Requirements
for the Major
This degree requires completion of forty (40) credits of
course work, including 12 credits of gateway courses and 28 credits of
electives. All courses used to satisfy major requirements must be taken
for letter grades and passed with grades of C or better.
Gateway Courses (12 credits)
The major requires one gateway course in History, one in
Philosophy or Religious Studies, and one in Politics, for a total of 12
credit hours:
- HIST - 130 East Asian Civilizations or
- HIST - 135 Indian Civilizations
- PHIL - 220 Asian Philosophy or
- THRS - 366 Religion and Spirituality in Asia
- POLS - 113 Introduction to International Politics or
- POLS - 359 International Politics of the Asia Pacific
Rim
These gateway courses may "double-count" to meet the
University's Core requirements.
Students are advised to take gateway courses at the very
beginning of their degree program because these courses provide a
comprehensive introduction to the two geographical areas (East Asia and
South Asia) covered by the major. These gateway courses may
"double-count" to meet the University's Core requirements.
Language Study
Four semesters of either Chinese or Japanese is required for
the major. The first three semesters of language study meet the
language requirement for the College of Arts and Sciences and thus are
not included in the total number of credits required for the Asian Studies
major. Languages must be taken for letter grades and passed with
grades of C- or better.
Under special circumstances, students may demonstrate an
equivalent competence in the target languages, or in other Asian
languages (such as Hindi) through assessment, evaluation, and
examination by language faculty or other qualified staff.
Additional Requirements for the Major (28 credits):
History (4 credits).
One additional upper-division history course is required.
Electives (16 credits).
Four courses, chosen in consultation with an advisor, will
help students focus on and develop intermediate expertise in particular
regions, countries, or topics. The Major encourages a
multi-disciplinary approach to the student's specific area of interest.
Regional Breadth (4 credits)
From the courses chosen as electives, at least one course
must be in an area outside the student's primary focus. For example, if
the primary area focus is Japan, the Regional Breadth course should
deal with similar themes in China or South Asia.
Capstone Project (4 credits)
The Asian Studies major is completed through the Capstone
Project in the final year of the major. Students will converge on the
study of selected issues and topics, to be determined by the professor
(or professors) in charge. Topics and themes providing interdisciplinary
and inter-regional breadth for all majors in Asian Studies include the
following: Cinema of India/China/Japan/SE Asia, Migration and
Immigration, the Changing Family in Asia, Contemporary Asian Writers,
Inter-Asian Political Relations, Asian Popular Culture, Asian Ways of
Dying, Death, and Salvation, Rural-urban Migrations, Environmental
Issues, Technological change in Asia.
Sample Curriculum
1st year
- HIST - 130 East Asian Civilizations Gateway course
- PHIL - 220 Asian Philosophy Gateway course
2nd Year
- Intermediate Language Study: Chinese or Japanese
- POLS - 113 Introduction to International Politics
3rd Year
- JAPN - 310 Zen and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy
- MS - 409 International/Global Media
- CHIN - 355 Chinese Literature in Translation
- JAPN - 355 Japanese Literature in Translation
- Summer intensive, full semester, or academic year
abroad
4th Year
- HIST - 386 History of U.S.-China Relations
- Internship (2-4)
- Capstone Project (2-4)
Undergraduate Minors
- Major in Asian Studies/Minor in Asian Studies
- Major in Japanese Studies/Minor in Japanese Studies
- BA/BS-MAPS Degree
- Minor in Chinese
Courses in Asian Studies
Business
- BUS - 101 Introduction to Global Management (Cultural
Diversity)
- BUS - 397 International Study Tour
Economics
- ECON - 677 International Political Economy
Environmental Studies
- POLS - 360 International Environmental Politics
History
- HIST - 130 East Asian Civilizations *
- HIST - 380 Traditional China to 1839
- HIST - 381 Modern China: Revolution and Modernization
- HIST - 383 Modern Japan Since Perry
- HIST - 135 Indian Civilizations *
- HIST - 386 History of U.S.-China Relations
- HIST - 387 History of U.S.-Japan Relations
Languages
- CHIN - 101 First Semester Chinese and 102, 201, and
202
- JAPN - 101 First Semester Japanese and 102, 201, and
202
- JAPN - 301 Intermediate Japanese
- JAPN - 302 Advanced Japanese
- JAPN - 410 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
Literature and Culture
- CHIN - 350 Traditional Chinese Culture
- CHIN - 355 Chinese Literature in Translation
- JAPN - 310 Zen and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy
- JAPN - 350 Japanese Culture
- JAPN - 351 Contemporary Japanese Culture
- JAPN - 355 Japanese Literature in Translation
- JAPN - 357 Naturalism in Japanese Literature
Media Studies
- MS - 409 International/Global Media
Philippine Studies
- YPSP - 301 Philippine History from Pre-Spanish Times
to 1900
- YPSP - 325 Filipino Culture and Society
Philosophy
- PHIL - 220 Asian Philosophy *
Politics
- POLS - 113 Introduction to International Politics *
- POLS - 314 Theories of Citizenship and Globalization
- POLS - 332 Political Thought of Developing Countries
- POLS - 346 Government & Politics of India &
Southeast Asia
- POLS - 347 Government and Politics of China and East
Asia
- POLS - 352 Human Rights and Global Change
- POLS - 359 International Politics of the Asia Pacific
Rim *
- POLS - 360 International Environmental Politics
- POLS - 432 The Politics of Ethnicity and Nationalism
- POLS - 450 Political Economy of Developing Nations
Psychology
- PSYC - 307 Cross-Cultural Psychology
Religious Studies
- THRS - 361 Religion and the Environment
- THRS - 366 Religion and Spirituality in Asia *
- THRS - 370 Zen Buddhism
- THRS - 371 Hinduism
- THRS - 379 Buddhist Paths in Asia and North America
- THRS - 384 Religion and Nonviolence
Sociology
- SOC - 228 Asians and Pacific Islanders in U.S.
Society
USF Center for the Pacific Rim
(Note: The following courses are part of the BA/BS-MA in
Asia Pacific Studies degree, open to qualified seniors with a minimum
3.0 GPA)
- APS - 601 Comparative Modernization of East Asia
- APS - 605 Cultures of East Asia
- APS - 620 International Politics of the Asia Pacific
- APS - 635 Literature of East Asia
- APS - 636 Society and Culture in the Contemporary
Asia Pacific
- APS - 640 Economies of East Asia
Visual Arts
(Note:
* indicates Gateway courses. See the specific department sections in
this catalog for individual course descriptions.)
Learning Goals/Outcomes for the B.A. in Asian
Studies
- Students will be able to articulate fundamental
issues and themes for the study and understanding of Asian cultures and
societies.
- Students will be able to analyze both a specific
region of Asia and an Asia-related topic using interdisciplinary
perspectives and methods, including information in either Chinese,
Japanese, or Tagalog.
- Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of
how topics related to social justice--such as human rights,
environmental sustainability, and ethical consideration--impact both
people and policy within Asian societies.
