Major in Asian Studies

Why Choose Asian Studies at Clark?

Declare a focus in one of three areas — China, Japan, or the combined region of East, South, and Southeast Asia — and complete a minor (or a second major) in another department that complements your area of interest.

Complete immersive study abroad and internship experiences in China, Japan, and/or Vietnam, through one of several programs with leading institutions in those countries.

Gain functional literacy in a language relevant to your area of focus; Clark offers courses in Chinese and Japanese.

Asian studies is one of seven undergraduate programs affiliated with Clark’s Center for Gender, Race and Area Studies, a community of faculty and students who study diverse, disadvantaged, or marginalized societies and populations, with an emphasis on promoting social justice.

The Major Path

Twelve courses are required to complete the Asian studies major. You’ll choose a specialization in one of three areas: China, Japan, or the combined region of East, South, and Southeast Asia, and complete a minor (or a second major) in another department that complements your area of focus.

Attaining a level of functional literacy in an Asian language relevant to your area of specialization is a key component of the Asian studies major. You accomplish this by taking language courses, and by studying abroad for at least one semester — a full year is strongly recommended — through one of four programs:

Kansai Gaidai University near Osaka, Japan
CET Language Program in Beijing, China
CET Internship Program in Shanghai, China
CET in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Asian studies is one of seven undergraduate programs affiliated with Clark’s Center for Gender, Race and Area Studies, a community of faculty and students from a variety of disciplines who study diverse, disadvantaged, or marginalized societies and populations, with an emphasis on promoting social justice.

Skills you will learn include:

Proficiency in an Asian language
Resilience, persistence, and the creativity required to understand, live in, and negotiate an unfamiliar culture
Ability to integrate your new knowledge of Asian history and culture into a deeper understanding of liberal education

During your junior year, you might be accepted into the Asian studies honors program. Joining the program means you’ll work closely with a professor to create a thesis on a topic of your choice. Examples of recent honors thesis topics are:

Scar Literature of the Chinese Cultural Revolution
Cinema of the Defeated: The Postwar Crisis of Masculinity in 20th Century German and Japanese Films
Horror, Eros, and Fantasy in Modern Japan

The LEEP difference

An education merging knowledge, action, and impact

With Liberal Education and Effective Practice, lessons begin in the classroom but never end there. Your learning includes world and workplace experiences that forge your skills and shape your path.

Learn more

At Clark, your education extends beyond the classroom. LEEP Center advisers can help you choose from a range of opportunities that complement your coursework and let you put your Asian studies knowledge into practice.

The Asian studies major is designed to help you learn outside the classroom. Many students take advantage of internship opportunities during the academic year or over the summer to connect what they’re learning with their professional development.

Other opportunities include:

In alignment with Clark’s LEEP philosophy, participation in a Study Abroad and Away program is an opportunity to gain world and workplace experience to complement your coursework. Clark approves semester, year-long, and summer opportunities to earn credit through academic coursework, internships, community-based learning, or research. Explore our Study Abroad and Away page, where you can search programs by academic interest, location, and language. After you’ve identified some appropriate programs, ensure they fit into your four-year plan by talking with your faculty adviser as early as possible.

Asian studies majors are required to study abroad for at least one semester (a full year is recommended) in one of the following four programs:

Kansai Gaidai University, near Osaka, Japan
CET Language Program, Beijing, China
CET Internship Program, Shanghai, China
CET, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

You can participate in Clark’s many clubs, organizations, and athletic teams as a way to complement your academic work. Here are some student organizations that might be of interest to you an Asian studies student:

Internships

Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County
Maryland
Capital Markets Intern
Cushman & Wakefield in Shanghai
Kaji Aso Japanese Art Studio
Boston, Mass.
China Economic Review
Shanghai, China
Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy
Shanghai, China

Clark is committed to action-based learning, which means as an undergraduate you can join faculty and graduate students in their research.

You can also apply for funding to support your own research on a project of your choice during the academic year or during the summer.

Present your research

Clark’s annual Fall Fest and Academic Spree Day are opportunities to share your research or creative work — often a LEEP project — with the Clark community, while honing your presentation skills. Some projects presented by Asian studies students and recent alumni at Fall Fest and Academic Spree Day are:

Modern kazoku: An Exploration of Family Values in Japanese TV Dramas
Japan’s Family Planning in the 21^st Century
The Grotesque and Mysterious in Ukiyo-e
Unbound Voices: Gender in Chinese Fiction after Mao
Western Influences in Contemporary China: Interviews Conducted Abroad

You can also submit your research results for publication in our student-run Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal.

At Clark you’ll get more than a great education; you’ll also be prepared for a long, productive career and life of consequence. And once you’ve completed your degree, you can join other Clark alumni who have gone on to work for great organizations and attend some of the best graduate schools in the world.

Graduate School Placements

Graduate schools attended by Asian studies graduates from Clark include:

New England School of Law; J.D.
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; M.A. in Chinese literature
University of Colorado, Boulder; Ph.D. in comparative literature
University of California at Los Angeles; M.A. in East Asian studies
University of Rochester, New York; M.A. in film preservation

Career Outcomes

Cheng and Tsui Publishers
Boston, Mass.; sales account representative
Hopkins-Nanjing Center
Washington, D.C.; coordinator
JET Program
Teacher in Japan
CET Academic Programs
Harbin, China; resident adviser
Advanced Technology Ventures
Inventor relations

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PLS

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Memory & National Identity in Post-War Japanese Fiction and Film

Since its defeat in WWII, Japan has moved from atomic desert to economic powerhouse. Explore how the work of Japanese artists has reflected memories of post-war trauma and engaged issues of national identity.

Why Choose Asian Studies at Clark?

Our Stories

Eastward Ho! To China via Clark

The Major Path

Skills You Learn

Honors Program

Related Programs