Asian and Asian American Studies

M.A. in Contemporary Asian and Asian American Studies

The Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, within the College of Arts and Sciences, was established in 2002.  It is one of the few departments in the U.S. that integrates the study and teaching of both Asian and Asian American studies.  It focuses on Asian and Asian American languages, cultures, and intellectual histories over time and in contact with other global cultures. 

This Master’s program focuses on contemporary Asian and Asian-American cultures, politics and societies, contemporary philosophical and religious orientations in Asia, as well as the role of global processes in the transformation of Asia and Asian America. 

The following individuals are encouraged to apply:

1. Undergraduate majors or minors in Asian Studies and/or Asian American Studies who would like to pursue a graduate degree to enhance their employment prospects;
2. Individuals with an academic background in Art, Business, Education, Journalism, Health Professions, Engineering and other fields who would like to develop expert knowledge about Asia and Asian America;
3. Individuals who are planning a career in Arts and Culture, Business, Advertising, Education, Journalism, Diplomacy, International Relations, Health Sciences, and Industry in today’s globalized job market;
4. Mid-career professionals who would like to enhance their job prospects by building expert knowledge about Asia and Asian America;
5. Teachers of ESL, EFL, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, and other global languages who would like to seek relevant advanced professional training.

An applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. If the student attends a college that only gives Passes or Credits for the first year of study, then these grades will be evaluated as C for GPA admission purposes unless the student provides actual grades.

• Paper recommendations can be sent in, but you must use the paper recommendation form from your application portal and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.
• In order to gain access to our recommendation forms, you must submit an application. Within your application, you can either send emails directing your recommenders to each submit a recommendation online, or you may download a paper recommendation form and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.

All applications must be submitted electronically through our online application system. Once you create an account, you can save and update your material as often as necessary until you click the “Finalize Application” button. Once your application is submitted, you can log on to track its status.