The Major The Minor AST & AST Cross-listed Cources
The Major:
Asian Studies (AST) offers an interdisciplinary major, which allows students to combine different types of courses from the list of Asian Studies and Asian Studies crosslisted
courses. AST major requirements consist of: 1) 16 courses of 3-4 credits each, which includes a Senior Capstone project, 2) Asian language proficiency at the third-year completion level, and 3) at least one semester of study abroad.
I. Course Work Requirement
Students must take 16 AST and/or AST cross-listed courses of 3-4 credits each,
including “depth” courses, “breadth” courses, and a Senior Capstone. Contact an AST advisor for the current list of AST and AST cross-listed courses, which is updated biannually.
- Depth Courses: Minimum of 7 courses that directly contributes to the student’s area of emphasis (see Section IV for the definition
of the area of emphasis).
- Breadth Courses: Minimum of 6 courses outside the student’s area of emphasis, designed to maximize the student’s exposure to intellectual diversity within Asian Studies.
- Senior Capstone: 1-2 courses for the completion of a Senior Capstone project. Students must contact an AST advisor at the end of the third year to choose between the two options described below. Detailed guideline for Senior Capstone is available through an AST advisor.
Option A) Senior Project—Conducted during the last semester at the University, the senior project is intended to showcase the student’s accomplishment as an AST major. Students may choose, in consultation with an AST advisor, to pursue a portfolio, semesterlong research project, or other significant project as the culminating experience as an AST major. The project is reviewed by a committee, which consists of three AST and/or AST Advisory Committee faculty. Required: one semester of 400-level Directed Study of 4 credits.
Option B) Honor’s Thesis—This option
is recommended for majors who are
making a steady progress in their Plan of
Study and highly motivated in their
academic work. It requires a major
research undertaking conducted through
both semesters of the senior year. The
thesis is submitted to the committee,
which consists of three AST and/or AST
Advisory Committee faculty, and considered
for departmental honors. To be
eligible for Asian Studies honors,
students must have at least a 3.45 cumulative
GPA in AST major courses.
Required: two semesters of 400-level
Directed Study of 4 credits each.
*Restrictions on AST Major Course Work:
- At least 8 of major courses must be
taken with the University of Redlands AST
or AST Advisory Committee faculty
(including on-campus courses and travel
courses).
- At least 6 of the major courses must be
at the 300-400 levels (including 300-400 level
language courses).
- Maximum of 6 Asian language courses
at the 200 level and above may be included
as “Depth” and/or “Breadth” courses.
- First Year Seminar that is taught by an
AST faculty and has significant Asian
contents may be included in major course
work.
- Majors may petition to change any of
the above restrictions by explaining in
his/her Plan of Study how such a change may
benefit his/her course of study, subject to
approval by the AST Advisory Committee.
II. Language Requirement
Student must demonstrate the proficiency in an Asian language at the third-year completion level. Currently, the Asian Studies Program offers two language programs: Chinese and Japanese. Students who wish to pursue another Asian language must describe in the Plan of Study how he/she will fulfill the proficiency requirement, subject to approval by the AST Advisory Committee.
III. Study Abroad Requirement
One semester of study abroad in an Asian
location relevant to the student’s plan of
study is required. Relevant courses from
study abroad may be counted toward AST
course work, within the restrictions on
Course Work Requirement as stated above.
IV. Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a tool designed to help AST majors set their own learning goals and map out the course of study toward those goals. Upon declaring AST major, students will work closely with their AST advisor and develop an individualized plan, which is submitted to the AST Advisory Committee for approval. They are strongly encouraged to have the Plan of Study approved by the end of the second year, and periodically review and adjust the Plan, in consultation with the AST advisor.
The Plan of Study must include the following:
- Area of Emphasis, defined in either of
the following two ways:
A) Geographic Area Emphasis allows for the comprehensive study of a specified geographic/cultural area within Asia.
B) Topical Emphasis benefits students who want to focus on a significant topic or theme in Asian Studies that reaches across geographic/cultural boundaries.
[Language Focus Option: Students who are pursuing an area of emphasis that may benefit from a greater focus on advanced Chinese or Japanese language study may petition to the AST Advisory Committee to include more than 6 language courses in their major course work.]
- Course Work Plan: Provide a preliminary list of courses that the students plans to take to fulfill the Course Work Requirement. If the plan includes courses that are not regularly offered at the University of Redlands (for example, language courses at the levels higher than those currently available at UOR, or topics not covered by AST or AST cross-listed courses), the student must explain how he/she plan to complete such course work.
-
Asian Language: Identify how the
student plans to meet the Language
Proficiency Requirement.
- Plan for Study Abroad that is beneficial
to the student’s area of study.
V. Recommended Sequence of Study
- First and Second Years: Focus on
language study and introductory AST and
AST cross-listed courses; develop and submit
the Plan of Study for approval by the AST
Advisory Committee.
- Third Year: Increasing emphasis on
depth courses; continue language and
breadth courses as needed; one or twosemester
study abroad as stated in the Plan
of Study.
- Fourth Year: Cross-cultural reflection
and conceptualization of experiences abroad;
complete all requirements as described in
the Plan of Study; the Senior Capstone
Project.
The Minor:
The minor requires completion of at least one year in Chinese or Japanese language study consisting of two courses, and six other courses from the list below. Of the six courses, at least one must be taken at the 300 or 400 level, and the student must take courses from at least two disciplines other than language study.
AST AND AST CROSS-LISTED COURSES:
AST 111 Introduction to Asian Literature
AST 120 Chinese/Japanese Calligraphy
ART 142 Ceramics: Raku
AST 160 Topics in Asian Studies
AST 255 Contemporary Japan
BUS 335 Global Marketing
BUS 336 International Business
BUS 451 Government and Business in China
BUS 452 Japanese Corporations and Global Business
BUS 457 Strategic Issues in International Business
CHNS 101–102 Beginning Chinese (Mandarin)
CHNS 201–202 Intermediate Chinese (Mandarin)
CHNS 301–302 Third-Year Chinese (Mandarin)
CHNS 401–402 Fourth-Year Chinese (Mandarin)
GOVT 222 Asian Politics and Development
GOVT 242 Asian International Relations
GOVT 420 Advanced Seminar in Comparative Politics (when dealing with Asia)
GOVT 440 Advanced Seminar in International Relations (when dealing with Asia)
HIST 141 Classical Asian Civilizations: China and Japan
HIST 142 Modern Asian Civilizations: China and Japan
HIST 240 Modern China
HIST 241 Contemporary China: A Literary and Cinematic Perspective
HIST 242 Modern Japan
HIST 272 America and Asia
HIST 343 China Since 1949
HIST 344 The Pacific Rim: Economic Dynamism and Challenge for America
JPNS 101–102 First-Year Modern Japanese
JPNS 201–202 Second-Year Modern Japanese
JPNS 301–302 Third-Year Modern Japanese
PHIL 150 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
PHIL 160 Introductory Topics in Philosophy (when dealing with Asia)
PHIL 360 Topics in Chinese Philosophy
REL 125 World Religions
REL 325 Japanese Religion and Arts
REL 411 Masterpieces of Asian Literature
SOAN 256 Japanese Society and Culture
Other courses from study abroad, the Johnston Center, and First-Year Seminars may be contracted in fulfillment
of the Asian studies major and
minor.
