Asian Studies Minor

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Asian Studies Minor offers students the opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary program of study of an Asian region or a single country. The program emphasizes a social science approach to the study of Asian history, politics, society, and culture with options to include foreign language and study abroad components towards completion of the Minor. For the purposes of this minor, Asia is defined first and foremost as a geographic entity to include Western, Northern, Central, South and East Asian areas. Thus, for example, countries such as modern Turkey and areas such as the ‘Middle East’ can rightly be included in ‘Asia’ alongside areas more traditionally understood as part of Asia such as China and India.

Course Requirements (18 Credits)

If your primary major is in the College of Arts and Sciences, at least twelve (12) credit hours must be exclusive to the minor and not counted towards fulfilling major requirements. To count towards the minor, all courses must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or better.

Gateway Course (3 Credit Hours)

All Asian Studies Minor students must complete one of two required Gateway courses depending on their primary area of interest within Asia.

INST 2230 - Introduction to Asian Studies Credits: 3 (G/COM2)
OR
POLS 3270 - Governments and Politics of the Middle East Credits: 3

Asian Studies Area Courses (15 Credit Hours)

Asian Studies Minor students must complete a minimum of fifteen (15) additional credit hours from the following list of approved Asian Studies Area Courses. A minimum of nine (9) of these credit hours must be taken at the upper-division (3000+) level. In addition to the approved courses on this list, topics courses, Honors courses, or other special course offerings may count towards fulfilling Asian Studies Area Course requirements based on the approval of the student’s designated minor advisor. Students are strongly encouraged to review the International Studies Newsletter each semester to see what Asian Studies Area courses are currently being offered.

Approved Asian Studies Area Courses

ART 2720 - Introduction to the Art and Culture of Islam
ART 4650 - International Study of Art Credits: 3
CHIN 1101 - First-Year Seminar Credits: 3
CHIN 2041 - Contemporary and Traditional Chinese Culture Credits: 3
CHIN 3160 - See Movies, Touch China Credits: 3
ENR 3300 - Environmental Policy, Conservation and Development in India Credits: 3
HIST 2040 - Imperial China Credits: 3
HIST 2041 - Modern China Credits: 3
HIST 2320 - History of Islam Credits: 3
OR
RELI 2320 - History of Islam Credits: 3
HIST 2460 - Traditional Japan Credits: 3
HIST 2461 - Modern Japan Credits: 3
HIST 2470 - Civilization of India Credits: 3‑4
HIST 3210 - The Islamic World in the Premodern Era
HIST 3220 - History of the Modern Middle East Credits: 3
HIST 3400 - Mongol Empire Credits: 3
GWST 4335 - Women and Islam Credits: 3
HIST 4520 - Modern Far East: China, Japan and India
INST 2230 - Introduction to Asian Studies Credits: 3
INST 3100 - Chinese Society Credits: 3
OR
SOC 3100 - Chinese Society Credits: 3
INST 3400 - Politics and Society of Turkey Credits: 3
INST 4200 - China and Globalization Credits: 3
INST 4250 - East Asia Society and Economy Credits: 3
INST 4560 - Global Cities Credits: 3
INST 4590 - Sustainable Business Practices Credits: 3
OR
LANG 2150 - Manga: History and Culture Credits: 3
LANG 3105 - Major Themes in Chinese and Japanese Literature Credits: 3
LANG 3140 - Anime: History and Culture Credits: 3
LANG 4800 - Advanced Instruction In: (TOPIC) Credits: 1-3
POLS 3270 - Governments and Politics of the Middle East Credits: 3
POLS 4230 - Governments and Politics of Asia Credits: 3
RELI 2040 - Religions of the Middle East: Judaism, Christianity and Islam Credits: 3
RELI 2050 - Religions of Asia Credits: 3
RELI 2315 - History of Non-Western Religions Credits: 3
RELI 3320 - Eastern Thought Credits: 3
OR
PHIL 3320 - Eastern Thought Credits: 3
RELI 3340 - Mysticism, Yoga, and Enlightenment in the East Credits: 3
RELI 3344 - Gods, Avatars, Heroes, and Mystics
SOC 3050 - Japanese Society

Optional Asian Study Abroad Component

Asian Studies Minor students are also strongly encouraged to participate in a relevant study abroad program in the region of Asia to supplement their coursework at UW. Accordingly, up to six (6) hours of relevant study abroad credit may be counted towards fulfillment of the Asian Studies Area Course requirement on the approval of the student’s designated minor advisor. Optional Asian Foreign Language Component Asian Studies Minor students are also strongly encouraged to learn an Asian foreign language as part of their progression towards completion of the Minor. Accordingly, up to eight (8) lower-division (1000-2000) credit hours of an Asian foreign language may be counted towards fulfillment of the Asian Studies Area Course requirement. ‘Asian’ languages at UW include Japanese, Chinese and Arabic. However, Asian Studies Minor, students need not necessarily be limited to the three languages currently taught at UW. On the approval of the student’s designated minor advisor these optional language credit hours may be fulfilled by other Asian language instruction at UW, other relevant in-country summer intensive programs, or languagefocused study abroad programs.