Asian Languages and Cultures

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

Part Time Faculty: Patricia Anderson, Sachiko Dorsey, Kyoshin Sasahara

The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC) offers majors and minors in Chinese Language and Culture and in Japanese Language and Culture. It emphasizes an education about China and Japan that is centered on high-level language acquisition, textual examination, and the development of sophisticated understandings of cultural diversity that transcend national essentialisms. We also see the study of China and Japan as a means for developing personal skills such as communication, critical thinking, intercultural knowledge, and taking responsibility for one’s own learning. Students may study abroad in Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, or other Chinese-speaking countries as part of their studies.

In our non-language courses, we teach literature, film, linguistics, and translation as well as courses that address race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and other issues. Our department’s curriculum brings significant opportunities for students to think about diversity and global awareness. In our language curriculum, we teach first through fourth year levels of Chinese and Japanese. We see language immersion as a means to cultivate transnational perspectives and global citizenship.

Career Orientation for Asian Languages and Cultures Specialists
Recent Asian Languages and Cultures graduates have entered fields such as education, international banking and commerce, law, journalism, design, and studio art. Others have gone on to professional schools or to graduate programs in Asian languages and literatures, film, linguistics, music, teaching, history, economics and international business.

General Distribution Requirement

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 , JAPA 282 , and JAPA 336 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 Japan 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 host 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 (CHIN, JAPA), internships (CHIN, JAPA) and preceptorships (CHIN, JAPA). For more information contact the department and review the Curriculum section of the catalog.