The Major

Language: 6 c.u.

Students will be required to take six semesters worth of coursework in one language: Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. Students who test out of lower levels will fulfill the requirement by taking courses at higher levels, as deemed appropriate by the Language Program Coordinators. Students whose level is so high that it is impossible to find enough offerings to satisfy the 6 c.u. requirement, will be allowed to select alternative content courses in coordination with the Major Advisor. 

Content Courses: 6 c.u.

1 c.u.: Gateway Course. Choose one among EALC 0020 / EALC 0040 / EALC 0060

2 c.u.: Seminars. Students must take two seminars taught by core EALC faculty [NB: These courses currently correspond to 2000-/3000-level courses. In the new numbering system, courses will be designated as seminars in other ways (dependent not on the number alone, but on attributes assigned in CM).] Students will take one of the two seminars as a capstone course in which they will produce a research paper. When selecting a seminar to serve as their capstone course, students must a) reach out to the instructor at the time of enrollment and receive permission to take the course to fulfill the capstone requirement; and b) contact the Major Advisor to confirm that said permission was granted. 

3 c.u.: Electives. Students must take any three EALC courses. 

Additional Requirements and Options

1 c.u.: Breadth. Students may create a concentration by taking up to five (5) courses on the same country (China & Inner Asia, Japan, or Korea). At least one (1) course—either a seminar or an elective—must be taken on a second country as a breadth requirement. 

1 c.u.: Optionally, students may take one of their electives as a seventh language c.u. to complete a language certificate. This course must be in the same language selected for the language portion of the major. This course may not take the place of the breadth requirement. Students availing themselves of this option must take up to four (4) courses in one concentration, at least one (1) course for breadth, and one (1) language course.

This interdisciplinary degree is intended to offer undergraduates a course of study that focuses on East Asia as a region of the world and human experience, and provides an integrated curriculum drawing on the approaches of the social sciences, humanities, and legal studies. The program requires relevant courses in a number of departments and programs—History, International Relations, Political Science, Sociology, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law—while maintaining high standards in language study. The degree is administered by the Center for East Asian Studies, an interdisciplinary institution that also facilitates interdepartmental initiatives and outreach programs.

At least 12 c.u. on East Asia are required, to be chosen from the published lists of relevant courses, and including the following:

Language: 4 c.u.

Four (4) c.u. in one East Asian language (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean), including at least two (2) c.u. at 0300/0400 (second year) level or above. Note: Students with AP or other language credits may count other East Asian language or content courses toward the major.

Content Courses: 8 c.u.

Three Gateway Courses (EALC0020, EALC0040, and EALC0060) - 3 c.u.

Two "Seminar" courses requiring significant research papers - 2 c.u.

Three Electives: three additional EALC courses (see requirements below) - 3 c.u.

Additional Requirements and Options

Disciplinary distribution: Among the two seminars and three electives, at least one course in EACH of the following three categories: History, the Social Sciences, and Humanities. 

Regional coverage: Among the two seminars and three electives, at least one course centered on EACH of China/Inner Asia, Japan, and Korea. One or two of these may also be courses about the East Asian region in general.

The Honors Program

Honors in East Asian Studies requires a thesis in addition to the basic requirements listed above. The honors thesis will be written over the course of the senior year under the supervision of an advisor selected from the East Asian Studies standing faculty. Adequate foreign language preparation is required; the kinds of sources to be used, and how much language preparation is adequate, will be left to the discretion of the thesis advisor. The thesis must receive a grade no lower than "B" for the student to receive honors in East Asian Studies.

Languages: 12 c.u.

6 c.u.: Language 1

6 c.u.: Language 2

Content Courses: 6 c.u.

2 c.u.: Gateway Courses

2 c.u.: Seminars (see rules for 12 c.u. Major)

2 c.u.: Electives (see rules for 12 c.u. Major)

Content Courses Breakdown

2 c.u.: Gateway Courses. Choose two among EALC 0020 / EALC 0040 / EALC 0060, depending on the two languages selected.

2 c.u.: Seminars. Students must take two seminars taught by core EALC faculty [NB: These courses currently correspond to 2000-level courses. In the new numbering system, courses will be designated as seminars in other ways (dependent not on the number alone, but on attributes assigned in CM).] Students will take one of the two seminars as a capstone course in which they will produce a research paper. When selecting a seminar to serve as their capstone course, students must a) reach out to the instructor at the time of enrollment and receive permission to take the course to fulfill the capstone requirement; and b) contact the Major Advisor to confirm that said permission was granted.

2 c.u.: Electives. Students must take any two EALC courses. 

Additional Requirements and Options

1 c.u.: Breadth. Students may take up to five (5) courses on the same country (China & Inner Asia, Japan, or Korea). At least one (1) course—either a seminar or an elective—must be taken on a second country as a breadth requirement. 

1 c.u.: Optionally, students may take one of their electives as a seventh language c.u. in either or both of the selected languages to complete a language certificate. This course must be in the same languages selected for the language portion of the major. This course may not take the place of the breadth requirement. Students availing themselves of this option must take up to four (4) courses in one concentration, at least one (1) course for breadth, and one (1) language course.

Students who have a 3.0 GPA in the major and who wish to receive honors must apply for admission to the honors program no later than the end of their junior year. The requirements for the major with honors are the same as those for the major, with the addition of two additional electives in the student’s chosen concentration, one of which will be a directed reading geared toward researching and drafting an honors thesis under the supervision of an EALC faculty member. Submission of the thesis will serve as the third and last requirement.

Students wishing to apply for the honors track must take their capstone seminar by the fall of their senior year, in order to be able to produce an honors thesis the following spring.

An undergraduate student may wish to undertake an intensified major program leading to the awarding of both a BA and MA degree. Such a program of study must be approved by the Undergraduate Advisor, the Undergraduate Chair, and the Dean of the student's undergraduate school.

Undergraduate majors in EALC who wish to sub-matriculate into the EALC Graduate Group may apply to the Graduate Group at pre-registration time in the second semester of the junior year. If there is a question about the student's standing, the faculty may choose to wait until the semester's grades are in before making a final decision. Only graduate courses taken in the senior year will count for both graduate and undergraduate credit. An undergraduate must fulfill the graduate requirements in a course and receive a grade of A before that course can be considered for graduate credit. Courses required for fulfillment of the undergraduate major cannot be counted for graduate credit

Students wishing to sub-matriculate as majors in EALC must apply prior to the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year. Students must also apply to the Graduate School. Only graduate courses taken in the senior year will count for both graduate and undergraduate credit. The student must fulfill the graduate requirements in a course and receive a grade of A before the course can be counted for double credit. Undergraduates who wish to sub-matriculate are recommended to pursue the Honors Program Major (a total of 15 c.u.) in addition to fulfilling all of the graduate program requirements. Students who sub-matriculate can usually complete the MA degree in one year after receiving the BA degree.