More and more Americans are discovering the rich culture and history of the Asian people. Asians have made a major contribution to the world's literature, art, religion, and philosophy, and are increasingly important in international relations, business, and economics. Non-major s who wish to increase their knowledge about Asian peoples will find courses available in the Asian Studies undergraduate and graduate programs . Competency in a foreign language, preferably Asian, is required. The upper division curriculum is designed to enhance the student's understanding of issues that affect Asian society by taking classes in several disciplines.
Students benefit from diverse points of view in such an interdisciplinary exposure.
Courses are offered in such fields as the arts, anthropology, comparative literature, economics, history, linguistics, philosophy, political science, religious studies, and women's studies. Courses in Asian Studies help to integrate the knowledge gained from these diverse fields. In addition to these educational sources, instruction in Chinese and Japanese languages and literatures is offered by faculty who are native speakers and are from the Departments of Linguistics and Oriental Languages, and Classics and Humanities. A large international faculty with a broad range of experiences and numerous ties to Asian communities here and abroad enhance learning opportunities. Student-faculty interaction, both in and out of class, and the presence of many international tudents enriches the program .