Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies major at Berkeley is dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of historical and contemporary experiences of Asian-ancestry groups in local, national and global contexts. Although attention is focused on Asians in the U.S, the program situates the experiences, contributions, issues, and concerns of Asian American communities within their larger transnational and diasporic contexts.

Connections among Asian communities in the U.S. and around the world are explored in terms of the entangled histories and circuits of migration and the interconnected space through which people, capital, ideas, influences, and activism flow between Asia and the U.S. and among Asian diasporic communities. 

Honors Program

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Program will provide a program leading to the A.B. degree with honors. A student will be recommended for honors if the student has completed at least 30 units and two semesters with a grade-point average of at least 3.5 overall and for all work undertaken in the Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Program. Students must also have been approved specifically for honors by the Ethnic Studies Department chair and the Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Vice Chair upon the recommendation by the faculty adviser for the major. The honors student will be required to complete ASAMST H195A and ASAMST H195B, Senior Honors Seminar for Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Majors. In order to graduate with an A.B. degree with honors, a student must obtain at least 3.5 GPA for all course work undertaken at the university

Minor Program

The Department offers a minor in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. For further information regarding how to declare the minor, please see the program's website.

Other Majors and Minors offered by the Department of Ethnic Studies

Chicanx Latinx Studies (Major and Minor)
Ethnic Studies (Group Major and Group Minor)
Native American Studies (Major and Minor)

Visit Department Website

Undergraduates are expected to obtain the following skills by the time they graduate. These skills belong to five different general areas: historical knowledge, empirical knowledge and quantitative methods, interpretation and qualitative analysis, theory and critique, and community service. They are:

1. Historical Knowledge
   • Familiarity with the history of modern Western civilization, including European expansion, conquest, and enslavement.
   • Specific knowledge of the modern history of at least three different ethno-racial groups.
   • Acquaintance with debates in historiography, particularly as they relate to the use of history in relation to the understanding of people of color.
   • For students who specialize in history, proper use of primary and secondary historical sources, as well as the writing of scholarly historical work.
2. Empirical Knowledge and Quantitative Methods
   • Familiarity with different methods of gathering empirical data about human communities (anthropological, sociological, etc.,).
   • Knowledge of critical debates about the use and implications of traditional methods of gathering empirical data to obtain knowledge about communities of color.
   • Identification of proper methods to conduct research, and awareness of the limits and possibilities of such methods.
   • Creative use, delimitation, and expansion of methods of empirical and quantitative study based on the nature of the problems and questions addressed in the research as well as the object of study.
3. Interpretation and Qualitative Analysis
   • Acquaintance with major methods and debates in the humanities.
   • Familiarity with the art, film, literature, or music of at least three different ethno-racial groups.
   • Identification of proper methods to conduct research about the creative products of human communities, and ethno-racial communities in particular.
   • Creative use, delimitation, and expansion of methods of qualitative analysis based on the nature of the problems and questions addressed in the research as well as the object of study.
4. Theory and Critique
   • Familiarity with major theories of race and ethnicity, and their intersections and constitutive relations with class, gender, and sexuality.
   • Acquaintance with theories of space and place, including indigeneity, Diaspora, migration, and nation, as well as their use in determining the unit of analysis.
   • Use of comparison and contrast for evaluating and producing theory as well as for critical analysis.
   • Creative use of philosophies and theories that are relevant to the understanding and critical analysis of the social contexts, interpersonal dynamics, and multiple creative productions of ethno-racial communities.
5. Service Learning
   • Further refinement and enrichment of the above listed skills in settings where the students interact with communities of color and/or their productions.

• finish secondary school and
• earn a certificate of completion, which allows admission to a university in their home country or country of graduation

In addition:

Students who have completed the IGCSE or O-level exams have not yet met the requirements for admission at UC Berkeley. The university requires further study, either completion of the two-year A-level program with a minimum of three academic exams, the IB diploma program, or another similar academic curriculum.

Students from countries requiring entry into military service upon completion of secondary education should not submit an application until the obligation has been met. UC Berkeley cannot defer admission to a later term.

Students may have to meet additional admission requirements and follow certain guidelines for filling out the undergraduate application, depending on country or educational system.

Berkeley Connect in Ethnic Studies

Berkeley Connect in Ethnic Studies matches interested students with ethnic studies graduate student mentors in a one semester, 1 unit program that includes individual advising, small group discussions, special events and excursions. Through this program, you will become part of a community of like-minded faculty, mentors, and students that will provide a supportive environment in which to exchange and discuss ideas and goals. Berkeley Connect will help you to make the most of your time at the university as you learn more about the majors offered through the Department of Ethnic Studies. For further information, please see the Berkeley Connect website.

Study Abroad

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies program encourages all undergraduate majors to consider study abroad opportunities. Whether you are interested in fulfilling major and/or general education requirements, taking courses related to a future career, improving or learning language skills, or simply living and studying in a country that is of interest to you, we will work with you to make it happen. For information about Study Abroad programs, please see the Berkeley Study Abroad website.

Prizes and Awards

The Department of Ethnic Studies offers the Dr. Carlos Munoz Jr. Scholar/Activist Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded each semester and recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and activism in their community on and off campus.

Apply to Berkeley by filling out the UC application. You can begin working on the application as early as August 1, and must submit the application November 1-30. You can apply to as many UC campuses as you like with one application, and each campus will receive your application and official test scores. If you have difficulties, contact the UC Application Center at [email protected] or (800) 207-1710.