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East Asian Languages and Literatures

College of Languages, Linguistics and Literature
Moore 382
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8940
Fax: (808) 956-9515
Web: www.hawaii.edu/eall/

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

*J. R. Cohn, PhD (Chair)—Japanese literature, especially comedy and modern fiction; and bibliography
*D. E. Ashworth, PhD—Japanese and Asian language pedagogy; telecommunications and language learning; translation pedagogy
*H. M. Cook, PhD—Japanese linguistics, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis and pragmatics; language socialization
S. A. Curry, PhD—Japanese language teaching
*J. H. Haig, PhD—Japanese linguistics, syntax, and semantics, functional syntax, linguistic theory
*K. Hijirida, EdD—Japanese language pedagogy; language for special purposes; curriculum design, development and assessment
S. H. Hirate, MA—Japanese language teaching
C. I. Hitosugi, MA—Japanese language teaching
*H-I. Hsieh, PhD—Chinese language and linguistics; Chinese literature and culture; mathematical linguistics; semantics; cognitive grammar
*R. N. Huey, PhD—classical Japanese literature (especially waka)
T. Iwai, MA—Japanese language teaching
S. Jiang, MA—Chinese language teaching
*K. Kanno, PhD—Japanese linguistics, syntax, second language acquisition, parsing
H. U. Kelley, MA—Japanese language teaching
*Y-H. Kim, PhD—modern Korean women writers; modern Korean literature; Korean culture; East Asian women writers and society
*T. D. Klafehn, PhD—language acquisition, psycholinguistics, language processing and representation, Japanese inflectional morphology, cognitive science
*K. Kondo-Brown, EdD—Japanese language pedagogy, second language assessment, heritage language development
J. Kwan, MA—Chinese language teaching
M. Lachmann, MA—Japanese language teaching
*D. J. Lee, PhD—Korean language and linguistics, language acquisition
*Y-C. Li, PhD—Chinese syntax and semantics, language acquisition, comparative dialects, classical Chinese, sociolinguistics, language planning, second language acquisition
*L. B. Lower, PhD—modern Japanese literature and film
J-Y. Lu-Chen, PhD—Chinese language teaching, translation and interpretation
K. A. Masunaga, MA—Japanese language teaching
*D. R. McCraw, PhD—Chinese classical literature, especially poetry, particularly Tang shi, Song shi and ci, and Qing ci
G. E. Nakahara, PhD—Japanese language teaching
*N. M. Ochner, PhD—modern Japanese literature, comparative literature of Japan and the West, bibliography
M. Ogasawara, MA—Japanese language teaching
D. T. Ogawa, MA—Japanese language teaching
*K. J. Ota, PhD—Mandarin, Japanese and Taiwanese syntax, application of high-tech in language teaching
*M. J. Park, PhD—Korean language and linguistics, pedagogy, pragmatics
G. E. Ray, MA—Japanese language teaching
*K. A. Reynolds, PhD—Japanese socio-historical linguistics, and sociolinguistics (gender and class)
*L. A. Serafim, PhD—Japonic linguistics: Japanese and Ryukyuan language history and dialectology; the relation of Japonic to Korean, Ryukyuan/Okinawan history
K. Shoji, MA—Japanese language teaching
*H-M. Sohn, PhD—Korean language and linguistics, Korean-Japanese comparative syntax, general linguistics
*M-W. Song, PhD—modern Chinese literature, especially novel; Chinese film studies; youth culture in twentieth century China
M. Steverson, MA—Japanese language teaching
Y. Tateyama, MA—Japanese language teaching
*A. H. Thornhill, PhD—medieval Japanese literature and religion
*G. Vitiello, PhD—late imperial Chinese fiction and history of sexuality
*A. V. Vovin, PhD—Japanese, Korean and Tungusic historical and descriptive linguistics; Central Asian linguistics; the Ainu language
Y. Wada, MA—Japanese language teaching
P. C-K. Woo, MA—Japanese language teaching
*T-C. Yao, PhD—Chinese language pedagogy, computer-assisted language instruction in Chinese
*D. R. Yoshimi, PhD—Japanese second language acquisition and pedagogy; discourse analysis, pragmatics and sociolinguistics
*M-B. Yue, PhD—cultural identity in 20th century Chinese literature and film, construction of Chineseness in Asian-American literature, diasporic consciousness in travel and exile literature, post-colonial literature in Asia, multiculturalism in Europe, theories of ideology and representation, feminism and psychoanalysis, film criticism, [Inter-Asia] cultural studies
S. M. Zeng, PhD—Chinese language teaching, translation and interpretation

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

G. Kasper, PhD—second-language discourse analysis, conversational analysis, pragmatics, qualitative research methods

Degrees and Certificates Offered: Certificate in Chinese, Certificate in Japanese, Certificate in Korean, Minor in Chinese, Minor in Japanese, Minor in Korean, BA in Chinese, BA in Japanese, BA in Korean, MA in East Asian languages and literatures, PhD in East Asian languages and literatures

The Academic Program

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) is the largest department of its kind in the country and offers a curriculum unparalleled in its breadth, depth, and variety of courses in Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese), Japanese, and Korean.

At the undergraduate level, language skill courses are aimed at developing a high level of proficiency in both the spoken and written aspects of the languages. Cultural awareness as well as language proficiency are promoted through extra-curricular activities such as student clubs, video/film showings, lectures, and study abroad programs. The department currently offers programs in Hainan, China, Kobe, Japan and Obirin, Japan through the Study Abroad Center. Other courses provide both introductory and advanced coverage of the literatures of East Asia and the analysis and description of the languages themselves. The graduate program is primarily designed to provide students with advanced professional training in language history, structure, pedagogy, and sociolinguistics, as well as literary history and criticism.

While most students enroll in language courses to fulfill the general education core requirement for foreign languages, there are many who plan to use Chinese, Japanese, or Korean in research or graduate studies. Those who plan to enter the work force immediately upon completing their undergraduate studies find that their language proficiency opens doors to employment in the local travel industry and other internationally oriented businesses.

Undergraduate Study

BA in Chinese

Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 34 credit hours, including the following upper division courses:

  • CHN 301, 302, 401, and 402
  • 9 credit hours from the following, with at least 3 credits from each group:
    (a) CHN 451, 452, 455, 470
    (b) EALL 361, 362, 363B, 363C
  • 9 credit hours of approved courses in Chinese language and literature

BA in Japanese

Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours, including:

  • JPN 350, 370, 401, 402, and 407E
  • JPN 407B, 407C, or 407D
  • EALL 271 and 272
  • 12 credit hours in approved courses

BA in Korean

Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours, including:

  • KOR 301, 302, 401, 402, 451, 452, and 470
  • EALL 281 or 282
  • 12 credit hours in approved courses

Minor

Students planning to declare a minor should have completed successfully four semesters of language skill courses or their equivalent and must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. A minimum of 15-17 credits from five courses in one of the three languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) will be required. At least 9 credits will be from non-language skills courses with a focus on linguistics or literature. In the case of native speakers, they will be required to take five non-language skill courses. All courses selected must have the approval of advisors in both the student’s major department and the EALL Department. Only courses with a C (not C-) or above will be counted, and the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for the five courses. All courses must be taken within the UH system, with minimum of at least three courses taken at UH Manoa. A detailed description of program requirements is available at the department office in Moore Hall 382.

Certificate

Certificates in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are offered to eligible students. A minimum of 15 credit hours from 301 or above in the language of choice must be earned with a minimum GPA of 3.0. A detailed description of the program requirements is available from the department office in Moore 382.

Graduate Study

Complete details on the graduate programs are available from the department office in Moore Hall 382 and on the department’s webpage. All of our graduate degree programs are academic in nature, and focus on the disciplines of linguistic and literary study.

MA graduates of the programs have obtained positions as instructors in private schools, two- and four-year colleges and universities; as translators; and in various capacities in private firms and government service. PhD graduates have obtained teaching positions at universities in the U.S. mainland and in several Asian countries.

The MA and PhD are recognized Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) regional graduate programs. Residents of Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are eligible, upon admission, to enroll at Hawai‘i-resident tuition rates. See the “Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid” section of this Catalog for more information on WICHE programs.

The MA degree is offered in the fields of Chinese language, Chinese literature, Japanese language, Japanese literature, Korean language, and Korean literature. The PhD degree is offered with concentrations in the same fields. All applicants for the MA program must have a BA in the language of their concentration or equivalent preparation and must submit three letters of recommendation and GRE General Test scores. All applicants for the PhD program must have a BA, and must have earned with distinction an MA in the language or literature of their concentration, and must submit three letters of recommendation, GRE General Test scores, and a sample of their scholarly writing in English. Normally, each newly-admitted MA student is required to undergo a diagnostic evaluation and each PhD student is required to undergo an assessment, differing according to subfield, as well as fulfill any language requirement, before being advanced to candidacy. Students emphasizing Japanese Language/Linguistics must also fulfill a publishable paper requirement before being advanced to candidacy.

The MA candidate may select either the Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis) program; Plan A must have the approval of the graduate chair.

Master’s Degree

Requirements

For Plan A, students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including at least 18 credit hours in the major field and 6 credit hours of thesis research. A minimum of 12 credit hours in the major field must be earned in courses numbered 600 or higher, including a 700-level seminar and excluding 699V.

For Plan B, students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including at least 21 credit hours in the major field. A minimum of 18 credit hours in the major field must be earned in courses numbered 600 or higher, including a 700-level seminar and excluding 699V.

Doctoral Degree

Requirements

PhD candidates are expected to master four fields, at least one of which will be outside the students’ areas of specialization. They must pass a comprehensive examination covering the four fields, complete an original dissertation, and pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation. Apart from having a command of English and their concentration language, candidates must have knowledge of a second East Asian language equivalent to two years of study; in some cases a third East Asian language or an additional European language may be required.

EALL Courses