Undergraduate Study

Application

A major in Asian Studies is rewarding for students of all backgrounds, as the global presence of Asia becomes ever more visible. This degree offers students career opportunities in law, business, government, journalism, arts, education, post-secondary education, and more.

Students are encouraged to apply to the major shortly after successfully receiving a minimum grade of B in at least two Asia content courses. These may include one language course, but writing seminars do not fulfill the requirement. The major must be declared no later than the second semester of the junior year. Admission to the major after the start of the seventh semester will be by petition only.

The majors can choose additional majors (double/triple major) in another discipline. Courses taken to complete another major also fulfill the normal requirement for elective units. Maximum of 15 transfer credits from courses taken outside of Cornell may be applied toward the major. Because the field is so vast, each major works  closely with a faculty advisor to design an academic program which meets individual interests, abilities, and career goals.

First-, second-, and third-year students may file an online Interest to Major form at any time.  (Students in their last year must petition.)  This initial step lets us know of your interest in the major.  We will add your name to the majors listserv so that we can let you know of Asian Studies-related news, opportunities, and events that may be of interest.

Learning Outcomes:

We expect our undergraduate majors to demonstrate:

• The ability to conduct research on the cultural, religious, and/or literary traditions of a particular Asian region.
• The breadth of knowledge to be able to discuss their research imaginatively within broader regional and global contexts and to contribute towards innovating the field of Asian Studies.
• The capacity to critically analyze and contextualize linguistic and cultural norms, political structures, and texts as sites of resistance, oppression, and inequalities in the context of power relations within and beyond Asia.
• Mastery of an Asian language at the second-year level or higher, including critical sensitivity to the target language's culture and society.
• Written and verbal expression marked by clarity, coherence, intellectual force, and stylistic control.

Completion of the major requires 30 credits at the 2000 level and above with a minimum grade of B (S/U not accepted), including:

• 1 course at the 3300 level.
• 1 course at the 4400 level.
• At least 1 course from two of the Asian Studies course categories (RL, SC, LL). See below.
• A maximum of 6 credits of language study beyond those required for proficiency may be used.
• Demonstration of 2-year proficiency in an Asian Language:
  • Testing into and completing the second semester of the 2nd year of that language
  • Testing into a language course beyond the 2200 level.

Other courses on Asia at the 2200 level and above, but not cross-listed with Asian Studies, may be considered for satisfying major requirement upon petition and approval by the Department of Asian Studies. Additionally, up to two Introductory courses may be used towards the overall 30 credits. 

To keep track of your progress, use the Major Degree Requirements worksheet.

All Asian Studies courses including the Literature courses are divided up into different categories: (GE) General Education, (RL) Religion, (SC) Society and Culture, and (LL) Literature and Linguistics. 

Majors must take classes in at least two out the three categories beyond General Education.

Fall 2026

General Education (GE)

• ASIAN 2211 "Introduction to Japan"
• ASIAN 2232"Introduction to China: Getting Rich in Modern China" (CAPS 2232)

Society and Culture (SC)

• ASIAN 2245 "Gamelan in Indonesian History & Culture" (also MUSIC 1341/VISST 2744)
• ASIAN 2262 "Medicine & Healing in China" (also HIST 2562/BSOC 2561/CAPS 2262/STS 2561)
• ASIAN 2274 "Mughal India and the Early Modern World, c. 1500-1800" (also HIST 2749)
• ASIAN 2280 "Law & Society in Early Modern & Modern China" (also HIST 2132/CAPS 2132/SHUM 2132)
• ASIAN 2291 "Engendering China" (also HIST 2932/CAPS 2932/FGSS 2932)
• ASIAN 2294 "Of Saints, Poets, & Revolutionaries: Medieval & Modern Iran & Central Asia" (also NES 2722/MEDVL 2722/RESLT 2722)
• ASIAN 2296 "Korea & East Asia" (also HIST 2996)
• ASIAN 3021 "History of Korea-China Relations" (also CAPS 3021/HIST 3021)
• ASIAN 3350 "The Arts of Southeast Asia" (also ARTH 3850/VISST 3696/MEDVL 3850)
• ASIAN 3362 "Kingship, Nation & Heritage in Asia" (also ANTHR 3520/ARKEO 3520)
• ASIAN 3380 "The Asian Century: The Rise of China & India" (also ILRGL 3380/GOVT 3384/AEM 3388/CAPS 3387)
• ASIAN 3395 "What is China?" (also CAPS 3967/GOVT 3967)
• ASIAN 3397 "Monsoon Kingdoms: Pre-Modern Southeast Asian History" (also HIST 3950)
• ASIAN 4377 "Issues in South Asian Studies"
• ASIAN 4448 "China, Tibet, and Xinjiang" (also GOVT 4827/CAPS 4827)
• ASIAN 4452 "Critical Filipino and Filipino American Studies" (also AAS 4050/AMST 4052)
• ASIAN 4473 "Modern Chinese Art" (also ARTH 4816/SHUM 4916)
• ASIAN 4499 "Water: Art & Politics in Southeast Asia" (also ARTH 4854/VISST 4854)
• ASIAN 4845 "Contemporary Performance Art in East Asia, 20th-21st Century" (also ARTH 4845)

Religion (RL)

• ASIAN 2254 "South Asian Religions in Practice" (also RELST 2546/ANTHR 2546)
• ASIAN 2299 "Buddhism" (also RELST 2299)
• ASIAN 3049 "History, Theory, & Methods in the Academic Study of Religion" (also RELST 3049)
• ASIAN 3311 "Opt Out, Tune In: Hermits, Pilgrims & Dharma Bums: From East Asia to Ithaca" (also RELST 3331)
• ASIAN 4021 "Zen Buddhism, Japanese Context" (also RELST 4021)
• ASIAN 4023 "Buddhism & Politics in South & Southeast Asia" (also RELST 4023)

Literature and Linguistics (LL)

n/a

To be eligible for honors in Asian Studies, students must have an overall cumulative grade average of 3.0 and 3.7 in all Asian Studies area courses (not including language courses) and must successfully complete an honors thesis during their senior year. Students who wish to be considered for honors should apply to the Director of Undergraduate Studies during the second term of their junior year.

See the Honors page for more details and titles of past honors theses.

The Asian Studies Department offers three areal minors.  Many students choose to highlight their Asian areal interests by combining a minor with their chosen major. For those interested in transregional studies, effective Fall 2021, we now offer a new minor in Global Asia Studies.  We also offer a minor in Sanskrit Studies. Students from any college or discipline are welcome to apply.

Click on the links below for detailed information/application process for each minor:

• Minor in East Asian Studies
• Minor in South Asian Studies
• Minor in Southeast Asian Studies
• Minor in Sanskrit Studies
• Minor in Global Asia Studies
   

In addition to course work, there are many extracurricular activities related to Asia. These include: an annual Japanese film series; a Gamelan group; clubs in most of the martial arts of Asia and student societies for most of the Asian nations; arts exhibitions; visiting lecturers and performing groups; . and the visits of Asian scholars, diplomats, journalists and performers provide students with additional opportunities. We encourage majors and minors to become familiar with the activities of the East, South, and Southeast Asia Programs on campus.

A minor in Asian Studies is a rewarding add-on to any major and for students of all backgrounds, as the global presence of Asia becomes ever more visible.  First-, second-, and third-year students may file an online Intent to Minor form at any time. (Students in their last year must petition.) This initial step lets us know of your interest in one of the minors. We will add your name to the minors listserv so that we can let you know of Asian Studies-related news, opportunities, and events that may be of interest.

There are many strong options for study abroad in Asia. Education Abroad, Office of Global Learning helps students plan a year or semester abroad as part of their Cornell undergraduate degree. Cornell has affiliations with several programs and institutions in Asia, and sends students to those and others. Cornell is affiliated with IUP, the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies in Beijing (at Tsinghua University), and is a member of CIEE and IES, organizations sponsoring study abroad programs offering Chinese language instructions at several levels as well as courses in Chinese studies in the humanities and social sciences. Students may also study at other programs in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Cornell is a member of the consortium of the Kyoto Center for Japanese Studies, an undergraduate semester or year program in Japanese language and Japanese studies. An agreement with International Christian University (ICU), outside Tokyo, permits Cornell students to attend that institution. Cornell students have attended CIEE and IES programs in Japan, as well as some other programs and institutions.

Cornell is a member of the American Association of Indian Studies, which offers fellowships for intensive study in India or Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil. There are study abroad options in universities or study abroad programs in various regions of India.

Students may spend a term or year in Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, or the Philippines, or choose to study about Asia at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, or the Faculty of Asian Studies at the Australian National University. Undergraduates should consult Education Abroad, Office of Global Learning (B50 Caldwell Hall); graduate students should inquire at the East Asia Program (140 Uris Hall), South Asia Program (170 Uris Hall), or Southeast Asia Program (180 Uris Hall) offices.