Core Curriculum Requirements
In addition to the requirements you must fulfill for your major, the College of Arts and Sciences requires you to complete approximately 46 semester hours of credit in the core curriculum. Credits in the major may also apply toward these core hours.
The core curriculum is designed to provide you with a broad education. Courses in the core are distributed through four skills acquisition areas and seven content areas of study. The interdisciplinary Asian Studies program offers dozens of  courses in seven core areas that can be used to fulfill core curriculum and major requirements simultaneously.
Major Requirements
In addition to the college core curriculum, as an Asian Studies major you must complete the following requirements:
1. Maintain an overall and Asian Studies grade point average of at least a 2.00 (C) and complete all Asian Studies courses with a C- or better.
2. Complete a minimum of 39 credit hours of Asia-related courses. At least 18 credit hours must be in upper-division courses (may include language courses).
3. Students must complete one of the following courses:
- HIST 1408 (Introduction to South Asian History – 3 credits)
- HIND 1011 (Introduction to Indian Civilization - 3 credits)
- FRSI 1011 (Introduction to Persian Civilization - 3 credits)
- ARAB 1011 (Introduction to Arab and Islamic Civilizations - 3 credits)
4. Students must complete one of the following courses:
- HIST 1608Â Â Intro to Chinese History (Dept of History, 3 credits)
- CHIN 1012Â China Civ survey (ALC, 4 credits)
- HIST 1708Â Â Intro to Japanese History (Dept of History, 3 credits)
- JPNS 1012Â Japan Civ survey (ALC, 4 credits)
5. Complete two additional courses in Asian history (6 credits). Choose from the following 3-credit-hour courses:
- HIST 1308Â Introduction to Middle Eastern History
- HIST 1408Â Introduction to South Asian History
- HIST 1608Â Introduction to Chinese History
- HIST 1708Â Introduction to Japanese History
- HIST 2166Â The Vietnam Wars
- HIST 2629Â China in World History
- HIST 3328Â Seminar in Middle Eastern History
- HIST 3628Â Seminar in Recent Chinese History
- HIST 3718Â Seminar in Japanese History
- HIST 4109Â WWII in Asia and the Pacific
- HIST 4166Â The War in Vietnam and Its Legacy
- HIST 4328Â The Modern Middle East, 1600 to the Present
- HIST 4349 Â Decolonization of the British Empire
- HIST 4528Â Â Islam in South and Southeast Asia (1000 to the Present)
- HIST 4538Â Â History of Modern India
- HIST 4548Â Â Women in Modern India
- HIST 4558Â Â Modern Indian Intellectual History
- HIST 4618Â Â Traditional China
- HIST 4619Â Â Women in Asian History
- HIST 4628Â Â Modern China
- HIST 4638Â Â Contemporary China
- HIST 4648 Â History of Modern Chinese Intellectual Thought
- HIST 4658Â Â China and Islam from the 7th Century to the 20th Century
- HIST 4718 Â Ancient, Classical, Medieval Japanese History
- HIST 4728 Â Modern Japanese History
- HIST 4738Â Â History of Early Modern Japan (1590 - 1868)
- other approved courses.
6. Complete three sequential semesters of a single Asian language (9-15 credits). Choose from the following Asian languages:
- Arabic (sequence of three years offered)
- Chinese (sequence of four years offered)
- Hindi (sequence of three years offered)
- Farsi (sequence of three years offered)
- Japanese (sequence of four years offered)
- Korean (sequence of three years offered)
- Sanskrit and Tibetan are also available through Continuing Education
7. Complete at least one three-credit course each in the Social Sciences and in the Humanities. Social Science courses include the following (courses with specific approved sections are in bold):
- ANTH 1100Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: The Tamils
- ANTH 1105Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: Tibet
- ANTH 1110Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: Japan
- ANTH 4690Â Anthropology of Tibet
- ANTH 4750Â Culture and Society in South Asia
- ANTH 4760Â Ethnography of Southeast Asia and Indonesia
- ECON 4433 Economics of the Pacific Area
- GEOG 3822 Geography of China
- GEOG 4822 Environment and Development in China
- JOUR 4871 Asian Media
- PSCI 3072Â Â Â Government and Politics in Southeast Asia
- PSCI 3102Â Â Â South Asian Politics
- PSCI 4052Â Â Â Chinese Politics
- PSCI 4242Â Â Â Middle Eastern Politics
- PSCI 4312Â Â Â Politics and Language
- WMST 3220 Women in Islam
- and other classes upon faculty advisor approval
8. Complete ASIA 4830 (Senior Thesis or Project in Asian Studies - 3 hours)
Studies an approved Asian topic, following guidelines established by the Asian Studies faculty advisor. To complete this requirement students are to undertake an independent study, working one-on-one under the guidance of a faculty member of their own choosing, and to present their work after it has been completed. It is up to each student to figure out which faculty member he or she would like to work with (in cooperation with the Asian Studies faculty advisor) and to get that faculty member's formal approval. After the student has gotten a faculty member's formal agreement to serve as advisor, the student is required to complete the Asian Studies Senior Thesis form located . The student should keep one copy of the completed form, give one copy to the faculty member who will supervise the work, and give one copy to the Asian Studies faculty advisor. This process should be completed by no later than the end of the second to last semester of the student's college career. More information is available here.
9. Complete additional credit hours to accumulate the 39 credits needed for the major (remember that at least 18 credit hours must be in upper-division courses), selected from the following 3-credit-hour courses (*courses with specific approved sections are in bold):
- ANTH 1100Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: The Tamils
- ANTH 1105Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: Tibet
- ANTH 1110Â Exploring a Non-Western Culture: Japan
- ANTH 4690Â Anthropology of Tibet
- ANTH 4750Â Culture and Society in South Asia
- ANTH 4760Â Ethnography of Southeast Asia and Indonesia
- ARAB 1011Â Introduction to Arab and Islamic Civilizations
- ARAB 3230Â Islamic Culture and the Iberian Peninsula
- ARAB 3330Â The Arabic Novel
- ARTH 2409Â Introduction to Asian Art
- ARTH 3609 East Asian Ceramics
- ARTH 3619Â The Arts of China
- ARTH 3629Â The Arts of Japan
- ARTH 4029Â The Arts of Islam
- ARTH 4449Â Art of India and Southeast Asia
- ARTH 4469Â Chinese Painting
- ARTH 4499/5499 Arts of Vietnam in Context
- ASIA 4300Â Open Topics: Readings in Asian Literature
- ASIA 4840Â Independent Study
- ASIA 4930 Engage Asia: Internship in Asian Studies
- CHIN 1051Â Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation
- CHIN 1061Â Boudoirs, Books, Battlefields: Voices and Images of Chinese Women
- CHIN 2441 Film and the Dynamics of Chinese Culture
- CHIN 3200Â Advanced Writing Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization
- CHIN 3311Â The Dao and the World in Medieval China
- CHIN 3321Â Culture and Literature of Ancient China
- CHIN 3331Â Culture and Literature of Late Imperial China
- CHIN 3341Â Literature and Popular Culture in Modern China
- CHIN 3351Â Reality and Dream in Traditional Chinese Fiction
- CHIN 3361Â Women and the Supernatural in Chinese Literature
- CHIN 3371Â Topics in Chinese Film
- CHIN 3441Â Chinese Language and Society
- CHIN 3451Â Â Â Language and Gender in China
- CHIN 4210Â Â Â Introduction to Classical Chinese
- CHIN 4220Â Â Readings in Classical Chinese
- CHIN 4300Â Â Â Open Topics: Readings in Chinese Literature
- CHIN 4750 Â Â Daoism
- CHIN 4900Â Â Â Independent Study
- CHIN 4950Â Â Â Honors Thesis
- EALC 1011 Â Â Introduction to Traditional East Asian Civilizations
- EALC 1021 Â Â Introduction to Modern East Asian Civilizations
- EALC 4950 Â Â Internship
- EDUC 4800Â Â Global Education Methods: Asia
- EMUS1467/3467/5467 Japanese or Gamelan Ensemble
- FILM 2513Â Â Â Major Asian Filmmakers
- FILM 4023Â Â Â Â Contemporary Asian Cinema
- FRSI 1011 Â Â Â Introduction to Persian Civilization
- GEOG 3822Â Â Geography of China
- GEOG 4822Â Â Environment and Development in China
- HIND1011Â Â Â Introduction to South Asian Civilizations
- HIND 2441Â Â Screening India: A History of Bollywood Cinema
- HIND 3651 Â Â Living Indian Epics: The Ramayana and the Mahabharata in the Modern Political Imagination
- HIND 3661Â Â South Asian Diasporas: Imagining Home Abroad
- HIND 3811 Â Â Subversive Indo-Pakistani Literature
- HIND 3821Â Â The Mahabharata as Literature, Performance, Ideology
- HIND 3831Â Â The Many Faces of Krishna in South Asia Literature and Culture
- JOUR 4871Â Â Asian Media
- JPNS 1051Â Â Â Masterpieces of Japanese Literature in Translation
- JPNS 2441Â Â Â Film and Japanese Culture
- JPNS 3200Â Advanced Writing Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization
- JPNS 3331Â Â Â Business Japanese
- JPNS 3441Â Â Â Language and Japanese Society
- JPNS 3811Â Â Â Classical Japanese Literature in Translation
- JPNS 3821Â Â Â Medieval Japanese Literature in Translation
- JPNS 3831Â Â Â Early Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
- JPNS 3841Â Â Â Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
- JPNS 4030Â Â Â Japanese Syntax
- JPNS 4070Â Â Â Second Language Acquisition of Japanese
- JPNS 4080Â Â Â Kanji in Japanese Orthography
- JPNS 4300Â Â Â Readings in Japanese Literature
- JPNS 4310, 4320 Â Classical Japanese
- JPNS 4900Â Â Â Independent Study
- JPNS 4950Â Â Â Honors Thesis
- KREN 1011Â Â Introduction to Korean Civilization
- KREN 2441Â Film and Korean Culture
- KREN 3441Â Religion and Culture in Korea
- KREN 3841Â Modern Korean Literature in Translation
- KREN 4900Â Independent Study
- MUEL 2772  World Musics – Asia
- MUSC 4152Â East Asian Music
- PSCI 3072Â Â Â Government and Politics in Southeast Asia
- PSCI 3102Â Â Â South Asian Politics
- PSCI 4052Â Â Â Chinese Politics
- PSCI 4242Â Â Â Middle Eastern Politics
- PSCI 4312Â Â Â Politics and Language
- RLST 2600Â Â Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
- RLST 2610Â Â Religions of South Asia
- RLST 2620Â Â Religions of East Asia
- RLST 3200Â Â Hinduism
- RLST 3300Â Â Foundations of Buddhism
- RLST 3400Â Â Japanese Religions
- RLST 3600Â Â Islam
- RLST 3800Â Â Chinese Religions
- RLST 3820 Â Â Special Topics: Religion in Modern China
- RLST 4200Â Â Topics in Hinduism
- RLST 4250Â Â Topics in Buddhism
- RLST 4650Â Â Islam and the Modern World
- RLST 4750Â Â Daoism
- WMST 3220Â Â Women in Islam
- and courses (including some study abroad courses) approved by the Asian Studies Faculty Advisor.
10. Any of the above courses beyond the specific course requirements of the major can be included in the elective hours required for the major.
Note: These requirements apply to degree programs undertaken beginning Spring Semester 2002. If you began your studies prior to that date and have questions on degree requirements, please contact the undergraduate advisor.
For More Information
Please contact Faculty Advisor Colleen Berry colleen.berry@colorado.edu
or Undergraduate Advisor Christine Luft christine.luft@colorado.edu
To change your major to Asian Studies, go to .