Requirements for the Major: 12 units of which at least 7 are normally taken at Vassar. After declaration of the major, all courses taken towards the major must be graded. Students may request, however, that up to one unit of independent study or field work be counted towards the major. See the Vassar catalog for a full description of requirements for the Asian Studies major, and see the Plan of Study section below.

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A plan of study for an Asian Studies major must take into account the following requirements and guidelines:

1) Introductory-Level Study: Two introductory level courses either offered by Asian Studies, crosslisted, or from the approved course list (excluding language courses).

2) Language: Competency in one Asian language through the intermediate college level must be achieved and demonstrated by completion of relevant courses or special examination. Normally, 100-level language work does not count toward the major, and a maximum of 4 units of Asian language study are counted toward the 12 units for the major. Chinese and Japanese are offered by the Department of Chinese and Japanese, while Hindi and Korean may be taken through the Self-Instructional Language Program. The language studied should be directly relevant to the area of emphasis and be approved by the Director.

3) Intermediate-Level Study: A minimum of 3 units of intermediate course work (200-level) of direct relevance to Asia in at least two disciplines, selected from the Lists of Program Courses, Cross-listed Courses and Approved Courses. Recommendation: At least two of these courses should be related to the student's regional focus within Asia and at least one should be outside the area of regional specialty.

4) Advanced-Level Work: A minimum of 3 units at the 300-level including the designated Asian Studies "Senior Seminar", 1 unit of thesis work (Asian Studies 300-301 or Asian Studies 302), and at least one additional 300-level seminar from the lists of Program Courses and Approved Courses below. The senior seminar and the thesis constitute the Senior Year Requirement.

5) Discipline-Specific Courses: Majors are expected to choose one or two disciplines in which they will take courses and develop a theoretical or methodological sophistication that they will bring to bear on their study of Asia, particularly in their thesis and senior seminar work. Introductory work in each discipline should be taken early to fulfill prerequisites for upper level work in the chosen discipline.

6) Area-Specific Courses: Majors should try to include three or four courses (not including language study) that focus on a student's geographical area of specialization within Asia; and two courses that include a geographic area other than one's region of focus.

Asian Studies Courses: Courses approved for the Asian Studies major include courses offered by the Asian Studies Program and Approved Courses (courses on Asia offered in other departments as listed in the catalogue). A list of Asian Studies courses approved for majors is prepared and circulated by the Program Office at the beginning of each semester. Courses not on the list which may be appropriate to an individual student’s plan of study will be considered for approval by the director and steering committee upon special petition by the student major, after consultation with the advisor.

Requirements for the Correlate: 6 units of coursework on Asia (program courses, cross-listed courses, or approved courses) including one 100-level course and at least one 300-level seminar. Courses chosen for the correlate should reflect a topical, or area, or methodological focus. Asian language study is recommended but not required. Up to two units can be taken outside the College, through JYA or other programs. Up to two units of Asian language study may be counted toward the correlate. Up to two 100-level courses may be counted (however, only one 100-level unit can be language). One course can be double-counted for a major and for the correlate sequence. After declaring a correlate sequence, no ungraded courses can be taken to fulfill the requirements. A short Declaration of Correlate proposal form is available on line at the Asian Studies Program home page, and in the Asian Studies Program Office. On this form students prepare a short, one paragraph proposal and a list of the six planned courses, after consulting the course list in the catalog and discussing the sequence with an adviser. (Any member of the Asian Studies steering committee, including the director, can be asked to serve as correlate adviser.) Declaration proposals should describe the focus of the coursework and how it complements the students’ major. The proposal must be approved by the program director.

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Study abroad in some region of Asia greatly enhances a student's learning experience and understanding of Asia and is highly recommended for program majors and language correlates. Advice and literature on different programs are available through the Offices of the Dean of Studies (Study Away ffice) and Asian Studies. Vassar has had two decades of experience placing JYA students in China, Taiwan, and Japan. Students have also traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and parts of Southeast Asia.

Advice and literature on different programs are available through the Offices of the Dean of Studies, Asian Studies, and through Vassar's Study Away office. The Vassar Study Away website provides a list of institutions approved by Vassar for the junior year abroad.

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Each prospective major or correlate must submit an application to the director of Asian Studies indicating his or her interest in majoring or pursuing a correlate sequence in Asian Studies. A student's program of study for the major is designed in close consultation with the director and an advisor. Students should obtain an application form, which includes a statement of interest, from the program office or the Asian Studies website prior to meeting with the program director. This should be done in the first semester of the sophomore year if the student plans to apply for study away. The director and members of the program faculty will review the application and make suggestions for modifications. Any changes to a plan of study should be discussed with the advisor in advance; significant changes will be reviewed by the director.

The following forms are available online:

• Application for the Major and Asian Studies Plan of Study Worksheet
  [downloadable PDF]
• Application for a Correlate in Asian Studies
  [downloadable PDF]

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