Asian Studies, B.A.

Program Description

This is an interdisciplinary major, with a strong disciplinary core, for students who want a basic understanding of the background and contemporary aspect of East, Southeast, or South Asia. Students are expected to focus their coursework largely on one major Asian area.

What is Asian Studies?

Asian Studies focuses on the history, culture, and societies of Asia. It can include the study of the languages, societies, cultures, histories, economies, and politics of the countries and peoples of Asia. This is an interdisciplinary major, with a strong disciplinary core, for students who want a basic understanding of the background and contemporary aspect of East, Southeast, or South Asia.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ASIAN STUDIES

You Might Like This Program If...

• You are interested in the languages, cultures, histories, or societies of one or more of the countries of Asia.
• You are curious about other parts of the world.
• You want to think contextually about cultures, historical trends, social change, and political structures.
• You want to understand the history of the world as a group of systems and as a single system.

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
2. have at least third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian Studies, a minimum of 124 credits is required:

3 of the 24 credits for Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements are included in the Requirements for the Major, General Education, or Electives and 0-12 credits are included in Electives if world language proficiency is demonstrated by examination.

Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of coursework in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Requirements for the Major

A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
ASIA 405Y	Seminar in Asian Studies	3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select 4 credits beyond the 12-credit level of proficiency in an Asian language from the following, or the equivalent:		4
CHNS 110	Level Two Chinese B
HINDI 110	Intermediate Hindi
JAPNS 110	Level Two Japanese B
KOR 110	Level Two Korean B
Select 6 credits from the following:		6
ASIA 3	Introduction to the Religions of the East
ASIA 100	What is Asia?
ASIA 101N	Sports in Asia
ASIA 102	Asian Popular Culture
ASIA 103	Introduction to Hinduism
ASIA 104	Introduction to Buddhism
ASIA 105	War and Memory in Asia: Twentieth Century and beyond
ASIA 106N	Asian Traditions of Health, Medicine, and the Body
ASIA 197	Special topics
Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better
Select 18 credits from a department list with at least 12 credits of which are to be at the 400-level 1		18

¹

Independent study credits selected in consultation with adviser; additional further credits in language studies may be permitted up to 6 credits. Credit received for a specific course will not count in more than one category. Courses not on the list that deal substantially with some aspect of Asia in any discipline may also count, pending approval of an adviser. 

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Arts (GA): 3 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 3 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

• Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

• GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
• GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

B.A. Degree Requirements

World Language (0-12 credits): Student must attain 12th credit level of proficiency in one world language in addition to English. This proficiency must be demonstrated by either examination or course work. See the Placement Policy for Penn State World Language Courses.

B.A. Fields (9 credits): Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, World Languages, Natural Sciences, Quantification (may not be taken in the area of the student's primary major; world language credits in this category must be in a second world language in addition to English or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the first language). Credits must be selected from the list of approved courses.

World Cultures (0-3 credits): Select 3 credits from approved list. Students may count courses in this category in order to meet other major, minor, elective, or General Education requirements, except for the University Cultural Diversity (US/IL) requirement.​

Integrated B.A. in Asian Studies and M.I.A. in International Affairs

Requirements for the Integrated B.A. in Asian Studies and M.I.A. in International Affairs can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.

Program Learning Objectives

• Compare and contrast Asian subregions: Students will be able to compare and contrast two or more subregions of Asia in regard to their cultural, social, religious, literary, linguistic, political, economic, or other practices.
• Developing a thesis: Students are able to develop an effective thesis based on evidence.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Asian Studies, B.A. at University Park Campus and Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.

Bachelor of Arts Requirements:

Bachelor of Arts students must take 9 credits in Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Fields (Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Arts; World Languages [2nd language or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the 1st]; Natural Sciences; Quantification). The B.A. Fields courses may not be taken in the area of the student’s primary major. See your adviser and the Degree Requirements section of this Bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts students must take 3 credits in World Cultures.
See your adviser and the full list of courses approved as World Cultures courses.

Advising Notes:

Career Paths

A B.A. in Asian Studies can be the basis for careers in the public sector (diplomatic corps, armed forces, intelligence, etc.), international law, business, public relations, journalism, travel and hospitality, careers requiring foreign travel or living abroad in Asia, language specialist (translating, interpreting, teaching).

Careers

With an Asian Studies degree, you'll be prepared for a career in a wide range of industries and professions, including the public sector (diplomatic corps, armed forces, intelligence, etc.), international law, business, public relations, journalism, travel and hospitality, careers requiring foreign travel or living abroad in Asia, language specialist (translating, interpreting, teaching).

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

International Affairs programs, law, or the study of Asia in various disciplines, such as art history, literature, history, religion, philosophy, political science, and sociology.

Professional Resources

• Association of Asian Studies

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN STUDIES
102 Old Botany Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-867-3260
asianstudies@psu.edu

https://asian.la.psu.edu