Undergraduate

East Asian Studies, Minor

Understand East Asia’s role in the world.

A professor and student go over class material

"The minor was a great help to furthering my understanding of Asia and its complexities. It helped prepare me to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea."

Lake Dodson (B.A. in Political Science, Minors in East Asian Studies and Global Security Studies, '24)

About the Minor in East Asian Studies

The College of Liberal Arts offers the interdisciplinary minor in East Asian Studies. It focuses on China, Japan, and Korea, especially the interconnections between East Asian culture, history, and politics. Students gain a critical understanding of East Asia’s central role in the world, both past and present.

The minor helps prepare students for dynamic careers in multiple fields, including business, finance, law, government, policy, medicine, and academia. Students can ttailor the minor to their interests and future plans through choices of coursework and unique opportunities such as study abroad and internships.

On this Page…

    Program Information

    Degree

    Required Credit Hours

    18

    Program Type

    Minor

    Program Location

    Oxford

    Peter Thilly talks with student.

    Welcome from the Director

    "Our students are global citizens, with a strong grasp of intercultural communication and experience in learning the unfamiliar. These are qualities that match well with any major and can help a person stand out in any career trajectory. 

    The East Asian Studies minor signals that a student has taken a different path, that they are motivated people who have developed expertise in very difficult East Asian languages, and have wide-ranging familiarity with East Asian cultures, history, and politics."

    Peter Thilly

    Director of East Asian Studies and Associate Professor of History

    Affiliated Faculty

    Meet the faculty that teach courses in East Asian Studies.
    Cheng-Fu Chen

    Cheng-Fu Chen

    • Associate Professor of Modern Languages
    Gang Guo

    Gang Guo

    • Croft Associate Professor of Political Science
    Joshua Howard

    Joshua Howard

    • Professor and Associate Chair of History Department
    Bokyung Kim

    Bokyung Kim

    • Instructional Associate Professor of Art History
    Fei Lan

    Fei Lan

    • Associate Professor of Religion
    Bridget Martin

    Bridget Martin

    • Croft Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Korean Studies
    Peter Thilly

    Peter Thilly

    • Associate Professor of History and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in East Asian Studies
    Noell Wilson

    Noell Wilson

    • Executive Director of the Croft Institute for International Studies and Croft Associate Professor of History and International Studies

    Your Major + East Asian Studies

    East Asian Studies can pair with a wide variety of majors on campus. Here are some likely combinations.

    Enhance your Academic Experience

    According to national surveys, employers are more likely to hire college graduates who have: 

    • had professional internships, 
    • worked with people from diverse backgrounds on community service, 
    • collaborated with peers on projects, 
    • taken multiple courses with significant writing,
    • produced a senior project or thesis, and
    • studied abroad.

    These experiences are about core liberal arts skills of thinking, communicating, interpersonal skills, and understanding the world around us. Showcase and enhance these skills in an internship opportunity for that first step into the professional world. 

    We encourage students in the East Asian Studies minor to combine coursework with these hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. For example, one student interned with a Tokyo newspaper while studying abroad. He is now a professional journalist.

    Beyond the Classroom

    College education is more than what is learned in the classroom, studio, or lab. Explore opportunities to enhance your learning on campus and off.   

    What Can You Do After Graduation?

    • International Business
    • Graduate School
    • Law School
    • Education
    • Journalism
    • Government
    • Non-Profits
    image of Lauren Reddoch

    Alum Spotlight

    Lauren Reddoch earned a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, comprised of minors in Chinese, East Asian Studies, and Entrepreneurship. She is now an Account Executive with a Japanese company, Konica Minolta, a global corporation with expertise in digital, optical, and electronic technology.

    Lauren Reddoch

    B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies ('21)

    Next Steps

    Explore Affordability

    We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.

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