Academic Program

By all measures the global significance of Asia has only grown since the beginning of this century. Home to an extraordinary range of linguistic and ethnic groups, this broad and dynamic region is rich in cultural and environmental diversity. Engaging the many changes taking place in Asian societies today requires a similarly diverse set of intellectual skills. To this end, the Asian Studies Program at Colgate integrates scholarly approaches spanning the arts and humanities and social sciences: from literature, art, and religion to history, politics, economics, and geography. The Asian studies major encourages students to undertake their own interdisciplinary explorations of this region.

Awards

The Award for Excellence in Area Studies (South and Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Comparative) — awarded by the program to students on the basis of outstanding academic performance in coursework taken within the major.

Transfer Credit

Major credit will be awarded for no more than two courses taken at another institution; minor credit will be awarded for no more than one course taken at another institution.

Study Groups

The Asian Studies Program strongly encourages majors to participate in Colgate study groups and in approved programs in India or other locations in Asia. Faculty of the program serve as directors of study-abroad programs in China, Japan, and Korea. For more information, see Off-Campus Study.

China Study Group

Spends approximately four months in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, in intensive language training and firsthand observation of recent cultural, political, and economic changes.

Japan Study Group

Based in Kyoto, provides lodging with Japanese families; intensive language training; and instruction in Japanese politics, economics, business, religion, art, linguistics, and literature.

Korea Study Group

Hosted by Yonsei University in Seoul, serves the academic needs of students interested in educational studies and Asian studies.

Honors and High Honors in Asian Studies

Asian studies majors who have GPAs of 3.30 or better in the major and an overall GPA of 3.00 are encouraged to pursue honors study. A candidate for high honors must have a GPA of 3.70 in the major and an overall GPA of 3.00. Each eligible student may choose to undertake a project, the form of which — a written research paper, an exhibition, a performance — is decided in consultation with the student's honors adviser. To qualify for honors, the project must be judged by a committee of two faculty members to be of at least A quality. For high honors the project must be judged by three faculty members from at least two different departments, and in addition the candidate must pass with distinction an oral examination conducted by the three-member committee. Often, the project for honors or high honors is begun on a study group, or during the junior year or fall semester of the senior year, in any 300- or 400-level course or any independent study course. The project is continued through the spring term in ASIA 499 - Special Studies for Honors . Contact the program director for more specific guidelines.

Courses

The courses listed below are offered by the ASIA program. As an interdisciplinary program, select courses from other departments/programs may also count toward the ASIA major and minor requirements. Use the major/minor links below to find other courses that count toward these requirements. 

Majors and Minors

Major

• Asian Studies Major

Minor

• Asian Studies Minor

Courses

• ASIA 270 - Deep Asia
• ASIA 291 - Independent Study
• ASIA 391 - Independent Study
• ASIA 491 - Independent Study
• ASIA 499 - Special Studies for Honors