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Program Overview

Would you like to learn more about the arts and cultures of Asia? Visit the Great Wall or the Terra Cotta Warriors museum in China? Meet Vietnam War veterans or learn about the Pacific War? Consider a minor in Asian Studies.

You'll explore the past, present and future of the great civilizations of Asia through an engaging curriculum, lively classroom discussion and mentoring from faculty committed to your intellectual development.

The Asian Studies program introduces students to the rich and diverse languages, cultures, and societies of Asia through interdisciplinary study. Courses in this program are designed to give students the opportunity to comprehend the essence of different cultures in Asia.

Asian studies student listening and smiling in class.

What You'll Learn

This course of study begins with introductory courses in history and Asian languages. You'll also take language courses in either Chinese or Japanese and then finish with advanced courses such as Chinese Women on Film, Gender and Embodiment in Buddhism, The Vietnam Wars or The Chinese Revolutions. You'll learn:

  • a basic understanding of what constitutes "Asia" in terms of language, history, and geography
  • analysis of major cultural and political events in the history of at least two Asian countries and be able articulate the relationship of these countries to the world
  • competency in an Asian language for basic academic and practical needs

Program Highlights

Experience Asia in Person

Students minoring in Asian Studies are encouraged strongly to participate in a faculty led Global Awareness program or any other college-approved program abroad or in the United States. The Asian studies program offers excellent opportunities to study in locations such as China, Korea and Japan through the Asia Summer Abroad Program and the Summer Study Abroad Program in China. The Office of Global Learning will aid you in selecting a program tailored to your individual interests and needs as a student of Asian studies at Agnes Scott.

Interdisciplinary Learning

Just as the cultural histories and experiences of the Asian peoples are rich and varied, the Asian studies program at Agnes Scott will take you through several disciplines of study—history, religion, music, language and art—for a comprehensive appreciation of this region. The Asian studies curriculum provides you with the opportunity to learn Japanese and Chinese, research Asian intellectual concerns and discuss contemporary Asian social issues. At each step of the way, you'll receive individual attention from faculty members in a positive and challenging learning environment.

Community Engagement

Agnes Scott College and the Asian Studies Program have hosted STARTALK programs on campus since 2017. STARTALK’s mission is to increase the number of U.S. citizens learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages. STARTALK offers students (K–16) and teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences that strive to exemplify best practices in language education and in language teacher development. Some of our Asian Studies students have studied another language (Turkish) or worked as a teaching assistant (Chinese or Turkish) in our STARTALK summer programs and some have worked as an instructor (Chinese) or a staff member in the community-based after-school program.

Meet the Faculty

Waqas A. Khwaja

Waqas A. Khwaja

Ellen Douglass Leyburn Professor of English

Rafael Ocasio

Charles A. Dana Professor of Spanish

Jing Paul

Jing Paul

Associate Professor of Chinese

Shu-chin Wu

Associate Professor of History

Abraham Zablocki

Abraham Zablocki

Associate Professor of Religious Studies

Working in Asian Studies

Build your global awareness and combine this minor with the right major for you to ensure post-graduate success.

Asia encompasses a vast region that contains the second and third largest world economies, some of the longest lasting civilizations, and more than a quarter of the world’s population. This minor prepares you for a variety of career paths, from government and business to journalism and law, or, pursue graduate study in a range of humanistic and social science disciplines.

  • Consular Services
  • Cultural Affairs Specialist
  • Foreign Correspondent
  • Immigration Services Worker
  • Journalist
  • Translator/Interpreter

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