Asian Studies

College of Letters and Science
Undergraduate Office: 101 Stephens Hall, (510) 642-0333
Graduate Office: 2223 Fulton Street, Room 524, (510) 642-0333

Group Chair: Bonnie C. Wade, PhD (Department of Music)
Group Website: Asian Studies 

Group Major in Asian Studies

The undergraduate Group Major in Asian Studies is a rigorous but flexible interdisciplinary program designed to assist students to take advantage of the rich course offerings in the Asian field campuswide in a way that is not available through individual departments. There are three concentrations from which a student may select in the major: a Multi-Area thematic concentration, a concentration on China, or a concentration on Japan. "Multi-Area" includes all countries and regions of Asia. One of the areas chosen must be either China or Japan. Other areas can include Korea and countries in South Asia or Southeast Asia.

Prerequisite Courses in the Major

Students petitioning to enter the Group Major in Asian Studies must have completed (grade C or better) the following:

• Asian Studies 10, Introduction to Asia (offered in the fall only).
• One lower-division history course (choose one): History 6A (China, Early empires); History 6B (Modern China); History 11 (India); History 14 (Japan); SEAsian 10A (Southeast Asia—mainland); SEAsian 10B (Southeast Asia—insular).

Additional Major Requirements

Once accepted into the major, the student is expected to select one of three concentrations: Area I (Multi-Area); Area II (China); or Area III (Japan). For Area I, one area must include either China or Japan with others including Korea, countries of Southeast Asia or South Asia. The following coursework is required:

1. Two years of language appropriate to the concentration. After the second year, further study of the language at the upper division level is encouraged and will count toward the major unit requirements. In the Multi-Area thematic concentration, the language will be Chinese or Japanese, as appropriate.
2. Completion of a minimum of 30 units of upper division coursework.
3. Two upper-division courses in the same discipline. One of the two must be a course whose primary purpose is to introduce the theories and methods of the discipline.
4. One upper division course must be a course in Asian history appropriate to the student's concentration.
5. Five Inter-Area/Interdisciplinary courses. In the concentration on Area I (Multi-Area), the student will create his/her own emphasis in the form of a theme or topic that can be pursued through five courses on countries and regions of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. In the concentration on Area II (China), three out of the five courses must be on China. In the concentration on Area III (Japan), three out of the five courses must be on Japan.

Area Focus

At the time of declaring the major, the student identifies the concentration of Area I, II, or III.

For the Multi-Area concentration, students must submit a statement detailing a theme or topic that will be pursued and a potential list of courses that are pertinent to the plan of study.

Multi-Area

Students with a Multi-Area thematic concentration must take (in addition to the prerequisite courses of Asian Studies 10 and a lower division history course):

1. Two years of either Chinese or Japanese. Students who choose China as one of their areas must take Chinese; students who choose Japan as one of their areas must take Japanese.
2. Disciplinary focus: one upper division Theory and Methods course and one upper division course on either China or Japan from the same discipline/department. Students who choose China as one of their areas must take the second disciplinary course on China; students who choose Japan as one of their areas must take the second disciplinary course on Japan.
3. One upper division history course on either China or Japan. Students who choose China as one of their areas must take Chinese history; students who choose Japan as one of their areas must take Japanese history.
4. As part of the Inter-Area/Interdisciplinary requirement, the student will create his/her own emphasis in the form of a theme or topic to be pursued through courses on countries and regions of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.

Advanced language study classes can be counted towards the five Inter-Area/Interdisciplinary upper division course requirement only if they are in keeping with the theme or topic of the student's concentration. Students completing the honors program can apply H195 and B towards the upper division requirements.

For a list of courses that can be applied towards the Multi-Area concentration, refer to the Group in Asian Studies website .

China

China-focused students must take the following (in addition to the pre-requisite courses of Asian Studies 10 and a lower division history course):

1. Two years of Mandarin Chinese or equivalent.
2. Disciplinary focus: one upper division Theory and Methods course and one upper division course on China from the same discipline/department.
3. One upper division history course on China.
4. As part of the Inter-Area/Interdisciplinary requirement, three upper division courses on China, one upper division course on area outside of China, and one upper division course on Asia.

Advanced language study classes, such as the Chinese 100 series, can be counted towards the three upper division courses on China. Students completing the honors program can apply H195 and B towards the upper division requirements.

For a list of courses that can be applied towards the China focus, refer to the Group in Asian Studies website .

Japan

Japan-focused students must take the following (in addition to the pre-requisite courses of Asian Studies 10 and a lower division history course):

1. Two years of Japanese or equivalent.
2. Disciplinary focus: one upper division Theory and Methods course and one upper division course on Japan from the same discipline/department.
3. One upper division history course on Japan.
4. As part of the Inter-Area/Interdisciplinary requirement, three upper division courses on Japan, one upper division course on area outside of Japan, and one upper division course on Asia.

Advanced language study classes, such as the Japanese 100 series, can be counted towards the three upper division courses on Japan. Students completing the honors program can apply H195 and B towards the upper division requirements.

For a list of courses that can be applied towards the Japan focus, refer to the Group in Asian Studies website .

Optional Senior Thesis

Qualified students may complete a senior thesis approximately 50 pages in length under the supervision of the major adviser or other appropriate faculty member. Three units of upper division credit in Asian Studies 196 will be given for completion of the thesis.

Honors Program

Open to seniors in the Group Major in Asian Studies whose grade point average (GPA) is 3.5 or higher in all university work and 3.6 or higher in the major. The program consists of completion of Asian Studies H195A-H195B (3,3), which includes the writing of an honors thesis. The honors thesis is expected to be a substantial research paper, both in its length and originality; it is read by two faculty members.

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Minor Program in Asian Studies

Students in the College of Letters and Science may complete one or more minors of their choice, normally in a field both academically and administratively distinct from their major.

There are three minor program options in Asian studies: Chinese studies, Japanese studies, and Korean studies. These programs give students an introduction to the study of one region of Asia through social science and humanities courses. Minimum requirements are five upper division courses with a C or better in each course. At least three of the courses must be completed at UC Berkeley; only one may overlap with those credited to the student's major. There is no Asian language requirement for the minor. Only two upper division language/literature courses may be used. For specific courses that satisfy minor requirements, see the department.

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Graduate Program

The Group in Asian Studies offers an MA degree program in Asian Studies. Students in the program emphasize one of four areas of Asia: East Asia (China), Northeast Asia (Japan/Korea), Southeast Asia, or South Asia. The group, in cooperation with the Graduate School of Journalism and the School of Law, also offers a concurrent MJ/MA in journalism and Asian studies, and a concurrent JD/MA in law and Asian studies. The group is authorized to award the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies, but for practical and academic reasons this degree program is very restricted. Applicants with specific disciplinary interests should apply to a particular department rather than to the interdisciplinary group. Only those who have first completed the M.A. with the Group in Asian Studies may apply to the PhD program.