EASST-BA - East Asian Studies (BA)

The program’s mission in East Asian Studies is to enable students to obtain a comprehensive understanding of East Asia broadly conceived, which is the area stretching from Japan through Korea and China to the contiguous areas of the Central Asian landmass. Students are expected to have a good mastery of an East Asian language and focus on a particular sub-region or a substantive issue involving the region as a whole. The classes emphasize the developing powers of critical thinking and expression, which serve students well regardless of their ultimate career goals in business, government service, academia, or the professions.

Majors are encouraged to prepare for the major by taking courses in an East Asian language and about East Asian cultures. The courses taken for the major must add up to at least 78 units, comprised of the three-unit Senior Colloquium and at least 75 additional units, all taken for a letter grade. Courses must be at least three units and taken with a letter grade to be counted towards the degree. Majors are encouraged to distribute their coursework among at least three disciplines and two subregions in Asia. The subregions need not be traditionally defined.