The Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree: 120 units

See “Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree” in The University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

The department has prepared a suggested Four Year Advising Plan to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. Please request a plan from your major adviser or view it and other current advising information on the CSU, Chico Web.

Please see the General Education, Cultural Diversity, U.S. History, and Literacy Requirements under the BA in Latin American Studies.

Course Requirements for the Major: 30 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this degree.

3 courses required:

ASST 100 Cultures of Asia 3.0 FS *NW

This course is the same as ANTH 171 which may be substituted.

ASST 150 Asian Studies: Contemp Problems 3.0 FS *NW

This course is the same as AAST 150 which may be substituted.

ASST 250 Capstone Course 3.0 SP

Prerequisites: ENGL 001 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher.

21 units selected from:

Students must select a minimum of 6 units each from Group A and Group B, and may apply up to a maximum of 9 units selected from Group C. Eighteen units must be upper division.

Group A: Humanities

ART 002A Far Eastern Art Survey 3.0 FS *NW

ART 244 Chinese and Japanese Art 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: ART 001A and ART 001B for art majors.

JAPN 125 Japanese Culture & Civilization 3.0 FS NW

This course is the same as ASST 125 which may be substituted.

HIST 144 America’s Vietnam Experience 3.0 FA *

HIST 146 The United States in the Pacific 3.0 FA *

This course is the same as AAST 146 which may be substituted.

HIST 174A East Asia Before 1800 3.0 FA *NW

HIST 174B East Asia After 1800 3.0 SP *NW

HIST 175 Pacific Tradition/Transform 3.0 FA *NW

This course is the same as INST 100 which may be substituted.

HIST 178 Chinese Women and Social History 3.0 SP NW

HIST 179 Southeast Asian History/Culture 3.0 SP

HIST 276 Modern China 3.0 FA NW

HIST 278 Modern Japan 3.0 SP NW

PHIL 102 Philosophy: East and West 3.0 FS *NW

R S 005 Asian Religions 3.0 FS *NW

R S 160 Religions of the Pacific Rim 3.0 FS *NW

R S 161 Japanese Religions 3.0 Inq

R S 162 Chinese Religions 3.0 Inq

R S 164 Buddhism 3.0 SP *NW

R S 165 Hinduism 3.0 FA *NW

R S 171 Mysticism: East and West 3.0 SP

Group B: Social and Applied Sciences

AAST 071 Intro Asian-American Experience 3.0 FS *Eth

This course is the same as SOCI 071 which may be substituted.

AAST 210 Asian Immigrtn: Wrld Sys Perspec 3.0 Inq Eth

ASST 167 Sociology of Mainland SE Asia 3.0 Inq *NW

This course is the same as SOCI 167 which may be substituted.

BIOL 111 Ecology/Natural Hist: Pacific 3.0 SP *

Prerequisites: BIOL 001 or equivalent.

ECON 175 Developing Countries 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: ECON 003.

ECON 176 Economics of the Pacific Rim 3.0 FS *NW

Prerequisites: ECON 001 or ECON 002 or faculty permission.

GEOG 170 Pacific Rim Regions 3.0 FA

INST 102 Intl Relations: Pacific Basin 3.0 SP *NW

This course is the same as POLS 146 and POLS 246D which may be substituted.

INST 192 World Food and Hunger Issues 3.0 FS *NW

This course is the same as ABUS 192 which may be substituted.

POLS 215D Comparative Government: Asia 3.0 SP

POLS 246D Intl Relations: Pacific Basin 3.0 SP *NW

This course is the same as INST 102 and POLS 146 which may be substituted.

POLS 247 Vietnam and Foreign Policy 3.0 S1

Group C: Languages

CHNS 001 First-Semester Chinese 3.0 FS

CHNS 002 Second-Semester Chinese 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: CHNS 001.

CHNS 003 Third-Semester Chinese 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: CHNS 002.

CHNS 004 Fourth-Semester Chinese 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: CHNS 003.

HNDI 001 First-Semester Hindi 3.0 FS

HNDI 002 Second-Semester Hindi 3.0 FS

JAPN 001 First-Semester Japanese 4.0 FS *

JAPN 002 Second-Semester Japanese 4.0 FS *

Prerequisites: JAPN 001 or faculty permission.

JAPN 003 Third-Semester Japanese 4.0 FS *

Prerequisites: JAPN 002 or faculty permission.

JAPN 004 Fourth-Semester Japanese 4.0 FS *

Prerequisites: JAPN 003 or faculty permission.

VIET 001 First-Semester Vietnamese 3.0 FS

VIET 002 Second-Semester Vietnamese 3.0 FS

VIET 003 Third-Semester Vietnamese 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: VIET 002.

VIET 004 Fourth-Semester Vietnamese 3.0 FS

Prerequisites: VIET 003.

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor’s degree, select additional elective courses from the total university offerings. You should consult with an adviser regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your university experience and apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program.
Consult your undergraduate adviser for specific information.

Honors in the Major

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major.
It involves 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

Your Honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair. Most importantly, however, the Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the university for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or competition in shows; such experience is valuable for graduate school and later professional life.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are

1. You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. At least 3 of these 6 units are independent study (299H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
2. You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
3. Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5 percent of majors in your department.
4. Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5 percent of majors in your department.
5. Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
6. Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your Honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major adviser for further information.

Honors in Asian Studies

To be eligible for Honors in Asian Studies, students must have completed all courses for the major with a GPA of 3.5. They must complete two years of a foreign language or have established competency in an Asian language. Upon recommendation by a faculty member and after an interview, the student will take 6 units of ASST 299H, Senior Honors Thesis, culminating in a public presentation of the project. In addition, an Asian experience of some sort (e.g., an international study program, language study in Asia, a summer project or internship, etc.) is strongly encouraged.