The many countries of Asia and the Near East are among the oldest civilizations in the world. The study of the languages and cultures of these nations gives students access to some of the richest and most varied traditions of thought, belief, and behavior to be found in the world. The languages of these regions are themselves generally difficult, with complex writing systems that require diligent study. But exposure to these languages and the cultures they express will enable students to look at the world from new perspectives and deepen their understanding of peoples whose history and practices are widely divergent from their own. Majors are available in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
Students can obtain a minor in Arabic and Hebrew.