East Asian Studies Major Requirements
(See also Requirements of a Bachelor's Degree.)
The curriculum of the East Asian Studies major comprises language and area studies. All majors must study an East Asian language during their time at Hopkins. They also have the opportunity to choose from a rich menu of content courses dealing with East Asia.
EAS majors also receive training in the methods and theory of the particular academic discipline they select as a focus area. Students select from among five discipline-based focus areas - history, political science, history of art and film, history of science and technology, or sociology - or create an individualized focus area. Possible individualized focus areas are wide-ranging. The individualized focus area requires consultation and approval of the program director.
Fifty percent of the courses for the major are required to be taken at JHU. No major requirements may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. All courses required for the major must be passed with a grade of C- or higher. The University encourages students enrolled in this program to take advantage of foreign study options; courses and programs must be pre-approved by the program director.
East Asian Foreign Language
1. Six courses in an East Asian Language
Students must complete 6 courses in East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, and/or Korean) after high school graduation and while the student is in college working towards their degree. Students can use at most two different languages towards the 6-course requirement (they can use courses in a third language as electives).
2. Demonstrated Proficiency + Independent Project; or Independent Study; or Senior Thesis
In addition to the standard pathway for fulfilling the language requirement, students with either extensive prior training or native/heritage ability in either Chinese, Japanese, or Korean may choose to meet the language requirement as follows:
Take a placement exam administered by the Center for Language Education (CLE) verifying proficiency. If the student is verified as proficient through the advanced level, they can choose one of the following three options, which require intensive use of the East Asian language in question (e.g. substantial research/translation of primary sources, fieldwork, interviews):
Option 1: Upper-Level Course - The student enrolls in an upper-level course (e.g., 300-level or higher) that already counts towards the major and completes a research paper in which an East Asian language makes a substantive contribution. Approval from the EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies as well as from a supervising faculty member is required. Note: No additional instructional or administrative work will be required of faculty beyond existing structures. The upper-level course option will rely on courses that already exist within departments and programs, and the requirements for those courses.
Option 2: Independent Study - The student enrolls for three credits under the department of the selected faculty advisor. The independent study will incorporate language-based research components. Approval from the EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies as well as from a supervising faculty member is required. Note: The content of, and expectations for, the independent study are to be formalized in discussions between the student and faculty sponsor, depending on the faculty sponsor's availability.
Option 3: Senior Thesis - The student completes a senior thesis that incorporates language-based research components. Approval from the EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies and a supervising faculty member is required. Note: No additional instructional or administrative work will be required of faculty beyond what already exists for thesis supervision within departments and programs. Faculty involvement will follow standard practices for thesis advising and supervision.
Students who take the placement exam and fail to demonstrate proficiency through an advanced level must complete additional courses so as to meet the proficiency requirement before enrolling in an independent study/project.
Writing and Communication in the Major
Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication foundational ability coursework in one major. For this major, students would be able to fulfill this requirement by selecting 6 credits of elective courses in the major that are designated as Writing and Communications courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| East Asian Survey Course | ||
| AS.010.290 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality: An Introduction to the History of Chinese Art | 3 |
| or AS.010.341 | Asian Modernisms | |
| or AS.100.143 | China: Neolithic to Song | |
| or AS.100.347 | Early Modern China | |
| or AS.100.348 | 20th-Century China | |
| or AS.310.202 | Introduction to Korean Culture | |
| Additional East Asian Studies Courses 1 | ||
| Two East Asian Studies courses at any level | 6 | |
| One East Asian Studies course at the 300- or 400-level | 3 | |
| East Asian Foreign Language | ||
| Six courses in an East Asian Language | 24-26 | |
| Focus Area - History, Political Science, Sociology, History of Art and Film, or History of Science, Medicine, and Technology | ||
| Select one of the following focus areas: | 6 | |
| History focus area | ||
| One East Asian history course at any level 2 | ||
| One East Asian history course at the 300- or 400-level 2 | ||
| Political Science focus area | ||
| One East Asian political science or sociology course at any level 2 | ||
| One East Asian political science or sociology course at the 300- or 400-level 2 | ||
| Sociology focus area | ||
| One East Asian sociology or political science course at any level 2 | ||
| One East Asian sociology or political science course at the 300- or 400-level 2 | ||
| History of Art and Film focus area | ||
| One East Asian History of Art or History of Film class at any level 2 | ||
| One East Asian History of Art or History of Film class at the 300- or 400-level 2 | ||
| History of Science, Medicine, and Technology focus area 3 | ||
| One East Asian history of science, medicine, and technology course at any level 2 | ||
| One East Asian history of science, medicine, and technology course at the 300- or 400-level 2 | ||
| Individualized focus | ||
Requires approval of the EAS director. Focus requirements to be determined in consultation with the director. | ||
| Total Credits | 42-44 | |
- 1
East Asian Studies courses are either offered by the department (AS.310.xxx) or cross-listed with the department.
- 2
AS.310.xxx courses cross-listed with History, Sociology, Political Science, History of Art, Film and Media Studies, or History of Science, Medicine, and Technology can be used to fulfill focus area requirements in the discipline for which they are cross-listed. For example, an AS.310.xxx course cross-listed in Sociology is equivalent to a course in the Sociology Department for purposes of fulfilling focus area requirements in the Sociology track. Likewise, AS.310.xxx courses cross-listed with Political Science, History, History of Art, Film and Media Studies, or History of Science, Medicine, and Technology can be counted toward the Political Science, History, History of Art and Film, or History of Science, Medicine, and Technology tracks, respectively.
- 3
Courses taught by professors Yulia Frumer, Lijing Jiang, and Lan Li may be applicable even if not coded AS.140.xxx, pending permission.
Sample Program of Study
The plan below assumes the student begins language study in Chinese at JHU.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.373.115 | 5 | AS.373.116 | 5 |
| East Asian Studies course at any level | 3 | ||
| 8 | 5 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.373.215 | 5 | AS.373.216 | 5 |
| Focus area requirement at any level | 3 | Required survey course | 3 |
| Focus area requirement at 300-400 level | 3 | ||
| 8 | 11 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.373.315 | 3 | AS.373.316 | 3 |
| East Asian Studies course at 300-400 level | 3 | ||
| 3 | 6 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| East Asian Studies course at any level | 3 | Additional language study (optional) | |
| Additional language study (optional) | |||
| 3 | 0 | ||
| Total Credits 44 | |||
Honors in East Asian Studies
Honors in the major may be earned by maintaining a GPA of 3.7 in the major and writing a senior honors thesis by taking a two-semester seminar, AS.310.431 Senior Thesis Seminar: East Asian Studies and AS.310.432 Senior Thesis Seminar: East Asian Studies. The thesis seminar is a total of six credits and may count toward two of the required EAS courses.