Majoring and Minoring

Programs and Requirements

East Asian studies is an interdisciplinary curriculum in which students concentrate on the study of the region of East Asia, principally China and Japan.

The Major Program

Students considering a major in East Asian studies should begin by completing History 110, Religious Studies 242, International Affairs 236, or Sociology/Anthropology 280, and one semester of Chinese or Japanese language study. Students should declare the major by the end of the sophomore year, at which time they must also choose their primary area of concentration.

The major requires five semesters of Chinese or Japanese language, or the equivalent; three years of language, or the equivalent, are strongly recommended. The major also requires a minimum of one semester on an approved overseas study program in East Asia. Students should work with their advisor to ensure that their concentration and overseas study program build a strong foundation for the senior thesis.

The minor in East Asian studies enables students to combine a major in the arts, humanities, social sciences, or sciences with a focus on East Asian studies. The East Asian studies curriculum is organized into the following core courses, concentrations, and South/Southeast Asia courses. See appropriate department listings for course descriptions and prerequisites.

Core Courses

East Asian Studies
Humanities foundation course
Social sciences foundation course
Methodology course
400 Senior Thesis in East Asian Studies

Chinese
310 Readings and Composition in Chinese

Japanese
310 Readings and Composition in Japanese

Concentration In Fine Arts, Literature, And Languages

Art
152 History of Asian Art: China
153 History of Asian Art: Japan and Korea
254 History of Buddhist Art
256 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art
355 Early Modern Art in Asia and Europe
356 Art of the Print in Early Modern East Asia
451 Special Topics in Art History

Chinese
230 Introduction to Chinese Literature in Translation
290 Topics in Chinese Literature in Translation
410 Advanced Readings in Chinese: Society and Culture

East Asian Studies
156 The Art of Tea in Japanese Culture I
256 The Art of Tea in Japanese Culture II

Japanese
230 Introduction to Japanese Literature in Translation
290 Topics in Japanese Literature in Translation
410 Advanced Readings in Japanese: Society and Culture
420 Advanced Readings in Japanese: Fiction and Nonfiction

Music Performance
193 Japanese Koto

Concentration In Social Sciences

Economics
232 Economic Development
255 Technology, Institutions, and Economic Growth
280 Political Economy of Japan
295 Political Economy of South Korea
314 International Economics

International Affairs
234 Japan in International Affairs
236 International Relations of Northeast Asia
332 Geopolitics

Sociology/Anthropology
270 Culture and Politics in East Asian                                                                      273 Japanese Culture: Gender and Identity
274 Chinese Culture Through Film
280 Gender in Asia
353 Popular Culture/Public Protest: China
356 Nationalism and Identity: Japan

Concentration In Religion And History

History
110 Early East Asian History
111 Making Modern China
112 Making Modern Japan
209 Japan at War
210 China's Golden Age (Tang and Song)
211 Reform, Rebellion, and Revolution in Modern China
213 Chinese History Through Biography
215 Culture and Politics in Japan to 1600
310 China Discovers the West: Silk, Jesuits, Tea, Opium, and Milk
311 History of Family, Gender, and Sexuality in China
313 Religion, Society, and State in Japanese History
316 Popular Culture and Everyday Life in Japanese History
400 Reading Colloquium (when focus is on East Asia)

Religious Studies
242 Religions and Cultures of East Asia
243 Buddhism: Theory, Culture, and Practice
354 Early Mahayana Buddhism
452 Seminar in Asian Religions

Major Requirements

A minimum of 40 semester credits, distributed as follows:

1. One humanities foundation course to be chosen from the following: History 110 or Religious Studies 242. Alternatively, other courses taken at Lewis & Clark or abroad may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the program chair.
2. One social sciences foundation course: International Affairs 236, Sociology/Anthropology 270, or Sociology/Anthropology 280. Alternatively, other courses taken at Lewis & Clark or abroad may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the program chair.
3. Chinese 310 or Japanese 310. (This course, or the equivalent, may be taken on an approved overseas program in East Asia.)
4. Five courses (or 20 semester credits) on East Asia to be distributed as follows: three courses (or 12 semester credits) from the student's designated area of concentration; and two courses (or 8 semester credits) outside the concentration. At least two of the five courses must be at the 300 or 400 level, and at least one of these must be in the designated area of concentration.
5. One methodology course within the student's designated are of concentration, selected from the following list, to be taken prior to enrolling in 400 and in addition to the three courses required within the concentration:                                              Fine arts, literture and languages concentration: Art 451-493; Chinese 231,291, or 410; or Japanese 231 or 291.                                                                Social Science concentration: Communications 260, Economics 232, or Sociology/Anthropology 200. (Sociology/ Anthropology is particularly recommended.)                                                                                                            Religion and history concentration: History 300 or Religion 401.
6. A minimum of one semester overseas on an approved program in East Asia. See the Office of Overseas and Off-Campus Programs for specific program and application information. Two courses taken on an overseas program may be applied to the major, depending on the number and level of courses. Additional offerings may also be accepted as electives at the discretion of the program chair.
7. East Asian Studies 400, Senior Thesis in East Asian Studies.

When requirements for two majors overlap, a student must complete at least 28 discrete semester credits in each major. When requirements for a major and a minor overlap, a student must complete at least 28 discrete semester credits in the major and 12 discrete semester credits in the minor.

Minor Requirements

A minimum of 20 semester credits to be distributed as follows:

1. One humanities foundation course to be chosen from the following: History 110 or Religious Studies 242. Alternatively, other courses taken at Lewis & Clark or abroad may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the program chair.
2. One social sciences foundation course: International Affairs 236, Sociology/Anthropology 270, or Sociology/Anthropology 280. Alternatively, other courses taken at Lewis & Clark or abroad may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the program chair.
3. One course (or 4 semester credits) taught in Chinese or Japanese at a level beyond 201, chosen from Chinese 202, 251, 252, 310, 320, and 410; or Japanese 202, 251, 252, 310, 320, 410, and 420. (This course, or the equivalent, may be taken on an approved overseas study program in East Asia.)
4. Two courses (or 8 semester credits) focusing on East Asia, at least one of which must be at the 300 or 400 level.

Participation in an East Asian overseas studies program is strongly recommended.

One course taken on an overseas program may be applied to the minor, depending on the number and level. Certain offerings may also be accepted as electives at the discretion of the program chair.

A minimum of 12 semester credits must be discrete to the minor (may not be used in any other set of major or minor requirements).