Students throughout the university can now minor in Global Asia Studies, with faculty approving the new area of study in May. The new minor complements the other minors already offered by the Department of Asian Studies, which focus on specific sub-regions.
The undergraduate minor in Global Asia Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences is intended for Cornell students who wish to explore Asia as an interconnected region through courses on the regions’ languages, literatures, religions and cultures.
“Most faculty in the department work on cross-border, trans-regional dynamics,” said Chiara Formichi, associate professor of Asian studies. “And often students want to pursue a thematic interest across Asia, or simply explore "Asia" from a variety of perspectives (both geographical and thematic).”
Students interested in the minor need to complete five courses with a minimum of 18 credits, with various course level requirements. Language study is also strongly encouraged and students can receive up to eight credits for approved study abroad programs in Asia.
“We think students from across the university will be interested as they will be able to explore the entire region without having to focus on one specific sub-region, and we think students with an interest in the Asian diasporas will also find this minor intriguing, as well as students interested in Indian Ocean studies, trans-Pacific studies, global history and literature.”
Formichi said the new minor will allow students to have a more geographically diverse engagement with the region than the current minors, as students can take a class on each subregion (South, East and Southeast Asia) and a few classes that address multiple regions at once.
