Courses

Visit the Course Catalog for the official course description and listing

ASIA 101 Introduction to Asian Studies

This course introduces the traditions and modern development of Asia with special attention to theoretical and methodological issues. The approach is interdisciplinary, covering subject areas such as history, culture, art, literature, music, religion, economics, politics, and law. The course offers an introduction to the region and provides an important foundation for students interested in taking more specialized courses.

ASIA 390, 391 Independent Study

Open to Asian studies majors or minors. Students select a specific area of interest for research in consultation with a faculty member from the Asian studies program. Students confer regularly with the faculty member on their work and prepare an essay on an approved subject. Open to other qualified students with permission of the Program Coordinator.

ASIA 490 Capstone

Students who major in Asian studies develop a capstone project during the senior year under the direction of a faculty member in the program.

Prerequisite: Students must be Asian studies majors

ASIA 495, 496 Honors Thesis

Asian studies majors who wish to pursue honors should inform their faculty advisers by the end of the second semester of the junior year. Honors work involves a guided program of independent research culminating in a thesis on a topic to be selected by the student in consultation with his or her adviser. Honors candidates enroll in 496 only upon successfully completing ASIA 495.

Approved list of electives (up to two language courses will count towards the major or minor):

  • A & S 256 Social Change in China
  • ART 140 Art and Architecture of World Traditions: Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania
  • ART 228 East Asian Art and Architecture
  • ART 240 Japanese Art and Architecture
  • ART 242 Chinese Art and Architecture
  • ART 244 Indian Art and Architecture
  • CHN 101, 102 Elementary Chinese (Language)
  • CHN 111, 112 Intermediate Chinese (Language)
  • CHN 211, 212 Advanced Chinese (Language)
  • CHN 311, 312 Contemporary China I & II (Language)
  • CL 210 Chinese Science Fiction
  • CL 230 Gender, Orientalism, and Transnational Chinese Cinema
  • FAMS 370 Indian Cinema
  • GOVT 238 East Asian International Relations
  • GOVT 270 Chinese Foreign Policy
  • GOVT 415 Nationalism in World Politics
  • HIST 121 Introduction to History: Partition of the Indian Subcontinent
  • HIST 248 East Asia’s Last Dynasties: Japan, Korea and China, 1600-1900
  • HIST 249 20th Century East Asia: Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan
  • HIST 250 Japan Goes to War, 1895-1945
  • HIST 266 Modern South Asia
  • HIST 267 Muslim Rule in South Asia, 12th-19th Century
  • HIST 355 Global South Asia
  • JAPN 101, 102 Elementary Japanese (Language)
  • JAPN 111, 112 Intermediate Japanese (Language)
  • JAPN 290, 291 Independent Study-Japanese (Language)
  • PHIL 257 Asian Philosophy
  • REL 101 Religions in World Cultures
  • REL 204 India’s Religious Texts: Sacred Word, Sacred Sound
  • REL 207 The Quran
  • REL 209 Strange Tales & Popular Religions in East Asia
  • REL 211 Hinduism: Unities and Diversity
  • REL 212 Buddhism: From India to Asia and Beyond
  • REL 215 Islam
  • REL 233 Female Divinities and Demons in East Asia
  • REL 260 Global Muslim Literature and Film
  • REL 305 Muhammad and Prophecy
  • REL 312 Religious Body and Sexuality

*Note: These courses have been taught in the recent past. New courses are in development and some older courses are being discontinued. Please check Lafayette course catalogs and consult individual department listings to stay current.