East Asian Studies

With the world's most populous nation and some of its largest economies, East Asia is a region of growing significance. It consists of areas encompassed by present day China, Japan, and Korea (and sometimes also Mongolia, Myanmar, Siberia, and Vietnam). The minor consists of a program of study combining language training, off-campus study, required core courses in various disciplines, and supporting courses, including a designated capstone course. The underlying logic of the minor seeks to highlight both the similarities and differences in the societies and cultures of East Asia and to generate increased understanding of a vital part of the modern world.

Requirements for the East Asian Studies Minor

The East Asian Studies Minor requires a total of 42 credits, with at least 6 credits drawn from each of the three Asian Studies distribution areas (Literary/Artistic Analysis, Humanistic Inquiry or Social Inquiry).

18 credits in core courses, drawn from at least two of the three Asian Studies distribution areas.

24 credits from additional courses, drawn from at least two of the three Asian Studies distribution areas, and including a designated East Asia-related capstone course.

Courses taken on off-campus programs may be applied to the minor.

Normally, at least one term of off-campus study in East Asia.

One year of study of an East Asian language, or its equivalent. For languages offered at Carleton, this will involve completion of a language through 103, or its equivalent. For languages not offered at Carleton, it will involve completion of the equivalent of 103.

Core Courses: 18 credits from among the following; courses must be from at least two distribution areas.

  • ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
  • ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan (not offered 2019-20)
  • HIST 153 History of Modern China (not offered 2019-20)
  • HIST 156 History of Modern Korea 
  • JAPN 231 Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered 2019-20)
  • JAPN 245 Modern Japanese Literature and Manga in Translation
  • POSC 232 Chinese Foreign Policy (not offered 2019-20)
  • RELG 151 Religions in Chinese Culture (not offered 2019-20)
  • RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture (not offered 2019-20)
  • RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism

Supporting Courses: 24 credits from among the following; courses must be from at least two distribution areas.

  • ARTH 164 Buddhist Art (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
  • ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 209 Chinese Painting
  • ARTH 220 Origins of Manga: Japanese Prints (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 266 Arts of Japanese Tea Ceremony (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 268 Art History in Kyoto Program: History of Gardens and Landscape Architecture in Japan (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 269 Art History in Kyoto Program: Projects in Japanese Garden Design and History (not offered 2019-20)
  • ARTH 321 Arts- Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered 2019-20)
  • ASLN 111 Writing Systems
  • ASLN 260 Historical Linguistics (not offered 2019-20)
  • ASST 282 Art History in Kyoto Program: Religion, Politics and Architecture in Pre-Modern Japan (not offered 2019-20)
  • CHIN 206 Chinese in Cultural Context
  • CHIN 240 Chinese Cinema (not offered 2019-20)
  • CHIN 250 Chinese Popular Culture
  • CHIN 347 Advanced Reading in Contemporary Chinese Prose: Newspapers
  • CHIN 348 Advanced Chinese: The Mass Media (not offered 2019-20)
  • CHIN 349 Advanced Chinese: Social Commentary (not offered 2019-20)
  • CHIN 355 Contemporary Short Stories
  • CHIN 360 Classical Chinese
  • CHIN 363 Conversation and Composition: The Liberal Arts in Chinese (not offered 2019-20)
  • ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
  • HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia (not offered 2019-20)
  • HIST 255 Rumors, Gossip, and News in East Asia
  • JAPN 206 Japanese in Cultural Context
  • JAPN 231 Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered 2019-20)
  • JAPN 244 The World of Anime in Translation
  • JAPN 245 Modern Japanese Literature and Manga in Translation
  • JAPN 345 Advanced Reading in Modern Japanese Literature: The Short Story
  • JAPN 353 Thinking About Environmental Issues in Japanese
  • LING 285 The Linguistics of the Japanese Writing System (not offered 2019-20)
  • LING 286 The Structure of Japanese (not offered 2019-20)
  • MUSC 182 Chinese Musical Instruments (not offered 2019-20)
  • MUSC 182J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried) (not offered 2019-20)
  • MUSC 282 Chinese Musical Instruments (not offered 2019-20)
  • MUSC 282J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried) (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics
  • POSC 232 Chinese Foreign Policy (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 248 The U.S.-China Relationship (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
  • POSC 378 Social Changes in Southeast Asia (not offered 2019-20)
  • POSC 379 Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia (not offered 2019-20)
  • RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
  • RELG 254 Zen Buddhism (not offered 2019-20)
  • RELG 280 The Politics of Sex in Asian Religion (not offered 2019-20)

Capstone Course: To be determined in consultation with the director.