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List of All U.S. Colleges with an Asian Studies Major
Asia has played an enormous role in the global political, cultural, economic, and other spheres, both currently and historically. That’s why scholars are so eager to study this important region. It’s also a rich, diverse major that can set you up for success in a wide variety of careers, from politics to law to the arts. Keep reading to learn all about the Asian studies major and how it will prepare you for your future. Aiming to broaden students’ understanding of Asian cultures, languages, and life, Asian studies is an interdisciplinary program combining many areas of focus, such as history, literature, political science, anthropology, communication, and economics. Among others, specific topics and course requirements may include: Students often engage in research and explore a wide range of topics in Asian cultures. This is a liberal arts major that will help students build skills and gain experience in text and primary source analysis; clear communication in writing, speaking, and reading in both English and Asian languages; cultural, historical, and economic comparison; language proficiency; and research. Asian studies graduates have many and varied opportunities across sectors like: Some of these positions require graduate degrees. There are also master’s degree and PhD programs in Asian studies or niche topics, like Cornell University’s Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture PhD program. This is particularly useful for academic careers in Asian studies. Asian studies is an interdisciplinary major, as discussed, and combines topics in many fields. Look for schools with faculty who are recognized leaders and scholars in their fields, particularly if they emphasize Asian cultures within their body of work. This might, for example, include faculty focused on Asian literature. Many Asian studies programs urge students to study abroad in Asia to immerse themselves in the culture. Whether you want to study in China, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Malaysia, South Korea, or someplace else, many colleges will offer exchange programs to learn more about the countries they’re studying firsthand. Look for schools that help students find internships that allow them to gain experience in an Asian studies-related field. At Pace University, for example, the Global Asia Studies program assists students with securing internships at Asian cultural institutions in New York City. The program’s website says that these experiences encourage students to develop new connections in the community, professional skills, and “a deepened understanding of diasporic Asian cultures.” Some Asian studies programs require research projects as part of their major. Even if they don’t, you should aim to get research experience anyway, working with faculty in the program and in related disciplines. Look for programs that provide opportunities to conduct research with scholars in their field. School City State American University Washington DC Washington DC Amherst College Amherst Massachusetts Arizona State University | ASU Tempe Arizona Augustana College Rock Island Illinois Austin College Sherman Texas Barnard College New York New York Baylor University Waco Texas Belmont University Nashville Tennessee Bennington College Bennington Vermont Berea College Berea Kentucky Birmingham-Southern College | BSC Birmingham Alabama Boston University | BU Boston Massachusetts Bowdoin College Brunswick Maine Bowling Green State University | BGSU Bowling Green Ohio Brigham Young University | BYU Provo Utah California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State Long Beach California Calvin College Grand Rapids Michigan Carleton College Northfield Minnesota Carthage College Kenosha Wisconsin Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Ohio Claremont McKenna College | CMC Claremont California Clark University Worcester Massachusetts Coe College Cedar Rapids Iowa Colgate University Hamilton New York College of St. Benedict | CSB Saint Joseph Minnesota College of the Holy Cross | Holy Cross Worcester Massachusetts Colorado College Colorado Springs Colorado Cornell University Ithaca New York Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire DePauw University Greencastle Indiana Florida International University | FIU Miami Florida Florida State University | FSU Tallahassee Florida Furman University Greenville South Carolina George Washington University | GW Washington Washington DC Gonzaga University Spokane Washington Hamilton College Clinton New York Hobart and William Smith Colleges | HWS Geneva New York Hofstra University Hempstead New York Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP Indiana Pennsylvania Kennesaw State University | KSU Kennesaw Georgia Knox College Galesburg Illinois Lafayette College Easton Pennsylvania Lake Forest College Lake Forest Illinois Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania Lewis & Clark College Portland Oregon Loyola Marymount University | LMU Los Angeles California Macalester College Saint Paul Minnesota Marietta College Marietta Ohio Montana State University | MSU Bozeman Montana Mount Holyoke College South Hadley Massachusetts New York University | NYU New York New York Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts Northwestern University Evanston Illinois Ohio University Athens Ohio Old Dominion University | ODU Norfolk Virginia Pace University New York New York Pennsylvania State University | PSU University Park Pennsylvania Pepperdine University Malibu California Pomona College Claremont California Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana Rice University Houston Texas Rollins College Winter Park Florida Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s Moraga California San Diego State University | SDSU San Diego California Scripps College Claremont California Seattle University Seattle Washington Seton Hall University South Orange New Jersey Sewanee: The University of the South | Sewanee Sewanee Tennessee Skidmore College Saratoga Springs New York St. John’s University Queens New York St. Joseph’s University | SJU Philadelphia Pennsylvania St. Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City Maryland St. Olaf College Northfield Minnesota Suffolk University Boston Massachusetts Swarthmore College Swarthmore Pennsylvania Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania The State University of New York at Albany | SUNY Albany Albany New York The State University of New York at Binghamton | SUNY Binghamton Vestal New York The State University of New York at Stony Brook | SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook New York Tufts University Medford Massachusetts Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana Union College (New York) Schenectady New York University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley Berkeley California University of California, Los Angeles | UCLA Los Angeles California University of California, Riverside | UC Riverside Riverside California University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB Santa Barbara California University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Ohio University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder Boulder Colorado University of Delaware Newark Delaware University of Florida Gainesville Florida University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa Honolulu Hawaii University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa University of Louisville Louisville Kentucky University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC Baltimore Maryland University of Massachusetts Boston | UMass Boston Boston Massachusetts University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan University of Montana Missoula Montana University of Nevada, Las Vegas | UNLV Las Vegas Nevada University of New Mexico | UNM Albuquerque New Mexico University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC Chapel Hill North Carolina University of Northern Colorado | UNC Greeley Colorado University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana University of Oregon Eugene Oregon University of Redlands Redlands California University of Richmond University of Richmond Virginia University of San Francisco | USF San Francisco California University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin Austin Texas University of the Pacific Stockton California University of Toledo Toledo Ohio University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah University of Vermont | UVM Burlington Vermont University of Washington Seattle Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin Madison Wisconsin Utah State University Logan Utah Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee Vassar College Poughkeepsie New York Washington State University | WSU Pullman Washington Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Norton Massachusetts Whitman College Walla Walla Washington Willamette University Salem Oregon Williams College Williamstown Massachusetts Notice a school that’s missing? Email us and let us know! Whether you want to pursue a degree in Asian studies or one of hundreds of other disciplines, you’ll need to have stellar credentials to gain admission to top schools. Most selective colleges and universities use the Academic Index to filter out applicants, so first, you should put forth your best effort in all your courses and prepare extensively for your standardized tests. You should also pay attention to the qualitative aspects of your application, pursuing leadership positions in your extracurriculars (such as heading an Asian language club or participating in a non-profit or cultural organization) and writing an exceptional essay. To find out your real odds of admission to more than 500 colleges and universities, including those with top Asian studies programs, try our Chancing Engine. Not only will you find out how your profile compares with that of admitted students, but you’ll also receive guidance on how to improve your application. It’s completely free! We'll send valuable information to help you strengthen your profile and get ready for college admissions.Overview of the Asian Studies Major
What to Look for in a College as an Asian Studies Major
Faculty who are preeminent interdisciplinary scholars
Study abroad opportunities
Internship placement
Research opportunities
List of All U.S. Colleges With an Asian Studies Major
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
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