About the Program

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Note: The Asian Studies Major and all of the associated minors have been retired and folded into Global Studies.  We are no longer accepting Asian Studies declarations.  Please visit the Global Studies website or the Global Studies page on the Berkeley Academic Guide for more information.  

The Undergraduate Group Major in Asian Studies is a rigorous but flexible interdisciplinary program designed to help students take advantage of the rich course offerings in the Asian field campuswide in a way that is not available through individual departments. Utilizing the faculty and facilities of the entire university, these degree programs cut across conventional disciplinary lines and emphasize a basic core of knowledge concerning one particular geographic area of Asia. Within this core, which requires course work in multiple departments and reading knowledge of at least one Asian language, regionally-oriented students have the freedom to plan an individual program according to their particular interests and approaches. No two programs are alike, and students work closely with the student affairs office and with a faculty mentor in designing their customized academic plan.

A number of Asian Studies majors are double majors, finding the focus on Asia useful for complementing the political science, economics, anthropology, or history of art majors, for example.

The Asian Studies: Japan major program (denoted Area 3) is one of three major programs offered by the Group in Asian Studies.

Declaring the Major

All required courses must be taken for a letter grade. After you have fulfilled the prerequisite courses listed on the Major Requirements tab, students will need to see the major adviser at the undergraduate office, 101 Stephens Hall, on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The major adviser has the necessary paperwork needed to declare the major and put together an academic plan.

Honors Program

The honors thesis program provides an opportunity for eligible Asian Studies undergraduate seniors to complete original and independent research under the mentorship of a faculty thesis adviser. The honors thesis program is a year-long program which may begin in either the fall or spring semester of the senior year. It consists of the completion of ASIANST H195A and ASIANST H195B (3 units each, 6 units total), which includes the writing of the honors thesis. These can count towards two of the five concentration courses required for the major. These courses are independent study courses; there is no instruction or class time involved. All the work for the thesis and these two courses is done independently in consultation with faculty advisers. The honors thesis is expected to be a substantial research paper, both in its length and originality. Although there is no specific length requirement, a typical undergraduate honors thesis contains 40-80 pages of text, a bibliography, and often illustrations and tables. Each thesis is reviewed by two faculty members of your choice. To get a sense of what has been done in the past, visit our website for a list of theses, or visit the undergraduate major adviser in 101 Stephens for bound copies of theses.

Eligibility requirements for the honors program:

1. Overall UC grade point average (GPA) must be 3.5 or higher at the time of application and when beginning the thesis.
2. Major GPA must be 3.6 or higher at time of application and when beginning the thesis.
3. Students must complete the language requirement, the upper division theories and methods, and history requirements, before embarking on the honors thesis.
4. A completed honors thesis application form and a well-designed research proposal that has the sponsorship of two faculty members must be submitted to the undergraduate adviser.
5. No incompletes on record at the time of application and when beginning the thesis. All incomplete grades must be resolved before a student can submit the honors thesis form.

Recommended application timeline for the honors program

February of junior year (fall/spring thesis), or September of junior year (spring/fall thesis). Prepare brief thesis proposal and meet with prospective thesis adviser(s). Get the consent of a faculty member to serve as your sponsor. Discuss the project, appropriate methodology and research methods, and preparation of sample bibliography with the faculty sponsor. April of Junior year (fall/spring); November of Junior year (spring/fall): The thesis application form, signed by both the faculty adviser and second reader, due to the undergraduate major adviser in 101 Stephens Hall.

Minor Program

The Group in Asian Studies does not offer a minor program in Asian Studies: Japan. However, the group does offer a minor in Japanese Studies. 

Other Majors and Minors Offered by the Group in Asian Studies

• Asian Studies: Multi-Area (Area 1): Includes all countries and regions of Asia (Major only)
• ​Asian Studies: China (Area 2) (Major only)
• Chinese Studies (Minor only)
• Japanese Studies (Minor only)
• Korean Studies (Minor only)

Visit Group Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

Repeat Rule

Students who earn a grade of F, D-, D, D+, or NP may repeat the course only once. Regardless of the grade the student receives for their second attempt (including F, D-, D, or D+), the student may not repeat the course a third time.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters & Science.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Major Requirements

1. Lower Division Prerequisites (two courses): ASIANST 10 (Introduction to Asia) and one history course (see list below for course options).
2. Language Requirement: two years of Japanese or equivalent.  Students can take the placement exam (for students who want to take more language courses at UCB) or the proficiency exam (for students who want to waive the language requirement) offered by the East Asian Languages and Cultures Department.
3. Upper Division Requirements (total of eight courses as outlined below):

• Disciplinary Focus: two courses from the same discipline/department. The first course must be a theories and methods whose primary focus is to introduce the theories and methods of the chosen discipline. The second course, taken in the same department, must focus on Japan. In the case that the department does not offer a Japan course, other courses on Asia from the same department may be substituted. Note: Students that want to take an interdisciplinary theories and methods course can take IAS 102 or ISF 100A or ISF 100B. The course must be paired with an ASIANST 150 topics course.
• History: one upper division course on Japanese history (see course list below for options)
• Concentration: three upper division courses focusing on Japan (50% or more of the course must be on China). Advanced language study classes, such as the Japanese 100 series or upper division literature courses, can be counted towards the three upper division courses on Japan. Students completing the honors program can apply ASIANST H195A and ASIANST H195B towards the upper division requirements.
• Outside of Area: select one upper division course focusing on an area outside of Japan (courses on China, Korea, Taiwan, countries of Southeast Asia or South Asia)
• Regional: select one upper division course that focuses on Asia as a region (situates your country of focus in a larger regional context). Regional courses, by definition, deal with more than one country.

Requirements

Language Courses

Students must complete four semesters of Japanese (end of intermediate level) by taking courses from this list or students can take the placement or proficiency exams offered by the East Asian Languages and Cultures Department.

History

Use this list to find courses that satisfy the upper division history requirement.

Theories and Methods courses

Use this list to find courses (take one course) that satisfy the theories and methods requirement.  Note: students who want to take an interdisciplinary theories and methods course can take IAS 102 or ISF 100A or ISF 100B.

Asia-focused Courses

Use this list to find courses that satisfy the concentration, outside of area, regional elective, and second disciplinary focus course requirements. This is essentially a list of all Asia-related courses currently offered on campus. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. If you think a course could count, discuss your suggestion with a major adviser.

College Requirements

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please review the College of Letters & Sciences page in this Guide. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university, should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American Cultures

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

• 120 total units

• Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

• Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

1. Demonstrate specialized knowledge of China, Japan, or of multiple areas with a thematic concentration.
2. Acquire language skills in one foreign language depending on the student's area of focus (Mandarin Chinese for a China emphasis; Japanese for a Japan focus; Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, as appropriate for the multi-area thematic concentration).
3. From perspectives of more than one discipline, understand the study of China or Japan, or in the case of the multi-area thematic concentration, of countries and regions of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.
4. Apply approaches of one selected discipline to the study of China or Japan, or in the case of the multi-area thematic concentration, of countries and regions of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.
5. Demonstrate understanding of research methods in that discipline.
6. Acquire relatively deeper knowledge of one Asian culture other than China or Japan.
7. Demonstrate basic knowledge of the multiplicity of countries and cultures that make up the region.
8. Acquire knowledge of historical flows in the region.
9. Develop understanding of contemporary trends.
10. Formulate well-organized and well-supported arguments.
11. Show evidence of critical thinking skills.

Download  the explanation/representation of how undergraduate student learning goals intersect with curriculum requirements.

Academic Opportunities

Berkeley Student Journal of Asian Studies

The Berkeley Student Journal of Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary student journal that bridges research at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Journal strives to broaden the study of Asian across disciplinary lines and to expand the Asian studies community by promoting leadership and scholarship of Asia. For information on submissions and to view copies of previous journals, please visit their website.

Study Abroad

Opportunities to study in Asia are abundant and students are encouraged to take advantage of them. Those who qualify for the UC Education Abroad Programs (EAP) are often eligible for substantial scholarships. Many courses taken abroad transfer easily to the major. We accept up to 12 semester units for the major and two courses for the minor. Students should consult with the undergraduate major adviser for approval of courses taken through an education abroad program. For further information, contact the Berkeley Programs for Study Abroad at 160 Stephens Hall, 510-642-1356, and/or check out the EAP website for the UC system. 

Courses

This is a list of courses offered by the Asian Studies major only.  For a comprehensive list of all Asia-related courses currently offered on the Berkeley campus, look at the Asia-focused list under "Major Requirements."