What is Asian Studies?
Check out this UC major to see if it’s for you
With a population of over 17 million, Asia is the largest and most diverse continent in the world, offering boundless opportunities for exploration and study. The University of Cincinnati’s Asian Studies program opens doors to an insightful and immersive look into Asia’s vast history, culture, language, politics, art and more.
A degree offered through UC’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Asian Studies program is an interdisciplinary major that is designed to adapt to students’ personal areas of interests.
Program director Mikiko Hirayama attests to the flexibility of the major. “Students get to design their own program of study,” she says. “There are two required courses, but aside from those students get to choose from a whole range of elective courses to fulfill the requirements for the major.”
Real-world experience
UC Asian Studies program director Mikiko Hirayama. Credit/Provided
The Asian studies program provides students the invaluable experience of studying abroad in a variety of Asian countries. Students have the choice between a two week faculty-led abroad program, a semester abroad and a year abroad. There are also exchange programs with universities in Japan, China, India, Taiwan and South Korea that students can take part in for a semester or the entire academic year.
“No matter how long or short it is, it’s a great inversion,” says Hirayama. “You get to study the culture, you get to study the language, and after I meet students when they come back they’re like a different person. The whole world really opens up for them.”
Not only are the study abroad programs an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture that you are studying, but it’s also affordable. Even when studying in a different country, students are still paying UC tuition. There’s also an abundance of financial aid available to help ensure that every student has the opportunity to study abroad if they wish.
Notable classes
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Asian studies program, it’s easy for students to double major within the College of Arts and Sciences to focus on a specific area of concentration. For example, a student interested in Asian politics could take an Asian Political Studies class that would count for both a political science major and an Asian studies major. Common second majors or minors include international affairs, political science, art history, women’s studies and business.
There are also opportunities to pursue a certificate in Chinese Language and Culture and Japanese Language and Culture. These certificates are excellent credentials for someone that is interested in working in an Asian country.
With such a wide range of study, those interested in Asian studies can find a course for any of their interests. Some notable classes within the Asian studies major include:
- Yoga and Hinduism
- Japanese Music
- Asia Foreign Relations
- War and Peace in Asia
- Film and the Global Village
Career opportunities
UC Asian studies students offer a unique skillset that is invaluable to plenty of companies. Hirayama speaks to the value of an Asian studies degree, saying, “you get specialized knowledge and a unique perspective as a global citizen, competitive-ness in the job market, and a lot of credentials in a job.”
Many American business firms affiliated with Asia seek to hire those with a background in Asian studies that understand and have been immersed in Asian culture. Another popular career path for Asian studies students is teaching in an Asian country.
An Asian studies degree is an excellent preparation for graduate school, where students can pursue deeper studies into their area of concentration.
Take it from a graduate
2023 Asian Studies graduate Lily Stiefel. Credit/Provided
Lily Stiefel, a recent 2023 graduate from the Asian Studies program, took full advantage of the opportunities provided to her throughout college. She participated in a semester-long exchange program at Nagoya University in Japan. While in Nagoya, she split her time between studying Japanese culture and working in local preschools, teaching Japanese students about American culture.
“It was a great chance to advance my studies,” she says. “The study abroad opportunities were one of the reasons I picked UC. They have a great program with a lot of financial support.”
Throughout her time in college, Stiefel completed her 120-hour certificate in teaching English as a second language. She graduated with a major in Asian Studies, a minor in English and marketing, and a certificate in Japanese Language and Culture.
Immediately out of college, Stiefel was accepted into the highly competitive Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program where she will spend a year in Japan working as an assistant language teacher. She attributes the study abroad opportunities, flexibility of the Asian studies major to focus on her passion for language, and the support of faculty to her getting accepted into the program.
“I absolutely loved all the professors,” she says. “They’re so sweet, so supportive, and will do absolutely anything to help you. I was really lucky to have that experience.”
Featured image at top: Japanese umbrellas. Credit/Kohji Asakawa from Pixabay.
By Sydney Asher
Student Journalist, A&S Department of Marketing and Communication
artscinews@ucmail.uc.edu
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