Four area centers, the Center for Chinese Studies, the Center for Japanese Studies, the Center for South Asian Studies and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, bring together faculty in the department with Asian area specialists elsewhere on campus. The Centers, subsidized by the U.S. Department of Education, organize and sponsor numerous extra-curricular activities including informal talks, lectures and colloquia by visiting scholars, films, and exhibits. Numerous opportunities exist for overseas study of Asian languages and cultures. There may be some restrictions on the use of study abroad credits to meet concentration requirements. Please consult the concentration advisors.
Admission is based on national competition, and space is limited.
However, Michigan students have proven successful in gaining entrance to these programs. The overseas centers provide an opportunity to master spoken Chinese or Japanese and to improve reading and research skills. Limited financial aid is available from both the University and the overseas centers to students who are admitted. For information, contact the undergraduate advisor in Chinese or Japanese. The University of Michigan's Center for South and Southeast Asia is a member of several Southeast Asian Language consortiums that offer advanced language training abroad in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.