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Bachelor's

Asian Studies BA

University of California, Los Angeles College of Letters and Science 264 courses

About This Program

The Asian Studies major allows students to analyze the area or a subregion (e.g., Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia) from an interdisciplinary and modern perspective. The major seeks to ground students in broad international issues that they can then use to focus on particular concerns of that part of the world. Study Abroad Asian Studies majors are highly encouraged to study abroad. Students can travel to all areas through a variety of programs with various lengths (summer or during the academic year). Students may partially fulfill the area studies elective requirement by participating in an International Institute Summer Travel Study program consisting of two courses in and on a particular region of the world. Contact the academic counselor for more information on available programs. More information about study abroad programs is available through the UCLA International Education Office by e-mail, in person at 1332 Murphy Hall, or by phone at 310-825-4995. The African Studies major is a designated capstone major. Students must complete a capstone seminar or travel-abroad program in which they engage in an in-depth analysis of a specific region or a thematic subject that spans regions. Through conceiving and executing a project, students demonstrate their working knowledge of scholarly discourse relative to a specialized topic. Student research, analytic, and writing skills are exhibited through their capstone work, along with their collaborative and oral communication skills.

Degree Requirements

Preparation for the Major

Complete International and Area Studies 1, one area studies course, two international politics and markets courses, two international societies and cultures courses, and one area-related foreign language sequence through the intermediate level as follows:

Preparation for the Major: Area Studies

Select one course from:

Preparation for the Major: International Politics and Markets

Select two courses from the following. Only one course from Political Science 50 or 50R may be applied.

Preparation for the Major: Foreign Language

Complete one area-related foreign language sequence through the intermediate level such as the following examples. The language requirement can also be fulfilled in part or in total by taking a placement examination given through the appropriate language department.

The Major

Complete one capstone seminar and 11 upper-division courses divided among area studies and international themes as follows:

The Major: Area Studies

Select seven courses from the humanities and arts and social sciences groups as follows:

The Major: Area Studies: Humanities and Arts Group 1

Select three courses from the following. Ethnomusicology 161B is 2 units.

Code Course Title Credits
ART HIS C148D Advanced Chinese Art 4
ART HIS C148E Art in Modern China 4
ART HIS C150B Advanced Japanese Art 4
ART HIS C154C Advanced Indian Art 4
ART HIS 154D Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art 4
ASIAN 151 Buddhist Literature in Translation 4
ASIAN 161 Topics in Asian Religions 4
ASIAN 162 Buddhist Meditation Traditions 4
CHIN C120 Introduction to Chinese Linguistics 4
CHIN 124 Taiwanese Language and Culture 4
CHIN 125 Taiwanese Language and Expressive Cultures 4
CHIN 130B Readings in Modern Chinese Literature 4
CHIN 131 World Sinophone Literature: Theories and Texts 4
CHIN 139 Gardens in China 4
CHIN C144 Translation Workshop: Modern Chinese Texts 4
CHIN C150A Lyrical Traditions 4
CHIN C150B Chinese Literature in Translation: Traditional Narrative and Fiction 4
CHIN 151 Chinese Literature in Translation: Modern Literature 4
CHIN 152 Topics in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Culture 4
CHIN 155 Topics in Chinese Cinema 4
CHIN C156 Variable Topics in Culture and Society in Taiwan 4
CHIN CM160 Chinese Buddhism 4
CHIN 165 Introduction to Chinese Buddhist Texts 4
CHIN 174 Chinese Strategic Thought 4
CHIN 176 Neo-Confucianism 4
CHIN 180 Chinese Mythology and Supernatural 4
CHIN 185 Food and Love in Chinese Culture 4
CHIN 191B Variable Topics Research Seminars: 20th-Century China and Taiwan 4
COM LIT M176 Literature and Technology 4
COM LIT C178 India Ink: Literature and Culture of Modern South Asia 5
ETHNMUS 146 Folk Music of South Asia 4
ETHNMUS 147 Survey of Classical Music in India 4
ETHNMUS C150 Music and Politics in East Asia 4
ETHNMUS C156A Music in China 4
ETHNMUS 157 History of Chinese Opera 4
ETHNMUS C159 Music on China's Periphery 4
ETHNMUS 160 Survey of Music in Japan 4
ETHNMUS 161B Advanced World Music Performance Organizations: Music of Bali 2
FILIPNO 155 Topics in Filipino Cinema and Literature 4
FILIPNO 170 People, Society, and Culture of Philippines 4
JAPAN 124 Language and Culture of Ryukyu/Okinawa 4
JAPAN CM127 Contrastive Analysis of Japanese and Korean 4
JAPAN 130A Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 4
JAPAN 130B Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 4
JAPAN 130C Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 4
JAPAN 151 Japanese Literature in Translation: Modern 4
JAPAN 154 Postwar Japanese Culture through Literature 4
JAPAN 155 Topics in Japanese Cinema 4
JAPAN M156 Literature and Technology 4
JAPAN CM160 Japanese Buddhism 4
JAPAN 161 Religious Life in Modern Japan 4
JAPAN 170 Japanese Tales of Supernatural 4
JAPAN C182 Japanese Folklore 4
JAPAN 191B Variable Topics Research Seminars: Modern Japan 4
KOREA C105A Reading Korean Academic Texts
KOREA C105B Reading Korean Academic Texts
KOREA C105C Reading Korean Academic Texts
KOREA CM127 Contrastive Analysis of Japanese and Korean 4
KOREA 148A Reading Modern Korean Academic Texts 4
KOREA C151 Korean Literature in Translation: Modern 4
KOREA 153 Korea West Encounters 4
KOREA 154 Contemporary Korean Culture through Literature and Film 4
KOREA 155 Topics in Korean Cinema 4
KOREA CM160 Korean Buddhism 4
KOREA 172 Topics in Korean Christianity 4
KOREA C177 Intellectual History of Modern Korea 4
KOREA 179 Gender and Sexuality in Korean Literature 4
KOREA 180C History of Korea since 1876 4
KOREA 182 1894 Kabo Reforms: History at Crossroads of Civilizations 4
KOREA 183 Korean Folklore 4
KOREA 184B Women in History: Modern Korea 4
KOREA 185 Education and Society in Korea 4
KOREA M186 Korea and Vietnam: Comparative Modern Histories 4
KOREA 187 Popular and Folk Religion in Korea 4
KOREA 191B Variable Topics Research Seminars: Contemporary Korean History 4
S ASIAN 155 Topics in South Asian Cinema and Literature 4
SEASIAN 130 Topics in Southeast Asian Literature 4
SEASIAN 135 Religion and Society in Southeast Asia 4
SEASIAN C140 Zomia: Peoples, Societies, and Cultures of Upland Southeast Asia 4
SEASIAN C150 Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia 4
THEATER 102A Theater of Japan 5
VIETMSE CM155 Topics in Vietnamese Cinema and/or Literature 4
VIETMSE 180B Vietnam: History and Civilization, 1858 to Present 4
VIETMSE M186 Korea and Vietnam: Comparative Modern Histories 4

The Major: Area Studies: Social Sciences Group 1

Select three courses from:

The Major: Area Studies: Additional Elective

Select one additional course from either group 1 or group 2.

The Major: Area Studies: Substitutions

The area studies electives listed in groups 1 and 2 focus on contemporary issues of that region after 1750. Students may substitute a maximum of three upper-division courses with focus on earlier historical aspects of the region or on diasporas with origins related to the region toward the area studies electives as long the distribution between humanities and arts and social sciences is maintained. Courses may be selected from the following lists:

The Major: Area Studies: Substitutions: Humanities and Arts Group 2

The Major: Area Studies: Substitutions: Social Sciences Group 2

The Major: International Themes

Select four courses from international politics and markets and international societies and cultures as follows:

The Major: International Themes: International Politics and Markets

Select two courses from:

The Major: International Themes: International Societies and Cultures

Select two courses from:

The Major: Capstone

Complete the following course:

Honors Program

The honors program is designed to offer highly motivated majors the opportunity to design and conduct their own independent research under the guidance of a faculty adviser and consists of a three-term directed-study series of courses culminating in an honors thesis.

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