Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Japanese Concentration
Dwayne Dixon, Japanese Program Advisor
Morgan Pitelka, Chair
Robin Visser, Associate Chair and Director of Undergraduate Studies
Ash Barnes, Student Services Specialist
The Department of Asian Studies offers six major concentrations, nine minors, and instruction in Asian and Middle Eastern languages. Students pursuing the B.A. degree in Asian Studies can complete the interdisciplinary major in Asian Studies, or concentrate in Arab Cultures, Chinese, Japanese, Korean Studies, or South Asian Studies.
Department Programs
Majors
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Interdisciplinary Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Arab Cultures Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Chinese Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Japanese Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Korean Studies Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–South Asian Studies Concentration
Minors
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Asian studies program, students should be able to:
- Identify or analyze significant aspects of the target cultures by interpreting texts and media
- Demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in the target language
- Demonstrate experience in the use of the target language outside the language classroom
Requirements
In addition to the program requirements, students must
- attain a final cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
- complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
- take at least half of their major course requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
- earn a minimum of 18 hours of C or better in the major core requirements (some majors require 21 hours).
For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| JAPN 305 | Advanced Japanese I 1 | 3 |
| JAPN 306 | Advanced Japanese II | 3 |
| At least three advanced Japanese courses from the list below | 9 | |
| At least two culture courses from the list below 2 | 6 | |
| One more course that may be from either the advanced Japanese list or the culture list 2 | 3 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Japanese through level 4 3 | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 28 | |
| 1 | Students whose initial language placement is above JAPN 305 should consult the department. |
| 2 | No more than one first-year seminar or senior honors thesis course may be included among the culture courses. |
| 3 | The first three levels of Japanese (JAPN) can count toward the General Education Foundations requirement and have not been included as additional hours for the major. |
Approved courses taken in UNC–Chapel Hill-sponsored study abroad programs may count in the concentration.
Placement credit (PL) may not be used to meet core requirements for the concentration.
With the approval of the associate chair of Asian studies, a student may count a course in directed readings (ASIA 496 or JAPN 496) in the concentration in Japanese. To register for ASIA 496 or JAPN 496, a student must obtain the approval of the associate chair and the faculty member who will supervise the project.
Of the eight courses in the concentration in Japanese, at least six must be passed with a grade of C (not C-) or better.
Advanced Japanese Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JAPN 401 | Gateway to Mastering Japanese | 3 |
| JAPN 408 | Japanese Journalism | 3 |
| JAPN 410 | Topics in Contemporary Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JAPN 411 | Food and Culture in Japan | 3 |
| JAPN 412 | Making Music in Japan | 3 |
| JAPN 414 | Manga as a Japanese Art and Culture | 3 |
| JAPN 415 | Sports in Japanese Culture | 3 |
| JAPN 416 | Understanding Japanese Business Culture and Its Practice | 3 |
| JAPN 417 | Japanese Culture through Film and Literature | 3 |
| JAPN 490 | Topics in Japanese Language and Literature | 3 |
| JAPN 521 | Investigating Japanese Culture through TV Dramas | 3 |
| JAPN 590 | Advanced Topics in Japanese Language and Literature | 3 |
Culture Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 63 | First-Year Seminar: Japanese Tea Culture | 3 |
| ASIA 233 | Drugs, Sex, and Sovereignty in East Asia, 1800-1945 | 3 |
| ASIA 692H | Senior Honors Thesis II | 3 |
| ASIA/CMPL 379 | Cowboys, Samurai, and Rebels in Film and Fiction H | 3 |
| ASIA/CMPL/WGST 380 | Almost Despicable Heroines in Japanese and Western Literature | 3 |
| ASIA/CMPL 483 | Cross-Currents in East-West Literature | 3 |
| HIST 271/JAPN 231 | Ancient and Medieval Japanese History and Culture | 3 |
| HIST 370/JAPN 363 | Samurai, Monks, and Pirates: History and Historiography of Japan's Long 16th Century | 3 |
| JAPN 160 | Introduction to Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| JAPN 162 | Japanese Popular Culture | 3 |
| JAPN 246/HIST 247 | Early Modern Japanese History and Culture | 3 |
| JAPN 277 | Empire of Sex: Eroticism, Mass Culture, and Geopolitics in Japan, 1945-Present | 3 |
| JAPN 375 | The Culture of Modern, Imperial Japan, 1900-1945 | 3 |
| JAPN 451 | Swords, Tea Bowls, and Woodblock Prints: Exploring Japanese Material Culture | 3 |
| JAPN 482 | Embodying Japan: The Cultures of Beauty, Sports, and Medicine in Japan | 3 |
| JAPN/LING 563 | Structure of Japanese | 3 |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Special Opportunities in Asian Studies
Honors in Asian Studies
A candidate for honors in Asian studies will write a substantial paper under the guidance of a faculty member. While researching and writing the honors paper, the student will enroll in ASIA 691H and ASIA 692H. ASIA 692H may count as one of the interdisciplinary courses for the major; ASIA 691H will count for elective credit only. In the case of the concentrations in Arab cultures, Chinese, Japanese, Korean studies, and South Asian studies, ASIA 692H may count toward the major in the concentration.
A committee composed of at least two faculty members will examine the candidate. To be accepted as an honors candidate, a student must meet the University’s requirement of a minimum overall grade point average of 3.3, secure the consent of a faculty member in the Asian studies field to act as advisor for the project, and submit a proposal to the associate chair of Asian studies for approval.
Departmental Involvement
The department sponsors a variety of cultural events — lectures, film series, performances, and more — as well as social and informational events where students can get to know each other and faculty members in an informal setting. Faculty members in the department serve as advisors to some of the many Asia-related student organizations on campus, such as the Japan Club, Chinese Conversation Club, Hebrew Table, and more.
Languages across the Curriculum
The department participates in the Languages across the Curriculum (LAC) program, offering a one-credit-hour discussion section that is conducted in Arabic or Chinese but associated with a variety of courses offered in English, both in Asian studies and in such other departments as history or religious studies. This LAC recitation section offers students the opportunity to use their Arabic or Chinese language skills in a broader intellectual context.
Libraries
The University has rich collections of books and periodicals on Asia in the relevant Asian languages, as well as in English and other Western languages. Experts in the collection development department for Davis Library are available to help students locate the materials they need. The University also has an outstanding collection of Asian films and other audiovisual materials, housed in the Media Resource Center at House Library.
Speaker Series
The department sponsors an annual speaker series. These events include lectures by prominent artists, scholars, and writers and are often cosponsored by other units on campus.
Study Abroad
UNC–Chapel Hill sponsors several study programs (summer, semester, and yearlong) in China, Egypt, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam. Asian studies majors are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to live and study in an Asian setting; UNC-approved study abroad programs also satisfy the experiential education requirement. For further information on these programs and other study abroad opportunities in Asia, contact the UNC Study Abroad Office.
Undergraduate Research
The department actively encourages undergraduate student research. Through classes, advising, and office hours, faculty members guide students toward defining areas of interest, conceptualizing research questions, identifying sources, and writing academic papers. Students may pursue research through independent studies, the senior honors thesis, and study abroad research opportunities such as the Burch Fellowship. Asian studies students have received a variety of competitive research support and travel awards, won regional contests for undergraduate papers, published papers in academic journals, and presented their work at such events as the Senior Colloquium in Asian Studies and the campuswide Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research in the spring.
