Our Asian Studies program takes an interdisciplinary approach to prepare you for a career at home or abroad. We offer the Bachelor of Arts degree with three majors focusing on Asian Studies, Chinese Studies, and Japanese Studies. As a major in our department, you can gain a broad understanding of the entire continent or specialize in a particular region. Our program introduces our students to everything from South Asian music and popular culture to the social and environmental implications of China’s rising economy.
Program Overview
Our program includes faculty from seven different academic departments, bringing a range of expertise and ideas to our department. We draw courses from history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, religion and others to ensure you’ll study Asia from every angle. At Furman, we believe an interdisciplinary approach will help you explore and understand the planet’s largest and most populous region.
Our Degree
Complete the field of study declaration form [PDF] and the major declaration survey. Download, fill out and save the Asian Studies degree planner [PDF], the Chinese Studies degree planner [PDF] or the Japanese Studies degree planner [PDF] depending on your declaration intent.
Special Note For Students Declaring Remotely: Students need to complete both the form and the survey above to start the major declaration process. On the field of study declaration form (see link above), students can indicate which professor they would like to serve as their advisor. If possible, that request will be honored. If they do not know who they would like to be their advisor, they can put the chair’s name, Dr. Lisa Knight, and she will either serve as their advisor or assign them one in the department. The student should then download the form, and attach it to an email they send to the Chair of Asian Studies: lisa.knight@furman.edu.
Career Opportunities
From your first day of class through graduation, our faculty and staff will provide you with all the information and guidance you'll need to pursue a meaningful life and career.
Areas of Study
When you major in Asian Studies at Furman, you can explore connections across the region with Pan-Asia courses, or you can focus on China, Japan and South Asia. You choose the courses that interest you.
Our China-related courses provide an in-depth look at the world’s most populous country. The program combines courses in language, history, the social sciences, philosophy, religion, and the arts. We also encourage our majors to enroll in advanced Chinese language courses.
Our curriculum is infused with experiential learning, providing students with faculty-led study away experiences and academic opportunities at Furman. New students even have the opportunity to experience China before their first semester by taking advantage of our Summer China Experience.
Our campus includes a Chinese language house, where you’ll be able to interact with your classmates and a native Chinese speaker in a language-learning community. There are also numerous student organizations and activities to support your studies, including the Furman University Chinese Student Association and Association of Students Interested in Asia (A.S.I.A.).
Whether you’re interested in Japanese popular culture or the martial arts, our courses on Japan will introduce you to one of the world’s leading economic powers. The program combines courses in history, the social sciences, philosophy, religion, and the arts. We also encourage our majors to pursue advanced Japanese language study.
Our curriculum is infused with experiential learning, providing students with exchange program options at two different Japanese universities and rich academic opportunities at Furman. New students even have the opportunity to experience Japanese culture before their first semester by taking advantage of our Japan Summer Experience.
Our campus includes a Japanese language house, where you’ll be able to interact with your classmates and a native Japanese speaker in a language-learning community. There are also numerous student organizations and activities to support your studies.
Throughout history, Asian cultures have influenced each other in many different ways. When you explore our Pan-Asia courses, you’ll focus on how certain themes and issues cross culture and country boundaries. You might find yourself exploring the similarities and differences in Asian languages or in media throughout the region.
To say South Asia is diverse would be an understatement. The region is home to every major religion, a multitude of different languages, and a wide variety of political systems. Our program combines courses in history, the social sciences, philosophy, religion, and the arts to primarily study issues that transcend borders in India and other countries. Majors in this area are encouraged, but not required, to study Hindi.
Our curriculum is infused with experiential learning, providing students with faculty-led study away experiences and academic opportunities at Furman. We regularly host trips to India.
Our Blog
Coming This Fall: Archaeology of East Asia
This fall, Dr. Womack will be offering a new course titled the Archaeology of East Asia, which will explore the archeology of China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. Students will become informed of the development of...
Continue Reading >Summer Research & Internships in Asian Studies
Interested in learning more about the research and internship experiences and opportunities of students in our department? Dr. Womack and Dayna Thomas researched recent trends in paleoclimate research in East Asia. Although the overall number...
Continue Reading >