Asian Studies Major
Goal 1: Students will explore Asia's importance in the world through interdisciplinary academic investigation.
Outcome 1: Students will be able to apply a variety of tools, methods, and perspectives to understand Asian societies.
Goal 2: Students will conduct research about Asia and present their findings.
Outcome 2: Students will produce research using the methods and scholarly conventions of one or more Asian Studies disciplines to present their findings.
Goal 3: Students will participate in and reflect on an immersive learning experience in the US or Asia.
Outcome 3: Students will apply academic knowledge and critically reflect upon immersive learning opportunities–such as intensive intermediate language study, internships, study abroad programs, or independent research.
Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements
Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements. See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Course Requirements | ||
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| World History Course Area | ||
| HIS 101 | Globalization in World History | 3 |
| or HIS 102 | Movements in World History | |
| or HIS 103 | Empires in World History | |
| Philosophy Requirements | ||
Either Level One or Level Two (but not both) -- must be Ethics designated. If approved, philosophy courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as Philosophy Level Two and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Theology & Religious Studies Requirements | ||
If approved, Theology & Religious Studies courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as CCC Theology and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Theology | 3 | |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Diversity & INT 151 Requirements | ||
A student's Diversity course may not count for any other CCC course area requirement or as their Mission Overlay course. If approved, Diversity courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive Overlay requirement. INT 151 may not count for any other CCC requirements. This course must be taken in the first two years | ||
| Diversity | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Math & Natural Science Requirements | ||
If approved, Math & Natural Science Requirements may count toward overlay requirements. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| Social Science Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, such Social Science Requirement may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Non-Native Language Requirement | 3-4 | |
A single Non-Native Language course may not count as an overlay course but a second language course fulfills a student's Mission Overlay requirement. | ||
| Literature Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Literature courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Overlay Requirements | ||
| Writing-Intensive | 3 | |
If approved, Writing-Intensive courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, electives, or as any CCC course area requirement except for the first-year courses (World History and Rhetoric and Composition). | ||
| Mission-Overlay | 3 | |
Mission Overlay courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, elective courses, or any of the following CCC course areas: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, or Social Science. | ||
| Total Hours | 47-49 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Courses | Credits | |
| 1 Introductory Non-native Asian Language Course | 4 | |
| 1 Foundational Heritage Course | 3 | |
| 4 Asian Studies Elective Courses in one Geographic Area of Concentration: East or South Asia | 12 | |
| 2 Asian Studies Elective Courses in the other Geographic Area of Concentration: East or South Asia | 6 | |
a. Electives must be distributed across at least four different departments; b. Electives must be distributed across at least three categories: Art/ Literature/ Language; Philosophy/ Theology and Religious Studies; Social Science | ||
| 2-semester Immersion Experience | 6 | |
Immersion Experience requirement may be fulfilled through: intensive intermediate study of an Asian language; Study Abroad; work experience or internship; or independent study research. 1 | ||
| Total Credits | 31 | |
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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Language Requirement | 4 | |
| CHN 101 | Beginning Chinese I | 4 |
| CHN 102 | Beginning Chinese II | 4 |
| JPN 101 | Beginning Japanese I | 4 |
| JPN 102 | Beginning Japanese II | 4 |
| Foundational Heritage | ||
| This course provides a broad overview of Asia, and will emphasize the fundamental background on which students will build in their later courses, including the basic linguistic, geographic, cultural, religious, and historical trends that have shaped East and South Asia. | ||
| HIS 208 | Historical Intro to Asian Civs | 3 |
| Electives in Area of Concentration | 18 | |
| ARH 105 | East Asian Art & Architecture | 3 |
| ARH 111 | Art & Arch of Islamic World | 3 |
| ART 149 | Japanese Pottery & Tea Culture | 3 |
| ECN 475 | Asian Economies | 3 |
| ECN 476 | Econ of Gender in South Asia | 3 |
| ECN 477 | Chinese Economics | 3 |
| ENG 315 | Literature of South Asia | 3 |
| ENG 414 | Modern and Contemporary Epic * | 3 |
| ENG 415 | Postcolonial Studies | 3 |
| HIS 324 | Vietnam War in Film & History | 3 |
| HIS 339 | The Mongol Empire | 3 |
| HIS 350 | Exchng & Conq in Mod E. Asia | 3 |
| HIS 351 | Gndr, Ideolgy & Rev in E. Asia | 3 |
| HIS 352 | Late Imperial China | 3 |
| HIS 353 | Modern China | 3 |
| HIS 354 | Japan Since 1600 | 3 |
| HIS 356 | Modern South Asia | 3 |
| HIS 357 | History of Islam in Asia | 3 |
| HIS 358 | Contemporary China | 3 |
| HIS 359 | India & Pak: Colony to Nation | 3 |
| HIS 360 | Modern Middle East | 3 |
| HIS 364 | Modern Middle East | 3 |
| HIS 370 | Special Topics in History * | 1-3 |
| PHL 268 | The Self: East and West | 3 |
| PHL 308 | Asian Philosophies | 3 |
| PHL 309 | Personhood in Islamic Phil | 3 |
| PHL 370 | Special Topics in Philosophy * | 3 |
| POL 113 | Intro to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| or POL 115 | Intro to Global Politics | |
| POL 333 | Asian Democ at the Crossroads | 3 |
| POL 339 | Asian Dictators | 3 |
| POL 350 | Haunted by the Past | 3 |
| POL 364 | IR of East Asia: War and Peace | 3 |
| REL 221 | Sacred Stuff & Material Religi | 3 |
| REL 241 | Islam | 3 |
| REL 242 | The Quran & Its Interpreters | 3 |
| REL 252 | East Asian Buddhism | 3 |
| REL 261 | Hinduism | 3 |
| REL 262 | Modern Hinduism | 3 |
| REL 265 | Daoism | 3 |
| REL 270 | Special Topics in Relig Stud * | 3 |
| REL 342 | Women in Muslim Tradition | 3 |
| REL 343 | Reason Science&Faith in Islam | 3 |
| REL 356 | Death & Afterlife Chinese Rel | 3 |
| REL 357 | Taiwan’s Temple Culture | 3 |
| REL 360 | Religion & Art in East Asia | 3 |
| REL 370 | Spec Topics in Relig Studies * | 3 |
| Immersion Experience | 6 | |
| The immersion experience should take place during the junior or senior year and requires an immersion to enable students to apply what they have learned during their time at SJU. Immersion may take the form of intensive intermediate language study, study abroad, an internship or work experience related to Asia or Asian America, or an intensive original research experience. Students are strongly encouraged to present their research and experiences at the Greater Philadelphia Asian Studies Consortium conference each spring. | ||
| ANS 490 | CAS Internship I | 0-3 |
| ANS 491 | CAS Internship II | 0-3 |
| ANS 492 | CAS Internship Experience | 3 |
| ARH 480 | Art History Research Seminar | 3 |
| ART 370 | Spec. Topics & Ind. Study (JR) * | 3 |
| ART 470 | Spec Topics & Indep Study (SR) * | 3 |
| ART 495 | Senior Project I (Capstone) | 3 |
| ART 496 | Senior Project II (Capstone) | 3 |
| ECN 490 | Seminar in Economics | 3 |
| ECN 493 | Independent Research | 3 |
| ECN 494 | Independent Research | 3 |
| ENG 370 | Independent Study:Jr. Level * | 3 |
| ENG 493 | Indep Research Project (Fall) | 3,6 |
| ENG 494 | Indep Research Project (SPR) | 2-6 |
| ENG 470 | Independent Study:Senior Level * | 3 |
| HIS 476 | Seminar in Asian History | 3 |
| HIS 478 | Seminar Global Comparative His | 3 |
| HIS 481 | Readings in Asian Hist | 3 |
| HIS 493 | Honors Research & Ind Study I | 3 |
| HIS 494 | Honors Research & Ind Study II | 3 |
| POL 403 | Capstone: Nations&Nationalism | 3 |
| POL 409 | Capstone: Global Migration | 3 |
| POL 413 | International Internship I | 3 |
| POL 414 | International Internship II | 3 |
| POL 493 | Honors Research in Pol Sci I | 3 |
| POL 494 | Honors Research in Pol Sci II | 3 |
| REL 392 | Directed Readings in Religion | 3 |
| REL 493 | Ind Research in Religion | 3 |
| REL 494 | Ind Research in Religion | 3 |
- *
Special Topics courses may be counted when the course includes 60% or more content about Asia.
- 1
Study Abroad and Language Course Requirements may be filled through courses taken elsewhere if unavailable at SJU. Part of the Nealis Program in Asian Studies Endowment will be dedicated to serving student needs.
Study Abroad
The Asian Studies program considers experience in Asia to be an essential means of understanding. All Asian Studies majors are expected to one or more terms (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), Sophia University in Tokyo, and Sogang University in Seoul. Students may also petition for other semester, year or summer programs in Asia.
Free Electives
To be awarded a bachelor's degree at Saint Joseph's University, students must complete at least 120 total credits. As such, elective credits may be required in addition to Cornerstone Core Curriculum (CCC) and major requirements. Any credits necessary to reach at least 120 total credits outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives. Under the CCC, there are no fixed number of electives required. A student's total number of electives will vary based on major requirements, transfer credits, as well as math and language placement.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| Non-Native Asian Language | 4 | |
| HIS 208 | Historical Intro to Asian Civs | 3 |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Mathematics or Natural Science | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| Philosophy Level One (Ethics or Non-Ethics) | 3 | |
| World History | 3 | |
| Natural Science or CCC: Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Theology | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Hours | 13-14 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| Philosophy Level 2 (Non-Ethics or Ethics) | 3 | |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Major Elective #1 | 3 | |
| Free Elective (Minor, Secondary Major) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Art/ Creativity | 3 | |
| Diversity | 3 | |
| Major Elective #2 | 3 | |
| Major Elective #3 | 3 | |
| Free Elective (Minor, Secondary Major) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Asian Studies Majors should use the Junior Year for the Immersion Experience which may be fulfilled through: intensive intermediate study of an Asian language; Study Abroad; work experience or internship; or independent study research. | ||
| Major Elective #4 | 3 | |
| Major Elective #5 | 3 | |
| Free Electives (Minor, Secondary Major) | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Asian Studies Majors should use the Junior Year for the Immersion Experience which may be fulfilled through: intensive intermediate study of an Asian language; Study Abroad; work experience or internship; or independent study research. | ||
| Major Elective #6 | 3 | |
| Free Electives (Minor, Secondary Major) | 12 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Free Electives | 12 | |
| Mission Specific Overlay | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Free Electives (Minor, Secondary Major) | 15 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 119-121 | |