General Information

Advising

Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Programs

Instructional and Research Facilities and Programs

Center for Chinese Studies

Center for Japanese Studies

Center for Korean Studies

Center for Okinawan Studies

Center for Pacific Islands Studies

Center for Philippine Studies

Center for South Asian Studies

Center for Southeast Asian Studies

Asian Studies

Pacific Islands Studies

Asian Studies

Moore 416
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-6085
Fax: (808) 956-2682
Web: manoa.hawaii.edu/asianstudies/

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

*C. Clayton, PhD (Chair)— anthropology, East Asia (China)
*P. Abinales, PhD—political science, Southeast Asia (Philippines)
*B. Andaya, PhD—history, Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia)
*M. Aung-Thwin, PhD—history, Southeast Asia (Myanmar)
*L. Carlile, PhD—political science, East Asia (Japan)
*E. Harwit, PhD—political science, East Asia (China)
*R. Kwok, PhD—urban and regional planning, East Asia (China)
*Y. Park, PhD—anthropology, East Asia (Korea)
*A. Stirr, PhD—ethnomusicology, South Asia (Nepal)

Area Centers: Directors and Faculty

*P. Abinales, PhD—Director, Philippine Studies
*S. Bhatawadekar, PhD— Director, South Asia Studies
*L. Carlile, PhD—Director, Japanese Studies
*M. Ishida, PhD—Director, Okinawan Studies
*F. Lau, PhD—Director, Chinese Studies
*S. H. Lee, PhD—Director, Korean Studies
F. Magdalena, PhD—Associate Director, Philippine Studies
*C. Ning, PhD— Associate Director, Chinese Studies
*K. Pauka, PhD—Director, Southeast Asian Studies
P. Rausch, MA—Associate Director, Southeast Asian Studies
*G. Satsuma, PhD—Associate Director, Japanese Studies

Emeritus

B. Aquino, PhD—political science, Southeast Asia (Philippines)
E. Shultz, PhD—history, East Asia (Korea)
R. Trimillos, PhD—ethnomusicology, Southeast Asia (Philippines)

Cooperating Faculty

The academic program of the Asian Studies Program (ASP) is facilitated and enhanced by the participation and support of the affiliate faculty of seven centers focused on Asia in the school: Chinese, Japan, Korean, Okinawan, Philippine, South Asian, and Southeast Asian studies.

These resources are enhanced by the close cooperation and academic relationship between the ASP and the East-West Center.

Degrees and Certificates Offered: BA (including minor) in Asian studies, MA in Asian studies

The Academic Program

Asian Studies is an academic field that places the region we call Asia at the center of interdisciplinary inquiry. It encompasses both historical and contemporary perspectives on the geography, history, politics, economics, legal systems, languages and literatures, religious and belief systems, and expressive cultures of Asia. At UH Manoa, this means students can focus on one of six specific geocultural regions—China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, South Asia, or Southeast Asia—or incorporate specific interests into a program of study that emphasizes the connections and interactions between these regions (Inter-Asia). The Asian Studies faculty are trained in fields as diverse as geography, history, anthropology, political science, sociology, language and literature, ethnomusicology, performing arts, and urban and regional planning. In addition to the faculty in Asian Studies, there are more than 250 Asia specialists on the faculties of departments and programs throughout the campus. Several hundred courses on Asia (or with substantive Asia content) are taught at UH Manoa, a unique strength the Asian Studies Program draws on in crafting its BA and MA degrees. The academic program in Asian Studies offers a robust framework within which students can design individual plans of study to suit their particular goals. Finally, competency in an Asian language commensurate with the student’s focus and level is considered fundamental, and is a required part of the program.

Advising

Graduate students are advised by the appropriate area director or designated faculty. Undergraduates majoring in Asian studies are advised by an undergraduate studies advisor.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor’s Degree

The undergraduate program in Asian Studies is designed for students desiring a liberal arts education and a broad background in traditional and contemporary Asian cultures.

Students seeking a BA in Asian Studies must meet all the requirements for admission established by SPAS.
Asian Studies is normally declared as a major at the end of the sophomore year or beginning of the junior year though students may apply for admission to the program at any time. The formal declaration is made through the school's Student Academic Services Office

Program Requirements

• Earn at least a 2.0 GPA (C average) for all UH Mânoa registered courses
  
• Register for all required courses (core, major, minor, and certificates) for a letter grade
  
• Earn a grade of C (not C-) or better in each course applied to the major, minor, and certificate requirements
  
• 45 upper division credits of 300+ courses
  

Major Requirements

• Total of at least 36 credit hours of Asia-related course work
  
• ASAN 201 and 202, 310 and 312, and 3 additional credit hours of ASAN courses at the 300 or 400 level
  
• Two years of an Asian language (excluding conversation or aural comprehension courses), or demonstration of the equivalent level
  

Majors must also complete one of the following study plans:

Plan 1:

• 12 credit hours of Asia-related course work from one of the following disciplines or areas: anthropology, art, economics, geography, history, linguistics, literature, music, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, communicology, or theater and dance
  
• 9 credit hours of Asia-related courses outside the primary field of concentration, as approved by the advisor

Plan 2:

• 12 credit hours of course work on one Asian country or region (e.g., Japan, Southeast Asia)
  
• 9 credit hours focused on one or more additional Asian countries or regions
  

ASAN courses used to satisfy General Education Core requirements may not be used to satisfy major requirements or vice versa.

Language study beyond the required level may count toward the major and is encouraged for Asian Studies majors.

For information on a Bachelor Degree Program Sheet, go to www.manoa.hawaii.edu/ovcaa/programsheets/.

Minor Requirements

There are no required courses for acceptance into the Asian Studies minor program. Attendance in ASAN 201-202 (Introduction to Asian Studies) is recommended.

Students must complete 15 credit hours including:

• ASAN 310 Asian Humanities or 312 Contemporary Asian Civilization (3 credits)
  
• ASAN courses numbered 300 and above (minimum 6 credits)
  
• Asia-related courses in disciplines other than the major field numbered 300 and above (maximum 6 credits)

It is possible to focus on one particular country or region, such as China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Southeast Asia, or South Asia.

The Asian Studies undergraduate advisor will identify Asia-related courses in various disciplines and assist in planning schedules and preparing minor forms.

Graduate Study

Master’s Degree

The master’s program in Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding of a particular geographical and cultural region of Asia or the interactions between Asian regions. The MA in Asian Studies is offered as Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis).

Although UH Manoa does not offer a PhD in Asian Studies, Asia-focused PhD programs are available in anthropology, East Asian languages and literatures, economics, geography, history, linguistics, music, philosophy, political science, public health, sociology, theater, and tropical agriculture. Students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree in any of these fields should contact the appropriate department.

A student’s academic program should concentrate on one of the following regions: China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, South Asia, Southeast Asia, or Inter-Asia. Students without sufficient academic background in Asia-related course work (including the relevant language) may be required to take certain preparatory courses to make up this deficiency without credit toward the degree. Prospective students should note that the program requires successful completion of course work or demonstrable proficiency in an Asian language beyond the fourth-year level for students concentrating on Japan, at the fourth-year level for students concentrating on China or Korea, or the third-year level for students concentrating on the Philippines, South Asia, or Southeast Asia. Students who are fluent in an Asian language may, with proof of proficiency, have the foreign language requirement waived if they plan to concentrate either on that region or on Inter-Asia. If they elect to focus on a different region, they must fulfill the language requirement as stated above. If the foreign language requirement is waived, students must take 6 credits of other courses to fulfill the total number of credits required for the degree.

Plan A (Thesis) Requirements

The MA Plan A degree in Asian studies requires the following:

1. A minimum of 36 credit hours. Of these, at least 12 must be earned in courses numbered 600 or higher (excluding 700), and at least 6 in ASAN 700 Thesis Research.
   
2. Full-time study for a minimum of two academic semesters.
   
3. A minimum of 6 credit hours in an Asian language equivalent to the following: Japanese–6 credit hours beyond the 401 and 402 level; Chinese–8 credit hours at the 401 and 402 level; Korean–6 credit hours at the 401 and 402 level; Philippine, South and Southeast Asian languages–6 credit hours at the 301 and 302 level. An entering student who has achieved this level and can demonstrate proficiency through examination may select alternate courses equaling 6 credit hours in consultation with the area advisor.
   
4. An introductory graduate seminar in the particular area of concentration (ASAN 600), taken at the beginning of the student’s program.
   
5. A graduate research seminar in the particular area of concentration (ASAN 750).
   
6. A minimum of 3 additional credit hours in Asian Studies.
   
7. A minimum of 15 credit hours of interdisciplinary study related to the candidate's country or region, with at least 3 credit hours each in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts. No more than 9 credit hours in one discipline will be counted. A maximum of 6 credits may be taken outside the region of focus, after consultation with academic advisor.
   
8. Satisfactory completion of a master’s thesis and an oral examination on the thesis given by the student’s three-member faculty committee.
   
9. With advance approval from the graduate program and Graduate Division, up to 6 credits of 699 (directed reading) courses may be applied toward the MA. 699 courses may only be used for electives, not as a substitute for Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences requirements, except when no courses in those categories are available.
   

Plan B (Non-thesis) Requirements

The MA Plan B degree in Asian studies requires:

1. A minimum of 36 credit hours. Of these, at least 18 credits must be earned in courses numbered 600 or higher (excluding 700).
   
2. Full-time study for a minimum of two academic semesters.
   
3. A minimum of 6 credit hours in an Asian language equivalent to the following: Japanese–6 credit hours beyond the 401 and 402 level; Chinese–8 credit hours at the 401 and 402 level; Korean–6 credit hours at the 401 and 402 level; Philippine, South and Southeast Asian languages–6 credit hours at the 301 and 302 level (an entering student who has achieved this level and can demonstrate proficiency through examination may select alternate courses equaling 6 credit hours with the consent of the area advisor).
   
4. An introductory graduate seminar in the particular area of concentration (ASAN 600), taken at the beginning of the student’s program.
   
5. A graduate research seminar in the particular area of concentration (ASAN 750).
   
6. A minimum of 3 additional credit hours in Asian Studies.
   
7. A minimum of 21 credit hours of interdisciplinary study related to the candidate’s country or region, with at least 3 credit hours each in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts. No more than 9 credit hours in one discipline will be counted. A maximum of 6 credits may be taken outside the country/region of focus, after consultation with academic advisor.
   
8. Presentation of a portfolio consisting of two seminar papers, and satisfactory completion of an oral examination based on the papers given by the student’s three-member faculty committee.
   
9. With advance approval from the graduate program and Graduate Division, up to 9 credits of 699 (directed reading) courses may be applied toward the MA. 699 courses may only be used for electives, not as a substitute for Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences requirements, except when no courses in those categories are available.
   

Certificate Programs

Graduate Certificates

The Asian Studies Graduate Program offers Graduate Certificates in the following areas: Asian Studies, Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Korean Studies, Philippine Studies, South Asian Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies. The graduate certificate programs are open to all students of graduate standing who meet the admissions requirements. Graduate certificates allow professionals and graduate students in discipline-based programs to gain (and demonstrate evidence of) cutting-edge knowledge of Asia or a specific region in Asia. Graduate students in Asian Studies may also apply to the Graduate Certificate Program to enhance their understanding of an Asian region outside their area of focus for the MA.

Certificate Requirements

1. At least 15 credits of course work at UH Manoa about the region of the certificate program. Of these, at least 9 credits must be at the 600 level or above (excluding 700).
   
2. ASAN 600 Approaches to Asian Studies.
   
3. ASAN 750 Research Seminar in Asian Studies.
   
4. At least two years in the language (or one of the languages) of the certificate program. The student must obtain a B grade or higher in the 202 level of an Asian language associated with the region of the certificate program, or take an exam to prove competency at that level. The language requirement can be satisfied prior to acceptance into the program or at the conclusion if the language training is done concurrently. Courses taken to fulfill language requirements do not count toward certificate credit requirements.
   

Academic advising will be provided by Asian Studies faculty.

ASAN Courses