East Asian Studies is an exciting major for those looking for an interdisciplinary field with a lot of depth. EAS can combine history, literature, art history, political science, and language classes to really delve into learning about the region. East Asian studies programs often have interesting study abroad opportunities and ways to get involved on campus. Many colleges have great EAS programs, so if you want to study it, you have a lot of choices about where to go. Here are our choices for the top ten programs that you need to consider if you are thinking about studying EAS.
Princeton
Honestly, every Ivy League school has a great East Asian Studies Program. All of them could be on this list, but we promise we will change it up as much as possible! That being said, you certainly can’t go wrong with Princeton. If you are interested in Princeton, start brushing up on your Chinese, Japanese, or Korean since they do have a language requirement. Princeton has independent study options and a wide range of interesting classes such as Cosmopolitan Her: Writing in Late Capitalism and The Passionate Eye: Documentary Film in East Asia. Many of their classes are cross-listed especially in History meaning if you are hoping to minor or double major, it may be a good option to consider History as well.
Pomona
Pomona’s Asian Studies program is pretty flexible. They have courses in a wide range of subjects such as religion, economics, theatre, and more. Their students learn a language of choice and study abroad through programs in China, Japan, and Taiwan. They also offer an Asian American Studies major for those interested in Asian diasporic learning. Both majors utilize classes from across the Claremont Colleges so if you are interested in this major prepare to also take classes with professors at Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, and Pitzer College as well.
Columbia
East Asian Studies at Columbia is a major with a lot of opportunities. They offer a Senior Thesis Program as well as a Five Year Combined BA-MA Program for interested students. They also offer several Honors Awards and Fellowship Opportunities. Their Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) urges students in the program to consider studying abroad in Asia and has several programs through the university including the Summer Language Program in Beijing, Summer Business Chinese Program, and Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS).
Northwestern
Northwestern’s major in Asian Languages and Cultures is unique in that it allows for the study of a wider range of Asian cultures. They have programs in Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese, Korean, and Comparative. They also offer multiple minor options. While the major delves into languages it also explores literary studies, film and media studies, gender studies, and cultural studies, among other topics. They also offer awards, an honors track, scholarships, and encourage students to study abroad.
Yale
Yale has both an East Asian Studies major and an East Asian Languages and Literatures major. The East Asian Studies major is an interdisciplinary major. It’s a pretty flexible major with options in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean as well as a wide range of elective and study abroad options when it comes to credits. The East Asian Languages and Literatures major has students study two cultural traditions in depth. Students choose either the Chinese or Japanese track and take classes in both translated texts and the original language. Most students take classes in both tracks during their time in the program.
Wesleyan
The College of East Asian Studies (CEAS) at Wesleyan offers both a major and minor in East Asian Studies. The major is made up of 7 courses and while it isn’t required, it is highly encouraged that students study aboard. They offer everything from a summer language intensive abroad to a full year abroad program in Asia. Each student must also choose a concentration. There are four concentrations: Archaeology and History, Literature and Culture, Philosophy and Religion, and Political Economy. All students in this major also do a capstone in their senior year.
Stanford
Stanford offers a general East Asian Studies and also a major with a sub-plan in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. They also have an honors track and a minor. Their major has students take courses in Humanities, History, and Social Sciences. Majors must also complete a substantive concentration, a capstone essay, and at least 78 units (don’t worry, every class is worth multiple units.) Students are also highly encouraged to study overseas, especially through the Bing Overseas Studies Program (BOSP). They offer abroad programs in Hong Kong, Kyoto, and a program in Kyoto and Osaka called Shades of grey between life and death: Neuro-ethics across the Pacific.
Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt’s Asian Studies Program is interdisciplinary and has students learn literature, history, art history, religious studies, political science, sociology, film, and media studies. They also have faculty not only from Korea, China, and Japan but also from India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. While most students study Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese, or Korean for their language, Vanderbilt is also part of a telepresence consortium with the University of Virginia and Duke University to teach Tibetan. Their department offers several minors as well, most uniquely in Minor in South Asian Language and Culture. They also offer an honors track.
Harvard
EAS at Harvard has a couple of tracks. The first two are an honors route and a non-honors route. There are a couple of differences between the two, but the largest difference is that the non-honors track doesn’t require a thesis. They also offer a Joint Concentration- EAS Secondary Language Track, Joint Concentration- EAS Secondary Area Track, Joint Concentration in East Asian History, and a Secondary Field track. The historical track doesn’t require a language and the secondary field track allows for students to more easily learn about EAS while pursuing a different course of study.
Rice
The Asian Studies major at Rice has students take classes in geography, history, people and their movements, and culture. Students are encouraged to research throughout their education and there is also a capstone senior year. The school also offers research funding, the Rice Asian Studies Review, and the Rice Asian Studies Organization. They recently also added a lot of new courses including East Asian Art and World Cultural Heritage Sites, Gender and Society in Buddhism, and Understanding North Korea. Many of their classes are also cross-listed for those interested in double majoring or minoring.
East Asian Studies majors help students understand our world. Learning about the region can give you a window into the history, culture, and more of this exciting region. If you aren't scared of a language requirement and want a really great interdisciplinary major that often comes with aboard options, you need to check out these top ten schools with EAS degrees.
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