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Asian StudiesAsian Studies ProgramCollege of Arts and Sciences714 Clemens HallNorth CampusBuffalo, NY 14260-4610Phone: 716.645.3474Fax: 716.645.3473Web site: www.asianstudies.buffalo.eduE-mail: asian-studies@buffalo.eduThomas W. BurkmanProgram DirectorFor a listing of Asian Studies coursedescriptions, see the Undergraduate CatalogWeb site at http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms.About the ProgramWhy learn about Asia? We live inan age in which major cultures thatformerly were assigned to particulargeographical regions of the globeare now found globally. NorthAmerica is no longer an outpost ofEurope, but an invigorating compositeof Asian, African, Latin, andEuropean ingredients. Asian economieshave worldwide presence, andpolitical issues in that part of theworld affect us profoundly at home.In art, theater, cinema, religion,fashion, and cuisine, Asia is here.By studying Asian civilizations andcontemporary societies, we cometo understand a significant part ofhumanity and acquire insight intoourselves.The Asian Studies Programsupports teaching, research,study abroad, and cultural eventsconcerning Asia. The current focusof the program lies in the regionof China, Japan, and Korea, withsecondary attention to Southeastand South Asia.Several Asian languages aretaught in the Department ofLinguistics. Chinese, Japanese, andKorean are each offered throughthe fourth-year level. Undergraduateminors may be elected in theselanguages. UB students may alsostudy Arabic, Hindi, and Sanskrit.Students may study abroad inAsia, undertaking language study,non-language classes, and graduateresearch. UB students can spendan academic year, a semester, ora summer at fine universities inChina, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan,Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.Academic credit can be transferredto UB. For information, refer to theStudy Abroad section.Degrees Offered• Undergraduate: B.A., Minor inAsian StudiesDegree OptionsStudents who wish to focus on Asiain their academic program haveseveral options:.2.3.4.5.6.7.Major in Asian studies, administeredby the Asian StudiesProgramSpecial major in Chinese studiesor Japanese studies. The directorof Asian studies will advisestudents who wish to design aspecial major.Asian studies track of the internationalstudies concentration,administered by the Social SciencesInterdisciplinary ProgramMinor in Asian studies, administeredby the Asian StudiesProgramMinor in Chinese, administeredby the Department ofLinguisticsMinor in Japanese, administeredby the Department ofLinguisticsMinor in Korean, administeredby the Department ofLinguisticsAsian-American Studies. Everysemester, the Asian Studies Programand some academic departmentsoffer courses exploringthe history, literature, and socialdynamics of the Asian-Americanexperience. One in ten undergraduatesat UB is an Asian-American.Acceptance InformationThe major permits the student toexplore several regions and culturesof Asia as well as the Asian experiencein America. At the same time,it requires a focus on one region orculture of Asia and a related Asianlanguage. Students take a requiredcore of four lower-division coursesand four semesters of language.Upper-level electives (six courses)include both the social sciences andthe humanities. The capstone experienceis a senior research course.Some students who are majoring inan established discipline can electAsian studies as a double major orjoint major.Asian Studies—BAAcceptance CriteriaMinimum grade of C in any two courses required for the major.Advising NotesTo graduate, minimum grade of C- required in any course in the major.Required CoursesLANGUAGE PROFICIENCY(12-18 credit hours, or 6-8 credit hours beyond the general educationlanguage requirement. Some second-year language courses are 4 credits,others are 3 credits per semester.)Four semesters. (Students who are native speakers of an Asian languagemay test out of the language requirement and be required to offer in itsplace two additional, 3-hour courses in the upper elective category ortwo semesters of an Asian language other than their own.)CORE COURSES (10 credit hours)AS 101 Asian StudiesAS 110 The Asian American ExperienceHIS 182 Asian Civilization IIPSC 229 East Asian Political EconomyUPPER LEVEL ELECTIVES (18 credit hours)Approved, 300/400-level courses, of which 9 credit hours must relateto the culture or region of the language selected. At least 6 credit hoursmust be in the social sciences and at least 6 credit hours must be in thehumanities. Up to 6 credit hours of language courses at the 300-leveland above may be counted.CAPSTONE COURSEAS 498 Senior ResearchSummaryTotal required credit hours for the major............................... 37-39Recommended Sequence of Program RequirementsFIRST YEARFall—AS 101, first-semester languageSpring—HIS 182, second-semester languageSECOND YEARFall—AS 110, third-semester languageSpring—PSC 229, fourth-semester languageTHIRD YEARFall—two upper-level electivesSpring—two upper-level electivesFOURTH YEARFall—two upper-level electivesSpring—AS 498Study abroad in Asia is recommended.ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OF STUDYUniversity at Buffalo • Undergraduate Catalog 2007-08 49