Asian Studies Major

Goal 1: Students will achieve Intermediate Low Oral Proficiency in an Asian language (by ACTFL standards).

Outcome 1: Students will be able to communicate effectively in an Asian language

Goal 2: Students will explore Asia's importance in the world through interdisciplinary investigation.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to apply a variety of tools, methods, and perspectives to understand Asian societies.

Goal 3: Students will conduct research about Asia and present their findings.

Outcome 3: Students will produce research using the methods and scholarly conventions of one or more Asian Studies disciplines to present their findings.

Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements

Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements.  See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.

Major Requirements

1. Are required to attain intermediate language competency in their area of concentration;¹

2. Must take a Foundational Heritage Course;

3. Must complete a minimum of seven elective courses, with at least four courses focusing on one geographic Area of Concentration: East or South Asia, and two courses focusing on another;

a. Electives must be distributed across at least four different departments;

b. Electives must be distributed across three categories: Art/ Literature/ Language; Philosophy/ Theology and Religious Studies; Social Science

4. Must take two OTHER Area Studies courses and one Methodology course:           

a. Two OTHER Area Studies courses should cover areas outside Asia.

b. One course must focus on Methodology (see pre-approved list).

See below for pre-approved course offerings. Other courses, with at least 60% of the content focusing on Asia, may be accepted with the permission of the Program Director.

Free Electives

Graduation requires 120 credits. Any credits necessary to reach that number outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives.

Study Abroad

The Asian Studies program considers experience in Asia to be an essential means of understanding. All Asian Studies majors are expected to spend at least one term (fall, spring, or summer) in a study-abroad program in Asia. There are currently approved programs in China,  Japan, and Korea. This requirement can frequently be met through programs with existing ties to SJU, including The Beijing Center (operated by a consortium of Jesuit universities), Sofia University in Tokyo,  and Sogang University in Seoul. Students may also petition for other semester, year or summer programs in Asia.

¹

The language requirement may be satisfied in one of three ways.

1. Two sequential intermediate classes (200-level) in the same Asian language (each course consisting of a minimum of three semester credit hours) at SJU or another US institution.
2. Language examination confirming intermediate-level competency
3. One semester language intensive study-abroad experience.

This requirement is seen as a minimum. The program encourages majors to attain fluency in an Asian language. Ideally, students will augment language study at SJU with an immersion experience of a semester or more. Part of the program’s endowment will be dedicated to funding student needs for study abroad.

For languages not offered at SJU (Hindi, Urdu, Korean, etc.), the program may help interested students find appropriate instruction at other institutions or abroad, unless and until SJU is able to offer these languages on campus.