Asian Studies
You’ll explore the literatures, cultures, visual and performing arts, religions, histories, politics and economies of Asian countries with esteemed faculty. These scholars come from diverse disciplinary backgrounds centered around East Asian, especially Chinese and Japanese, and South Asian cultures and languages. You'll pair this cultural knowledge with advanced training in an Asian language and you're encouraged to deepen your experience further by studying abroad for up to a year.
This immersive approach develops real-world skills for careers in areas like international business, international law, government service and education. You'll learn the skills in Asian languages and knowledge of Asian cultures to succeed in a variety of postgraduate endeavors.
You’ll explore the literatures, cultures, visual and performing arts, religions, histories, politics and economies of Asian countries with esteemed faculty. These scholars come from diverse disciplinary backgrounds centered on East and South Asian cultures and languages. They engage particularly with China, Japan, India and Tibet.
You'll pair this cultural knowledge with advanced training in an Asian language and you're encouraged to deepen your experience further by studying abroad for up to a year.
This immersive approach develops real-world skills for careers in areas like international business, international law, government service and education. You'll learn the skills in Asian languages and knowledge of Asian cultures to succeed in a variety of postgraduate endeavors.
What You'll Learn
The BA in Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program, meaning you get to explore a wide variety of courses from a range of esteemed faculty.
History
Learn about both ancient and modern histories of East Asia.
Religious Studies
Explore major Asian religious and ethical traditions and their practices.
Economics
Understand how global economies interact with a focus on Asian industrialization, trade and technologies.
The Arts
Experience visual arts and art history of China, Japan and Tibet, as well as musical traditions and performing arts of South Asian cultures.
Language
Acquire skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in modern Chinese and Japanese or other approved Asian languages.
Political Science
Learn about political institutions in East Asia, including phenomena such as democratization.
Degree Requirements
- To major in Asian studies you will complete 60 credits. These include three classes in the humanities, two years of intermediate and advanced language study, a senior thesis sequence or other advanced coursework, and electives.
- To minor in Asian studies you will need to complete 24 credit hours.
See the DU Undergraduate Bulletin for full course requirements.
Featured Courses
ASIA 1516
Contemporary China in Literature and Films
About this Course
This course investigates, through critically examining the representative literary and filmic texts produced by Chinese as well as foreign writers and filmmakers, the many complicated aspects of some much-talked about issues. This includes the diminishing rural life and landscape, urbanization, migration/dislocation, the changing roles of women, social equality, as well as the balancing act of preserving tradition, the environment, and economic development. The in-depth examination and diverse approaches this course applies enables students to gain greater understanding of not only the challenges that contemporary China has raised, but also the complexities of the increasingly globalized world in which we are living. Cross listed with CHIN 1516. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.
ASIA 2601
Japanese Politics
About this Course
How did Japan rapidly catch up with more advanced industrial powers? Can other developing countries copy the Japanese model? What was the "darker side" behind Japan's economic miracle? How do we come to terms with the sudden burst of Japan's "Bubble Economy?" Will Japan’s current economic recovery process, which started in 2002, be sustainable? Is a genuine international reconciliation between Japan and its neighbors possible? These are just some of the questions we will examine in this class. Prerequisite: sophomore standing.
ASIA 3980
Asian Studies Internship
About this Course
Provides academic credit for off-campus internships in areas related to the Asian Studies major. The purpose of the internship is the gain valuable work experience, explore various career options, develop job competencies and/or apply theoretical knowledge to practical concerns of the world. Must be an Asian Studies major and have cumulative GPA of 3.0 and have taken at least two Asian Studies content courses, not counting language training. Requires approval of Asian Studies director.
Asian Studies places you at the center of cross-cultural conversations.
Are you ready to learn more about Asian Studies at DU?
Application Information
