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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Asian Studies

Program Overview

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

This minor is designed to provide students with a broad-based interdisciplinary understanding of Asian culture through a coordinated program of studying language, history, philosophy, art, geography, or political science. The program is administered by a faculty coordinator in the Department of World Languages and Cultures. All Asian Studies Minors are required to see an advisor to work out a program of study that will meet their specific needs and interests. A minimum of 6 credits in the minor must be at the 300 or 400 level.

Minor Requirements — 22 Credits

Language Proficiency — 10 credits

Choose either Chinese or Japanese:

CHIN 101Elementary Chinese I

3

CHIN 102Elementary Chinese II

3

or

JAPN 101Elementary Japanese I

3

JAPN 102Elementary Japanese II

3

Electives — 12 credits

Upper Division Electives: at least 6 credits

Take 6 or more credits from the following course offerings:

ANT 313Anthropology of Globalization

3

ANT 408Workshop in Anthropology

3-12

ANT 470Seminar in Anthropology

3

ANT 395Topics in Anthropology

3

ASIA 392Internship in Asian Studies

2- 5

FILM 320Special Topics in Film

3

HIST 304Sex and Gender in East Asia

3

HIST 306Modern China through Film

3

HIST 307History of China to 1500

3

HIST 310History of China Since 1500

3

HIST 311History of Japan

3

HIST 395Topics in History

3

PHIL 300Topics in Philosophy

3

PSCI 319Asian Politics

3

Directed Study

1-4

Additional Electives: 6 credits

Choose additional credits as needed to bring the total number of elective credits to 12. These may be chosen from the upper division list above, or from the following list of lower division course offerings: 

ASIA 116State, Society, and Culture in Contemporary AsiaLAB3LAIS

3

ASIA 216South and Southeast Asian LiteratureLAA2LAIS

3

ASIA 248Asian Musical CultureLAA1LAIS

3

CHIN 107Conversational Chinese for Beginners

3

CHIN 116Introduction to Chinese CivilizationLAB3LAIS

3

CHIN 216Masterpieces in Chinese LiteratureLAA2LAIS

3

ENG 236Ethnic American LiteratureLAA2LAMS

3

ENG 262Literary Voices from Around the WorldLAA2LAIS

3

GEOG 218Emerging AsiaLAB2LAIS

3

GNDR 285Gender in the Contemporary Global OrderLAB3LAIS

3

HIST 112Asian Civilization I: From Prehistory to 1500LAH1LAIS

3

HIST 113Asian Civilizations II: From 1500 to the PresentLAH1LAIS

3

JAPN 116Contemporary Japan

3

MUS 248Asian Musical CultureLAA1LAIS

3

PHIL 126Introduction to Global PhilosophiesLAA3LAIS

3

PHIL 246Early Chinese Philosophy

3

Elective courses must be taken in at least two different prefixes.

The following courses have prerequisites not included in the minor.

Students must complete pre-requisites as part of their major, university wide electives, or LAC credits in order to take these courses as part of the Asian Studies minor.

ANT 395Topics in Anthropology

3

The following variable topic courses appearing on the lists above must be relevant to Asian Studies to count toward the minor.

Students must receive approval from their minor advisor prior to registration in order to apply these courses to the Asian Studies minor:

ANT 395Topics in Anthropology

3

ANT 408Workshop in Anthropology

3-12

ANT 470Seminar in Anthropology

3

ASIA 392Internship in Asian Studies

2- 5

ENG 236Ethnic American LiteratureLAA2LAMS

3

ENG 262Literary Voices from Around the WorldLAA2LAIS

3

FILM 320Special Topics in Film

3

HIST 395Topics in History

3

PHIL 300Topics in Philosophy

3

Program Notes

Directed Study projects and special courses must be approved by the minor advisor. These projects may be taken in any of the following departments: Anthropology, Art, Business, Economics, English, World Languages and Cultures, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Mind/Honors.

Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in those courses that count toward the minor.

In accordance with University Policies, coursework earned more than 10 years prior to the date of matriculation to UNC may not be used to satisfy any major or minor requirements. Any exception to this policy is at the discretion of the academic program.

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