Asian Languages and Cultures

Full Time Faculty: Rivi Handler-Spitz (Chair), Satoko Suzuki, Ritsuko Narita, Xin Yang, Arthur Mitchell

Part Time Faculty: Patricia Anderson, Jin Stone, Sachiko Dorsey

Asian Languages and Cultures Steering Committee: Erik W. Davis (Religious Studies), Liang Ding (Economics), Arjun Guneratne (Anthropology, Chair), James Laine (Religious Studies), Satoko Suzuki (Chair; Asian Languages and Cultures), Xin Yang (Asian Languages and Cultures), Yue-Him Tam (History), Holly Barcus (Geography), Kari Shepherdson-Scott (Art and Art History), Arthur Mitchell (Asian Languages and Cultures), Rivi Handler-Spitz (Asian Languages and Cultures).

The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC) serves as a home for the study of Asia, both for broad comparative and cultural studies of the history, literature, film, art, music, and society in Asia, and for the more focused study of Japanese and Chinese language and culture. The department offers an interdisciplinary major and minor in Asian Studies (with a focus on China, Japan, or South Asia), as well as a major and minor in Chinese Language and Culture, and a major and minor in Japanese Language and Culture. Students may study in Asia on a variety of approved study abroad programs, and live in Chinese or Japanese language houses. Language proficiency along with a sophisticated grasp of specific Asian cultures is a primary goal for ALC majors. Non-majors may take a variety of courses in English which treat the many cultures in South, Southeast, Central and East Asia.

The department’s objectives are (1) to promote the study of Asian languages and cultures as an integral part of a liberal arts education, 2) to offer a wide range of language courses in Chinese and Japanese for majors, minors, and other students, 3) to provide students with a firm foundation in fields such as literature, film, linguistics, and translation studies, 4) to prepare students for graduate work and professional careers related to Asia, and 5) to support the College’s mission of internationalism, multiculturalism, and civic engagement.

Career Orientation for Asian Languages and Cultures Specialists

Recent graduates who have focused their studies on Asia have entered fields such as education, international banking and commerce, law, foreign service, journalism, design, and studio art. Others have gone on to professional schools or to graduate programs in an Asian language and literature, film, linguistics, music, teaching Japanese as a foreign language, history, economics and international business.

General Distribution Requirement

ASIA 112 , ASIA 123 , ASIA 124 , ASIA 127 , ASIA 140 , ASIA 236 , ASIA 241 , ASIA 254 , ASIA 258 , ASIA 260 , ASIA 274 , ASIA 275 , ASIA 276 , ASIA 277 , ASIA 315 and ASIA 378 count toward the general distribution requirement in humanities. ASIA 170 , ASIA 171 , ASIA 205 , ASIA 271 and ASIA 350 count toward the fine arts distribution requirement, and

ASIA 150

, ASIA 220, ASIA 256, ASIA 281, ASIA 283, ASIA 320 and ASIA 335 count toward the general distribution requirement in social science.

All courses in the Chinese language program (CHIN) and the Japanese language program (JAPA) count toward the general distribution requirement in humanities except for elementary and intermediate language courses,

JAPA 150

and JAPA 335. JAPA 150, JAPA 281 and JAPA 335 count toward the general distribution requirement in social science.

General Education Requirements

Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and U.S identities and differences will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester.

Additional information regarding the general distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog.

Policy on Chinese and Japanese Language Grades

In order to be accepted into the next higher Chinese or Japanese language course in a sequence, a student must have received a grade of C- or higher in the previous course.

Language Houses

Each semester, students may apply to live in either the Japanese House or the Chinese House. Residents of the language houses have the opportunity to improve their language skills in everyday situations in a relaxed atmosphere. The residents also help the Asian Languages and Cultures department create cultural programming such as movie nights and game nights. Residents hosts events for traditional festivals such as the moon festival, lunar new year, Setsubun, and Children’s Day.

Honors Program

The Asian Languages and Cultures department participates in the Honors Program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific project expectations for the department are available from either the department office or the Academic Programs and Advising Office.

Independent Study

The department offers independent study options in the form of tutorials (JAPA), independent projects (ASIA, CHIN, JAPA), internships (ASIA, CHIN, JAPA) and preceptorships (ASIA, CHIN, JAPA). For more information contact the department and review the Curriculum section of the catalog.