies, Asian Studies, Migration Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Gender and Cultural Studies).  The aim of the course is for students to demonstrate and reflect on the CRGCS program's interdisciplinary and intersectional features through their projects.   


3. Integrative Seminar 

Successful completion of either AS 390 or, when not offered, an alternate course is mandatory for all students in the major. In this seminar, the student will produce either a research paper or some form of creative work associated with a special interest. The nature and scope of the project will be collaboratively determined with the seminar instructor and/or their advisor. HIST 364 and 362 are currently offered in lieu of the Seminar.


Honors in Asian Studies requires a minimum GPA of 3.67 for AS courses in addition to a grade of A or A- for the senior term paper, i.e., the paper produced as part of the course work for either AS 390 or 350.


Minor in Asian Studies

A minor in Asian studies consists of five courses from the EAS curriculum. No more than three courses may be taken in any one department.


AS216 Asian American Cinema 4
EAS349 Directed Study 4
EAS350 Independent Study 4
EAS370 Internship 0
 

Core Courses

Select and complete at least 1 core course from the following Core Course list:
HIST202 Asia to the Eighteenth Century 4
PHIL133 Asian Philosophy 4
AS216 Asian American Cinema 4

Electives

Select and complete 4 electives from the following list. No more than 2 courses may be taken in any one participating department. If an AS minor has already taken 1 core course, additional core courses will count as electives.
 
AS216 Asian American Cinema 4
ART252 Arts of China and Japan 4
CHIN201 Intermediate Chinese I 4
CHIN202 Intermediate Chinese II 4
CHIN260 Chinese Calligraphy 4
ECON222 Comparative Economies of East Asia 4
HIST201 Japanese History: Politics, Society, and Everyday Life 4
HIST202 Asia to the Eighteenth Century 4
HIST203 Power & Culture: East Asia 4
HIST206 Rise of Modern China 4
HIST207 Family, Gender, and Sexuality in Chinese History 4
JAPN201 Intermediate Japanese I 4
JAPN202 Intermediate Japanese II 4
PHIL119 World Religions 4
PHIL133 Asian Philosophy 4
POLS220 International Organization and Law 4
POLS223 Human Rights: The Basic Dilemmas 4
SOCI270 South Asia, People & Power 4

Department Contact

Shirong Luo, Ph.D
Philosophy Department
Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities
[email protected]

Many of our students tailor their studies to their interests and career goals by adding minors or double majoring. Students interested in dual-degree programs, double majors or self designed majors can consult with department faculty to design an individualized program.

A minor in Asian Studies is also available. A minor consists of five courses from the EAS curriculum. No more than three courses may be taken in any one department.

We encourage students to study abroad and learn modern language skills to broaden their understanding of world cultures. Interested students are able to undertake independent research projects of their own design in their junior or senior year.

So you know that Simmons is a great place to be, you've learned about our programs, maybe even come for a visit...now you're ready to apply! Let's get started.