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Fall 2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Asian and Asian American Studies, BA
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 Return to: Majors
Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts in Asian and Asian American Studies
Chair: Eriko Sato
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Hong Snyder
Administrative Assistant: Lynne Foerster
Business Administrator: Theresa Spadola
Office: 1046 Humanities
Phone: (631) 632-4030
Minors of particular interest to students majoring in Asian and Asian American Studies: Anthropology (ANT), China Studies (CNS), Globalization Studies and International Relations (GLI), Health, Medicine, and Society (MHS), History (HIS), Japanese Studies (JNH), Journalism (JRN), Korean Studies (KOR), Linguistics (LIN), Philosophy (PHI), Political Science (POL), Sociology (SOC), South Asian Studies (SOA), Women’s and Gender Studies (WST)
The interdisciplinary major in Asian and Asian American Studies combines analytical perspectives and research methods of the social sciences and humanities in an integrated curriculum that is based on area studies and ethnic studies scholarship. Students acquire in-depth knowledge of particular regions of Asia, enhanced appreciation of Asian cultures and societies, greater awareness of contemporary issues of global concern facing both Asia and the United States, and a better understanding of the histories, struggles, and contributions of Asian Americans.
The major includes training in a relevant Asian language, a concentration in a specific region of Asia, and courses in various disciplines that converge on an identified theme of study. It complements minors in China Studies, Japanese Studies, Korean Studies, and South Asian Studies, as well as the major and minor in Religious Studies.
Students are encouraged to gain a first-hand experience of living in and studying Asian cultures by participating in Study Abroad programs. Stony Brook offers a summer program in China, Japan and India and academic year programs in China, Japan, and Korea. Similar programs are being planned in other countries.
The academic offerings of the department are complemented by the rich array of resources and programming at the program in China Studies, Center for India Studies, Center for Japan Studies, the Center for Korean Studies, the Asian American Center Bridge, Center for Multilingual and Intercultural Communication and the Charles B. Wang Center, which collaborate with various academic departments, student groups, community organizations, and individuals to promote a better understanding of Asia and Asian Americans today.
The Department of Asian and Asian American Studies has strong ties with selected academic and cultural organizations in Asia, and Asian and Asian American institutions on Long Island and in the greater New York area. Stony Brook’s proximity to the New York City metropolitan area, with its Asian ethnic communities, offers rich opportunities for cultural and intellectual enrichment.
A major in Asian and Asian American Studies will open attractive opportunities for students who plan to pursue a wide range of careers, including the arts, business, education, economics, government, journalism, law, literature, and media. Many students increase their employment opportunities by pursuing a double major. In addition, Asian and Asian American Studies offers challenging opportunities at the graduate and professional school level as well.
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Major Requirements
The major in Asian and Asian American Studies leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. No more than 3 credits with a grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) may be applied to the major. All other courses for the major must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher. Completion of the major requires 39 credits, including at least 21 upper-division credits. A. Language Proficiency (6 credits)
Majors are required to take at least six credits (or the equivalent of one year) of college study of an Asian language at the intermediate level or above. Students who already have a pre-established language proficiency in an Asian language can be exempt from this requirement with approval of the Undergraduate Program Director, and in that case, they should take two additional AAS courses at 200-level or above. B. Core Courses (9 credits)
Majors are required to take three of the core courses to AAS major: C. Areas of Focus (15 credits)
Majors are required to take fifteen credits from one area of focus, including at least nine credits from upper-division courses. Students are encouraged to construct their own analytic focus within the major in consultation with the Undergraduate Program Director. Note: Students may substitute courses not listed under their chosen Area of Focus with Undergraduate Program Director approval. 1. Asian Philosophy and Religions
Courses in this area of focus include but are not limited to: 2. Literatures, Arts, and Cultures of Asia and Asian America
Courses in this area of focus include but are not limited to: 3. Society and Contemporary Issues
Courses in this area of focus include but are not limited to: - AAS 211 - Asian and Asian American Studies Topics in the Social Sciences 3 credits
- AAS 219 - Japan in the Age of Courtier and Samurai 3 credits
- AAS 223 - China: Society and Civilization 3 credits
- AAS 232 - Introduction to Asian American Fiction and Film 3 credits
- AAS 238 - Korean American Literature 3 credits
- AAS 247 - Modern Korea through Visual Culture 3 credits
- AAS 305 - The Pacific, Travel & Empire 3 credits
- AAS 328 - Race, Humor and Asian America 3 credits
- AAS 333 - The Unending Korean War 3 credits
- AAS 336 - Asian and Pacific Islanders in American History 3 credits
- AAS 338 - Contemporary India: History, Politics, and Diplomacy 3 credits
- AAS 339 - Contemporary China: History, Politics, and Diplomacy 3 credits
- AAS 343 - Modern Japan 3 credits
- AAS 351 - Revolutionary China: Politics, Culture, and Power 3 credits
- AAS 352 - Environmental History of China 3 credits
- AAS 353 - Postwar Japan 3 credits
- AAS 370 - Intercultural Communication 3 credits
- AAS 372 - Family, Marriage, and Kinship in China 3 credits
- AAS 379 - Cultural Diversity in China 3 credits
- AAS 392 - Social Science Topics in Asian and Asian American Studies 3 credits
- AAS 473 - Orientalism 3 credits
4. Region and Language
Courses in this area of focus include but are not limited to: D. Electives (6 credits)
Majors are required to take two electives in AAS to meet the total credit and upper-division credit requirements. E. Proseminar (3 credits)
Majors are required to take the following course: F. Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Students with a major in AAS are required to fulfill their Upper-Division Writing Requirement by successfully completing AAS 401 , which is certified WRTD. This proseminar in research design, required all undergraduate majors in AAS, culminates in a research proposal or research paper of at least ten-pages in length. Students are encouraged to complete this requirement as soon as they attain U3 or U4 status. Notes:
- A course is used to satisfy only one requirement category.
- At least 12 of the upper-division credits must be taken at Stony Brook University.
- Acceptable courses may include, but are not limited to courses with the following designators: ANT, ARH, CCS, CHI, CLT, ENG, HIN, HIS, JPN, KOR, LIN, PHI, POL, RLS, SKT, SOC, THR.
Asian & Asian American Studies Honors Program
To be eligible to participate in the honors program, majors must have an overall g.p.a. of 3.00 and an average g.p.a. of 3.50 in AAS through their junior year. An eligible student wishing to write a senior thesis must find a faculty member to act as thesis advisor. The student, with the approval of this advisor, must submit a proposal of a project in writing to the Undergraduate Program Director. The deadline for submission of the proposal is April 30 for the spring semester, and November 30 for the fall semester. Selection of candidates and topics is made by a committee within the Department. Students in the honors program must enroll in AAS 495 for the semester in which the thesis is written. The thesis is evaluated by the thesis advisor, and approved by two additional faculty. For further information consult the Undergraduate Program Director. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Secondary Teacher Education Program
See the Education and Teacher Certification entry in the alphabetical listings of Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs. SBC Courses
This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements. (See Note 1 & Note 2) | SBC Category | Required Major Courses | Optional Major Courses (see Note 3) | | ARTS | | AAS 110, AAS 209, AAS 215, AAS 222 | | GLO | | AAS 102, AAS 201, AAS 216, AAS 217, AAS 218, AAS 219, AAS 220, AAS 222, AAS 236, AAS 240, AAS 247, AAS 256, AAS 260, AAS 280, AAS 287, AAS 323, AAS 324, AAS 338, AAS 339, AAS 340, AAS 343, AAS 344, AAS 353, AAS 394, AAS 396, AAS 440 | | HUM | | AAS 102, AAS 212, AAS 217, AAS 218, AAS 232, AAS 236, AAS 237, AAS 240, AAS 256, AAS 260, AAS 280, AAS 287 | | LANG (see Note 4) | | | | QPS | | | | SBS | | AAS 211, AAS 219, AAS 220, AAS 247, AAS 250, AAS 330, AAS 344 | | SNW | | | | TECH | | | | USA | | AAS 232, AAS 250, AAS 328 | | WRT | | | | STAS | | AAS 352 | | EXP+ | | AAS 444, AAS 475, AAS 476, AAS 488 | | HFA+ | | AAS 300, AAS 305, AAS 320, AAS 321, AAS 322, AAS 326, AAS 327, AAS 328, AAS 331, AAS 332, AAS 366, AAS 368, AAS 370, AAS 380, AAS 382, AAS 387, AAS 391, AAS 394, AAS 396, AAS 440, AAS 472, AAS 473 | | SBS+ | | AAS 323, AAS 324, AAS 334, AAS 336, AAS 337, AAS 338, AAS 339, AAS 340, AAS 343, AAS 351, AAS 353, AAS 371, AAS 372, AAS 379, AAS 392, CHI 426, JPN 426, KOR 426 | | STEM+ | | | | CER | | AAS 385 | | DIV (see Note 5) | | AAS 216, AAS 472, CHI 426, JPN 426, KOR 426 | | ESI | | | | SPK | | AAS 401, AAS 458 | | WRTD | AAS 401 | AAS 459 | Note 1: Some course information may be subject to change. Please contact your major advisor for additional consultation. Note 2: For majors that require study in a related area or completion of a minor, visit the respective program’s “Major SBC Courses” page to view expanded SBC options. Note 3: Denotes any course in which students can choose from more than one option. These may include, but are not limited to, major electives, concentration/track/specialization courses, or calculus/physics/chemistry sequences. Note 4: CEAS majors, the Athletic Training major, the Respiratory Care major, and the Clinical Laboratory Sciences major are exempt from the LANG learning objective. Students enrolled in the major in Social Work are exempt from the LANG learning objective, but are required to enroll in and pass with a letter grade of C or higher the first semester of an elementary foreign language course numbered 111, or satisfy through alternate methods. Note 5: Students are responsible for completing the general education requirements published in the Bulletin that was current as of the first semester of matriculation (or rematriculation). The following student groups must satisfy the DIV learning objective as part of their degree requirements: - Freshmen who matriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
- Transfer students who matriculate in the Spring of 2020 or later
- Students who rematriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
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