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Undergraduate 2019-2020

Asian Studies B.A. – Liberal Arts Emphasis

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Contact: Michelle Low, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Location: Candelaria 0095

Telephone: 970.351.1366

Fax: 970.351.2829

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

Assigned advisor is available through the Ursa login; http://ursa.unco.edu; under Student tab Academic Profile channel and is term specific. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Core (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

The program in Asian Studies prepares individuals who have a broad understanding of Asia as a region, and in-depth understanding of a particular region of Asia through the study of the languages, history, literatures, arts, and cultures of Asia. Upon completion of this course of study, students will have a highly individualized but broad familiarity with the region, and will also understand the history and culture of Asia, as well as how this history and the various cultures affect its current dynamics.

The program fosters knowledge and study of international, specifically Asian, issues, as well as national and local diversity by inclusion of courses on the Asian Diaspora. Courses in Asian civilizations, literature, history, and the arts train students in Asian culture, and develop their cultural competence. Because the program requires study of Asian languages and encourages study abroad to one of UNC’s direct exchange partner institutions in Asian countries, this program prepares student to work effectively with “diverse populations.”

Students completing this program will have linguistic competence in at least one Asian language, and an understanding in Asian cultures, literature, art and history. Students are further encouraged to take on a minor in other subjects that complement their understanding of Asia, and enable them to continue to graduate studies in Asian studies, or to broaden their career prospects. Suggested minors are: Business Administration, Chinese, Film, Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality, History, or Gender Studies.

Students demonstrate their cultural competence through completion of their senior research project in the ASIA 475, and 61 credit hours of work in Asia-related courses.

Program Admission Requirement:

Academic Good Standing.

Program Requirements:

  • Students must maintain a C or better in courses to be counted towards the major. C- is not acceptable.
  • Students must achieve a rating of Intermediate in one Asian language demonstrated through an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).
  • 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. 

Program Recommendations:

Suggested minors are: Business Administration, Chinese, Film, Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality, History, or Gender Studies.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

Degree Requirements

1. Required Specified LAC — 3 credits

LAC area 4 — History

HIST 113Asian Civilizations II: From 1500 to the Present

3

Remaining LAC — 37 credits

See “Liberal Arts Core ”.

2. Required Major — 58 credits

Take the following courses:

HIST 112Asian Civilization I: From Prehistory to 1500

3

ASIA 475Research in Asian Studies

3

Choose six credits from the following courses:

ASIA 216South and Southeast Asian Literature

3

CHIN 216Masterpieces in Chinese Literature

3

ENG 236Ethnic American Literature

3

ENG 262Masterpieces of World Literature

3

Advisor approval is required prior to registering for ENG 236 and ENG 262, which can only count toward this requirement if at least 1/3 of the course focuses on Asia.

Choose six credits from the following courses:

HIST 307History to China to 1500

3

HIST 309History of Southeast Asia

3

HIST 310History of China Since 1500

3

HIST 311History of Japan

3

Language Requirement: 28 credits in Asian languages

Students may divide the 28 credits among more than one Asian language, but must also achieve at least intermediate level proficiency in one Asian language, demonstrated through the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) through Language Testing International. The following language courses are acceptable:

CHIN 101Elementary Chinese I

5

CHIN 102Elementary Chinese II

5

CHIN 201Intermediate Chinese I

3

CHIN 202Intermediate Chinese II

3

CHIN 301China and the Chinese

3

CHIN 302China and the Chinese II

3

CHIN 311Introduction to Literary Chinese

3

CHIN 312Readings in Literary Chinese

3

CHIN 313Chinese Cinema

3

CHIN 395Topics in Modern China

3

CHIN 407Chinese for Oral Proficiency

3

CHIN 450Modern Chinese Literature

3

CHIN 495Topics in Traditional China

3

JAPN 101Elementary Japanese I

5

JAPN 102Elementary Japanese II

5

JAPN 201Intermediate Japanese I

3

JAPN 202Intermediate Japanese II

3

JAPN 301Japan and the Japanese I

3

JAPN 302Japan and the Japanese II

3

JAPN 407Japanese for Oral Proficiency

3

JAPN 450Japanese Literature

3

FL 195Elementary World Language

5

Note: FL 195 must be in an approved Asian language to count towards Asian Studies.

Choose 12 additional credits from the following list, or from any other group of required Asian Studies courses listed above:

ANT 313Anthropology of Globalization

3

ART 484Asian Art History

3

ASIA 116State, Society, and Culture in Contemporary Asia

3

ASIA 499Asian Studies Thesis

3

CHIN 116Introduction to Chinese Civilization

3

GEOG 218Emerging Asia

3

GEOG 344Asia: Special Topics

3

GNDR 285Gender in the Contemporary Global Order

3

JAPN 116Contemporary Japan

3

MIND 181Great Traditions of Asia: India, China and Japan

3

MIND 281Modernity in Asia

3

MUS 247Music Cultures of the World

3

MUS 248Asian Musical Culture

3

PSCI 319Asian Politics

3

Advisor approval is required prior to registering for the following courses, which can only count toward this requirement if at least 1/3 of the course focuses on Asia. A course adjustment form will need to be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for courses approved from this list.

ANT 408Workshop in Anthropology

3-12

ANT 470Seminar in Anthropology

3

ASIA 392Internship in Asian Studies

2-5

FL 296Study Abroad Experience

3

FL 395Special Topics

1-4

FILM 320Special Topics in Film

3

HIST 395Topics in History

3

PHIL 300Topics in Philosophy

3

ANT 313, ANT 408, ANT 470, FILM 320, GEOG 344, HIST 395, PHIL 300, and PSCI 319 have prerequisites outside of the major requirements.

3. University-Wide Credits — 22 credits