Undergraduate Programs

Asian Studies – Major

General Concentration

For the general concentration students need not focus on a single Asian country or even a single region, but may choose their electives with other goals in mind–for example, to provide a broad overview of Asia, or to provide an in-depth investigation of a theme or topic (politics, social change, economic development) across a range of Asian societies.

Students may select any Asian language to fulfill the two-year requirement. Students who are native speakers of an Asian language may satisfy this requirement by demonstrating proof of competency through the 2nd year college-level. Students may declare this open major any time. See a student profile of one student’s in-depth study of contemporary Korean dramas.

Learn more:


Major in Asian Studies (General)

Course # Title Credits Quarter
JSIS 203 or
JSIS A 207
Rise of Asia or
Asian Traditions
5 Autumn
Winter
JSIS 201 The Making of the Twenty-first Century 5 Winter or Spring
Introductory courses on Asian Civilizations Two Asian Civilization courses chosen from:HSTAS 201, 202, 211; JSIS A 202, 205, 206, 212, 221, 235, 241, 242, 254 10 Varies
Asia Electives 3-400 level * Choose min. 10 cr. – max. 20 cr. from 1 region & additional min. 10 cr. from other regions 30 Varies
Research Paper Asian Research Paper written with Jackson School Professor 15 pgs.
Minimum Grade Minimum grade 2.0 in all courses applied to major.
Asian Language Asian Language proficiency through 2nd year college level or 3rd quarter of 2nd year college level.(For first- and second-year language courses, grades must average 2.00)
 * A maximum of 5 of the 30 elective credits may be at the 200 level, and a maximum of 5 non-UW resident cr. may count for these electives.
Total Credits (not including language) 50

Asian Studies (General) Courses

Quarterly Course Lists

Asian Studies Major Courses Autumn 2019


Asian Electives List


CHINA

Modern China

Course # Title Credits
ANTH 357 Peoples and Cultures of Central and Inner Asia 5
JSIS B 385 Industry & State 5
*JSIS A/GEOG 236 Development and Challenge in Greater China 5
*JSIS A/HSTAS 254 China in the Twentieth Century 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 327 China and the West in Historical Perspective, 1500-1976 5
JSIS A/ANTH/GWSS 328 Gender and Sexuality in China 5
JSIS A/ANTH 370 Han Chinese Society  and Culture 5
JSIS A/ANTH 406 China’s Environment 5
JSIS A 431/SOC 434 Demographic Issues in Asia 5
JSIS A 403/ANTH 444 Politics of Representation in Modern China 5
JSIS A 404 Religion in China 5
JSIS A 408/POL S 442 Government and Politics of China 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 454 History of Modern China 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 456 Topics in Chinese Social History 5
JSIS A 459/POL S 419 United States-China Relations 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 460 Cities in China: Past and Present 5
JSIS A/SOC 464 Contemporary Society in the PRC 5
JSIS A 467 China’s Rise and Its Global Implications; 5
JSIS A/ANTH 470 Minority Peoples of China 5
JSIS D/HSTAS 354 Modern China: From Empire to Republics 5
JSIS 484 Special Topics East Asia (depending on theme) 1-5, max. 15
CHIN 385 Popular Culture in Twentieth Century China 5
GEOG 236 Development and Challenge in Greater China 5
GEOG 336 Development and Challenge in China 5
GEOG 337 Migration and development in China 5
GEOG 435 Industrialization and Urbanization in China 5
GEOG 438 Cities of East Asia: Geography and Development 5
HSTAS/GWSS 459 Gender Histories of Modern China, 18th to 20th cent. 5

Premodern China

Course # Title Credits
JSIS A/HSTAS 456 Topics in Chinese Social History (depending on theme) 5
JSIS 484 Special Topics East Asia (depending on theme) 1-5, max. 15
HSTAS 451 Chinese History: Earliest Times to 221 B.C. 5
HSTAS 452 Chinese History: from Earliest Times to 1276 5
HSTAS 453 Chinese History from 1276-1895 5
HSTAS/GWSS 457 Women in China to 1800 5

China Arts and Literature

Course # Title Credits
*ART H 212 Chinese Art and Visual Culture 5
ART H 310 Chinese Art & Archaeology Neolithic to Han Dynasty 5
ART H 311 Arts of Imperial China 5
ART H 412 Art History & the Study of Chinese Bronzes 5
ART H 413 Selected Topics in Chinese Art 5, max 15
*ASIAN 201 Literature and Culture of China: Ancient and Classical 5
*ASIAN 204 Literature and Culture of China from Tradition to Modernity 5
*ASIAN 207 Special Topics in Literature and Culture of Asia (if China) 5
*ASIAN 211 Languages and Cultures of China 5
*ASIAN 223 Buddhist Literature 5
*ASIAN 263 Great Works of Asian Literature (if China) 5
CHIN 373 Chinese Poetry 5
CHIN 374 Chinese Prose 5
CHIN 380 Pre-Modern Chinese Narrative 5
CHIN 381 Literature in Modern China 5
CHIN 385 Popular Culture in Twentieth-Century China 5
CHIN 461 History of Chinese Literature 5
CHIN 462 History of Chinese Literature 5
CHIN 463 History of Chinese Literature 5
CHIN 482 Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 5
CHIN 496 Special Studies in Chinese (depending on theme) 5

*A maximum of 5 credits of lower-division coursework (200-level) may be counted in the 30 credits constituting the distribution and specialization requirements


JAPAN

List A (Social Sciences)

Course # Title Credits
ECON 494 Economy of Japan 5
HSTAS 421 History of Pre-Modern Japan 5
HSTAS 441 Economic and Social History of Japan to 1900 5
JSIS A 305 Changing Generations in Japan and East Asia 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 423 History of Modern Japan 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 424 Emergence of Postwar Japan 5
JSIS A/POL S 435 Japanese Government and Politics 5
JSIS A/POL S 436/POL S 429 Political Parties in Japan and East Asia 5
JSIS A 437/POL S 424 International Relations of Japan 5
JSIS A 440 Japanese History in Ecological Perspective 5
JSIS A 449/ANTH 443 Anthropology of Modern Japan 5
JSIS A 471 New Orders in East Asia 5
JSIS A 472/I BUS 461 Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies in East Asia 5
JSIS A 473 Political Economy of Postwar Japan 5
JSIS A 474 Civil Society in Japan and East Asia 5
JSIS A 475 Japanese Society 5
JSIS A 477 Readings on Political Economy of Japan and Northeast Asia 5
JSIS A 478 / I BUS 462 Japanese Business and Technology 5
JSIS A 484 Korea in the Japanese Empire 5
JSIS A 487/POL S 418 Japanese Trade Politics 5
JSIS 484 Special Topics East Asia (when topic is Japan) 1-5, max. 15

List B (Humanities/Other)

Course # Title Credits
ART H 419 Japanese Architecture 3
ASIAN 202 Literature and Culture of Japan: Traditional Japan 5
ASIAN 205 Literature and Culture of Japan from Tradition to Modernity 5
ASIAN 223 Buddhist Literature 5
JAPAN 321 Classical Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 322 Modern Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 325 Introduction to Japanese Cinema and Media 5
JAPAN 343 Japanese Language in Society 5
JAPAN 360 Topics in Japanese Culture 5
JAPAN 361 Topics in Japanese Cinema and Media 5
JAPAN 380 Contemporary Japanese Art and Society 5, max 15
JAPAN 431 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 432 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 433 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 460 Advanced Studies in Japanese Literature 5
JAPAN 461 Advanced Studies in Japanese Cinema and Media 5
JAPAN 473 Readings in Classical Japanese Literature 5

One of the following:

Course # Title Credits
§ASIAN 202 Literature and Culture of Japan: Traditional Japan 5
§ASIAN 205 Literature and Culture of Japan from Trad. to Modernity 5
†§JSIS A/HSTAS 241 Japanese Civilization 5
†§JSIS A 242 Introduction to Contemporary Japan 5

†if not taken for the Japan Concentration’s core requirement

§ A maximum of 5 credits of lower-division coursework (200-level) may be counted in the “LIST B” section of the Asian Studies-Japan Concentration.


KOREA

Course # Title Credits
*HSTAS 212 History of Korean Civilization 5
*HSTAS 214 Modern Korean History through Film 5
*JSIS A/POL S 213 The Korean Peninsula and World Politics 5
JSIS A 405/ANTH 449 Social Transformation of Modern East Asia 5
JSIS A / ANTH 407 Global Futures in East Asia 5
JSIS A/POL S 439 Politics of Divided Korea 5
JSIS A/ANTH 448 Modern Korean Society 5
JSIS A 466/POL S 480 Comparative Politics & Korea Studies (if not taken as required Korea course) 5
JSIS A 469 North Korean Society 5
JSIS A 472 / I BUS 461 Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies in East Asia 5
JSIS A/HSTAS 484 Korea in the Japanese Empire 5
JSIS A 496 Development and Democracy in South Korea 5
JSIS D 443 / ANTH 446 Class and Culture in East Asia 5
JSIS 484 Special Topics East Asia (when topic is Korea) 1-5
HSTAS 481 History of Pre-Modern Korea (if not taken as required Korea course) 5
HSTAS 482 History of Modern Korea 5
HSTAS 484 Korea in the Japanese Empire 5

No more than 10 credits from:

Course # Title Credits
KOREAN 411 Readings in Contemporary Korean 5
KOREAN 412 Readings in Contemporary Korean 5
KOREAN 413 Readings in Contemporary Korean 5
KOREAN 415 Social Science Literature in Korean 1-5
KOREAN 416 Readings in Korean Literature 5
KOREAN 417 Readings in Korean Journals 5
KOREAN 435 Seminar in Modern Korean Literture and Culture 5
KOREAN 417 Special Topics in Korean Language and Culture 5

* A maximum of 5 credits of lower-division coursework (200-level) may be allowed in the 30 credits of Korea/East Asia coursework in the Concentration.


SOUTH ASIA

South Asia Electives

Course # Title Credits
JSIS 485 Special Topics on South Asia 1-5, max. 15
JSIS A 202 Introduction to South Asian History, 1500 – present** 5
JSIS A 206 Contemporary India & Pakistan** 5
JSIS A 303 Divided Lands/Divided Lives: An Environmental History of South Asia 5
JSIS A/ ANTH 316 Modern South Asia 5
JSIS A/ ANTH 339 Social Movements in Contemporary India 5
JSIS A/ POL S 340 Government and Politics of South Asia 5
JSIS A/ ANTH 341 Political Violence and the Post-Colonial State in South Asia 5
JSIS A 409 History of Twentieth-Century India (HSTAS 404) 5
JSIS A/ANTH 412 South Asian Social Structure 5
JSIS A/ POL S 417 Political Economy of India 5
JSIS A/ POL S 434 International Relations in South Asia 5
JSIS A 438/ GEOG 436 Social and Political Geography of South Asia 5
JSIS A 461/ ASIAN 494 Ramayana in Comparative Perspective 5
JSIS B 320 Yoga: History, Health and Practice 5
JSIS B 331 Political Economy of Development* 5
JSIS B/ ANTH/ GWSS 345 Women and International Economic Development 5
JSIS B/ POL S 337 Collective Violence and the State* 5
JSIS B 406/ POL S 432 Political Islam 5
JSIS B 407 Islamist Movements 5
JSIS B/ POL S 436 Ethnic Politics and Nationalism in Multi-Ethnic Societies* 5
RELIG 202 Introduction to World Religions: Eastern Traditions** 5
RELIG 211 Introduction to Muslim Beliefs and Practices ** 5
RELIG 352 Hinduism 5
RELIG 354 Buddhism 5
RELIG 356/ ANTH 352 Buddhism and Society: Theravada Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia 5
RELIG 456 Perceptions of the Feminine Divine in Hinduism 5
RELIG 459 Topics in the Buddhism of Tibet 3
ANTH 317 Anthropology of Tibetan Civilization 5
ANTH 352/ RELIG 356 Buddhism and Society: The Theravada Buddhist Tradition in South and SE Asia 5
ANTH/ JSIS A 412 South Asian Social Structure 5
ANTH 471 Colonialism and Culture* 5
ART H 214 Art of India: Mohenjodaro to the Mughals** 5
ART H 312 Art and Empire in India 5
ART H 314 Modern and Contemporary Art in India 5
ART H 400 Art History and Criticism* 5
ART H 414 Topics in South Asian Art 5, max. 15
ASIAN 203 Literature and Culture of Ancient and Classical India** 5
ASIAN 206 Literature and Culture of South Asia from Tradition to Modernity** 5
ASIAN 207 Special Topics in Literature and Culture of Asia** 5
ASIAN 223 Buddhist Literature* 5
ASIAN 225 Indian Philosophical Literature** 5
ASIAN 263 Great Works of Asian Literature** 5
ASIAN 301 Songs of the Saints of India 5
ASIAN 401 Introduction to Asian Linguistics* 5
ASIAN 404 Writing Systems* 5
ASIAN 405 Advanced Problems in Asian Linguistics* 5
ASIAN 498 Special Topics* 5
HSTAS 201 Ancient Indian Civilization**[if not already counted toward civilization req. above] 5
HSTAS 202 Modern Indian Civilization** [if not already counted toward civilization req. above] 5
HSTAS 303 Divided Lands/Divided Lives: An Environmental History of South Asia 5
HSTAS 401 History of Ancient India 5
HSTAS 402 History of Medieval and Mughal India 5
HSTAS 403 History of Modern India to 1900 5
HSTAS 404 History of Twentieth-Century India 5
HSTAS 408 Fabulous Gurus and Fake Fakirs: Religious Reform in Colonial India 5
HSTCMP 425 History of the British Empire and Commonwealth Since 1783 5
MUSIC 428 Music of North India 3
MUSIC 445 Selected Topics in Ethnomusicology* 3, max. 9
MUSIC 447 Music of Southern India 3

Any South Asian language courses, third-year and above (see list below)

Other courses may be added at a later date. Please watch for newly approved electives on annual and quarterly course listings.

* When taught by South Asia Program faculty.

** A maximum of 5 credits at the lower division level may be counted toward the 35 credits comprising the Asian Option and the Thematic/Cross-Regional requirement.

Advanced South Asian Language Electives (max. 15 credits allowed toward electives)

Course # Title Credits
BENG 301-303 Advanced Bengali 5, 5, 5
HINDI 301-303 Advanced Hindi 5, 5, 5
HINDI 404 Derivational Morphology of Hindi/Urdu 5
HINDI 421 Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Short Story 5
HINDI 422 Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Poetry 5
HINDI 423 Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Novel 5
HINDI 424 Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Drama 5, max. 15
HINDI 451 Advanced Hindi Readings 5, max. 15
INDN 400 Practicum in South Asian Languages 5 max 15 (if advanced level)
INDN 401-402 Pali 5, 5
INDN 410 Prakrit 5, max. 15
SNKRT 311-313 Advanced Sanskrit 5, 5, 5
SNKRT 491-492 Vedic Studies 5, 5
SNKRT 494 Readings in Religious Classics of India 5
SNKRT 495 Studies in Indian Thought 5, max. 15
URDU 301-303 Advanced Urdu 5, 5, 5
URDU 424 Survey of Modern Urdu Literature 5, max. 15

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Southeast Asia Elective Courses (for major concentration)

AAS/ ANTH 314 Ethnography, Transnationalism, and Community in Island Southeast Asia/Asia America 5
AAS 360 Critical Filipino American Histories 5
AAS 395 Critical Studies of Post-Vietnam War Southeast Asian Americans: Not Just Refugees 5
ANTH 352/
RELIG 356
Buddhism and Society 5
ANTH 408 Experiments in Southeast Asia 5
ANTH 442 Global Asia 5
JSIS A 447/ANTH 445 Literature and Society in Southeast Asia: Literature and Culture of Viet Nam, The Philippines, and Indonesia 5
ARCH 251 World Architecture: Non-Western Cultures 5
ARCHY 270 Field Archaeology – when topic is Southeast Asia 5
ARCHY 309 Archaeology of Mainland Southeast Asia 5
ARCHY 325 Archaeology of Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific 5
C LIT 323 Literature of Emerging Nations – When topic is Southeast Asia 5
HSTAS 462 Southeast Asian History to 1800 5
HSTAS 463 Southeast Asian History from 1800 to present 5
HSTCMP 425 History of the British Empire and Commonwealth Since 1783 5
HSTCMP 468 Theater as the Site of History and Memory 5
HSTCMP 485 Comparative Colonialism 5
JSIS 300 Claims and Evidence in International Studies Research 5
JSIS 486 Special Topics in Southeast Asian Studies (with adviser approval) 5
JSIS A 205 Filipino Histories (HSTCMP 205) 5
JSIS A 221 History of Southeast Asia (HSTAS 221) 5
JSIS A 244 Imperialism and Anti-Colonialism in Asia (HSTAS 244) 5
JSIS A 245 Human Rights in Asia (HSTAS 265) 5
JSIS A 265 The Viet Nam Wars (HSTAS 265) 5
JSIS A 315 Southeast Asian Civilization: Buddhist and Vietnamese (ANTH 315) 5
JSIS A 343 Politics and Change in Southeast Asia 5
JSIS A 367 Southeast Asian Activism and Social Engagement (HSTCMP 367) 5
JSIS A 419 Southeast Asian Knowledge and the Politics of Information 5
JSIS A 447 Literature and Society in Southeast Asia 5
JSIS A 462 Islam, Mysticism, Politics and Performance in Indonesian Culture (HSTAS 466) 5
JSIS A 463 Topics in Southeast Asian History and Society 5
JSIS B 264 Violence, Myth, and Memory (HSTAS 264) 5
JSIS B 310 State-Society Relations in Third World Countries 5
JSIS B 324 Immigration 5
JSIS B 331 Political Economy of Development 5
JSIS B 433 Environmental Degradation in the Tropics 5
JSIS B 446 History, Memory and Justice (HSTCMP 446) 5
JSIS B 468 Theatre as a Site of History, Memory (HSTCMP 468) 5
RELIG 202 Introduction to World Religions: Eastern Traditions 5
RELIG 354 Buddhism 5
RELIG 356 /ANTH 352 Buddhism and Society: The Theravada Buddhist Tradition in South and Southeast Asia 5
MUSIC 250 World Music (*When taught by SEA faculty) 5
MUSAP 389 World Music (When focus is on Southeast Asia – see adviser) 5
MUSEN 411 Indonesian Gamelan Ensemble 5
MUSIC 439 Music of Indonesia 5
MUSIC 445 Special Topics in Ethnomusicology – when topic is Southeast Asia 5
PSYCH 494 Field Study In Animal Behavior (When topic includes Southeast Asia – see adviser) 5
SOC 470 Contemporary Southeast Asia 5

Other courses may be added at a later date. Please watch for newly approved electives on annual and quarterly course listings.

* When topic is on Southeast Asia.


◊◊A maximum of 10 credits of lower-division coursework (200-level) may be allowed toward the Concentration Courses in the Asian Studies-South Asia Concentration.