Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language

Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language

Upon completing the BA Degree with a major in Asian Studies, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a broad historical and geographic knowledge about Asia as a transnational region.
  2. Achieve the cultural literacy necessary for studying abroad and/or practicing internationally-based professions by demonstrating interactional and intercultural abilities and knowledge.

Additionally, upon completing the BA Degree with a major in Asian Studies and a major concentration in Asian Language, students will be able to:

  1. Communicate in an Asian language at an advanced level, as indicated by the ability to understand, converse, read, and write in that language.
  2. Learn and apply various communication, critical thinking, and interpretation skills to Asian language sources. 

Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Asian Studies must complete:

  • A minimum of 10 courses (30 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
  • A minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
  • A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
  • The requirements of a major concentration. When students declare the major in Asian Studies, students must additionally identify and declare one of two major concentrations, either in:
  • Demonstration of advanced proficiency in an Asian Language.

Because of the common core requirements, it is possible for students to change their major concentration at any time, even after initially declaring the major. To do so, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.

Summary

Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language30
Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Asian Studies120

Degree Requirements

Core Requirement
ASIA 295INTRODUCTION TO TRANSNATIONAL ASIAN STUDIES3
Major Concentration in Asian Language
Elective Requirements
Select 9 elective courses (see course list below) 127
Advanced Language Proficiency
Students must demonstrate advanced language proficiency in an Asian language 2
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language30
Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements *59
University Graduation Requirements *31
Total Credit Hours120

Footnotes and Additional Information

Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements

Elective Requirements

Students must complete a total of 9 courses (27 credit hours) from course offerings with predominantly Asian content, which can be found below. Of these 9 elective courses (27 credit hours), a minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) and up to 5 courses (15 credit hours) must be selected from Asian Content coursework. Additionally, a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) and up to 7 courses (21 credit hours) must be selected from Asian Language coursework (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean). Students must complete a minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) from Asian Language coursework at the upper-level (at the 300-level or above). 

Elective Requirements: Asian Content

Select a minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) and up to 5 courses (15 credit hours) from the following department approved electives in Asian Content.

Art History

HART 221INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE: CITIES, MOSQUES, PALACES3
HART 319ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES3
HART 324PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK3
HART 385ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES3

Asian Studies1

ASIA 213TRANSNATIONAL ART AND CULTURE IN ASIA BEFORE THE TWENTIETH CENTURY3
ASIA 214ART & WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES IN CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA3
ASIA 218 / HIST 218 / FILM 218HISTORY THROUGH FILM IN EAST AND NORTHEAST ASIA3
ASIA 219MODERN JAPAN3
ASIA 221 / RELI 221THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD3
ASIA 222 / ENGL 222THE WORLD AND SOUTH ASIA3
ASIA 223SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES3
ASIA 224A HISTORY OF THE SILK ROADS3
ASIA 229MODERN EAST ASIA: CULTURE, HISTORY, AND SOCIETY3
ASIA 231 / RELI 231AMERICAN METAPHYSICAL RELIGION3
ASIA 232 / RELI 232RELIGIONS FROM INDIA3
ASIA 236BUDDHISM AND SCIENCE3
ASIA 242CHINA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1500-PRESENT: FROM THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE TO AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE3
ASIA 243PREMODERN CHINA: HISTORY OF AN OPEN EMPIRE TO 18003
ASIA 244KOREA AND EMPIRES: FROM THE MONGOLS TO THE COLD WAR3
ASIA 251 / POLI 250 / SWGS 250SEX, MONEY, AND POWER AROUND THE WORLD3
ASIA 282TRANSNATIONAL ASIAN FOOD: DIVERSITY AND AUTHENTICITY3
ASIA 302ASIAN PHILOSOPHY IN CONTEXT3
ASIA 305ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH IN/OF HOUSTON ASIA3
ASIA 315 / RELI 315 / SWGS 315GENDER AND ISLAM3
ASIA 322 / RELI 322INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM: ARTS FOR LIFE3
ASIA 323 / HART 323 / MDEM 323BUDDHIST AND DAOIST ART AND RITUAL3
ASIA 328 / HIST 384 / SWGS 384MODERN GIRL AND ASIA IN THE WORLD3
ASIA 330 / CHIN 330 / MDEM 370INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE POETRY3
ASIA 332 / CHIN 332MODERN CHINESE LITERATURE AND ITS MOVIE ADAPTATIONS3
ASIA 334 / CHIN 334TRADITIONAL CHINESE TALES AND SHORT STORIES3
ASIA 335 / CHIN 335 / MDEM 375INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL CHINESE NOVELS3
ASIA 336GENDER AND SOCIETY IN BUDDHISM3
ASIA 337SOUTH ASIAN RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPES3
ASIA 339CONSCIOUSNESS FROM INDIAN TRADITIONS TO MODERN SCIENCE3
ASIA 342EAST ASIAN ORTHODOXIES AND HERESIES: LAW AND SOCIETY IN TRADITIONAL CHINA, KOREA, AND VIETNAM3
ASIA 349 / POLI 349URBAN LAB ISTANBUL1
ASIA 353 / POLI 353EAST ASIAN DEMOCRACIES3
ASIA 356GENOMIC GOVERNANCE IN ASIA3
ASIA 357ALGORITHMIC CULTURES IN ASIA3
ASIA 358FILM AND SOCIETY IN SOUTH ASIA3
ASIA 360TRANSNATIONAL CHINA: CHINA AND THE CHINESE DIASPORA3
ASIA 371 / HART 371HOW TO READ CHINESE PAINTING3
ASIA 372 / HART 372 / MDEM 373CHINESE ART AND THE WORLD3
ASIA 377 / POLI 377CHINESE POLITICS IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE3
ASIA 378 / MUSI 378CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY, AND CROSS-CULTURAL ASIAN MUSIC3
ASIA 380 / HIST 380ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY3
ASIA 382RUTH BENEDICT AND JAPAN: THE TEXT THAT SHAPED POSTWAR JAPANESE CULTURE3
ASIA 383UNDERSTANDING NORTH KOREA3
ASIA 399 / MDEM 379 / SWGS 399WOMEN IN CHINESE LITERATURE3
ASIA 401INDEPENDENT STUDY1-15
ASIA 402INDEPENDENT STUDY1-15
ASIA 422 / CHIN 422THE ORIGINAL BEAUTY OF CHINESE LITERATURE3
ASIA 488ASIA AND ENERGY3

Footnotes and Additional Information

English

ENGL 372ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE3
ENGL 376SOUTHEAST ASIAN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH3
ENGL 383GLOBAL FICTIONS3

History

HIST 112MODERN PALESTINIAN HISTORY3
HIST 212CONTEMPORARY CHINA3
HIST 213THE MIDDLE EAST FROM THE AGE OF MUHAMMAD TO THE ARAB SPRING3
HIST 219GENGHIS KHAN AND THE EMPIRE OF THE MONGOLS3
HIST 236STATE, SOCIETY, AND THE ECONOMY IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST3
HIST 271HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA3
HIST 275MODERN MIDDLE EAST3
HIST 278MODERN ARAB HISTORY3
HIST 281 / MDEM 281GOLDEN AGE OF ISLAM3
HIST 309CHINESE INTELLECTUAL HISTORY3
HIST 320IMPERIAL PLEASURE GARDENS, A WORLD HISTORY3
HIST 342MODERN CHINA3
HIST 378MODERN ARAB HISTORY3
HIST 408THE JAPANESE EMPIRE3
HIST 434MUSLIMS, AMERICA, AND ISLAMOPHOBIA3
HIST 436AMERICA IN THE MIDDLE EAST3
HIST 491COEXISTENCE AND SECTARIANISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST3
HIST 494RULING HINDUSTAN: THE TIMURID-MUGHAL KINGS OF INDIA3

Humanities

HUMA 134WHAT IS LOVE? A BIG QUESTIONS COURSE WITH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION3

Philosophy

PHIL 289HISTORY OF CHINESE PHILOSOPHY3

Political Science

POLI 478US - CHINA: CONFLICT AND COOPERATION3

Religion

RELI 223QUR'AN AND COMMENTARY3
RELI 233 / TIBT 233INTRODUCTION TO TIBETAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE3
RELI 234 / TIBT 234INTERMEDIATE TIBETAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE3
RELI 332 / TIBT 332ADVANCED TIBETAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE3
RELI 333KNOWING BODY/GLOWING MIND: BUDDHIST ARTS OF CONTEMPLATION AND ANALYSIS3
RELI 356MAJOR ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ISLAM3
RELI 378MIND AND ART, FILM AND LITERATURE IN BUDDHISM3
RELI 442CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ARABIC TEXTS3
RELI 470BUDDHIST WISDOM TEXTS3

Elective Requirements: Asian Language

Select a minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) and up to 7 courses (21 credit hours) from the following department approved electives in Asian Language. From these, a minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) must be completed at the upper-level (at the 300-level or above).

Arabic
ARAB 141FIRST YEAR ARABIC I3
ARAB 142FIRST YEAR ARABIC II3
ARAB 222AP CREDIT IN ARABIC LANGUAGE4
ARAB 238SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
ARAB 263SECOND YEAR ARABIC I3
ARAB 264SECOND YEAR ARABIC II3
ARAB 301THIRD YEAR ARABIC I3
ARAB 302THIRD YEAR ARABIC II3
ARAB 354CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MEDIA ARABIC3
ARAB 477SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
Chinese
CHIN 141FIRST YEAR CHINESE I3
CHIN 142FIRST YEAR CHINESE II3
CHIN 206ACCELERATED SECOND-YEAR CHINESE FOR HERITAGE LEARNERS3
CHIN 211ACCELERATED ELEMENTARY CHINESE I3
CHIN 212ACCELERATED ELEMENTARY CHINESE II3
CHIN 222AP/OTH CREDIT IN CHINESE LANGUAGE3
CHIN 263SECOND YEAR CHINESE I3
CHIN 264SECOND YEAR CHINESE II3
CHIN 301THIRD YEAR CHINESE I3
CHIN 302THIRD YEAR CHINESE II3
CHIN 311ACCELERATED INTERMEDIATE CHINESE I3
CHIN 312ACCELERATED INTERMEDIATE CHINESE II3
CHIN 319SPECIAL TOPICS: ADVANCED CHINESE I3
CHIN 330INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE POETRY3
CHIN 332MODERN CHINESE LITERATURE AND ITS MOVIE ADAPTATIONS3
CHIN 334TRADITIONAL CHINESE TALES AND SHORT STORIES3
CHIN 335INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL CHINESE NOVELS3
CHIN 401FOURTH YEAR CHINESE I3
CHIN 402FOURTH YEAR CHINESE II3
CHIN 422THE ORIGINAL BEAUTY OF CHINESE LITERATURE3
CHIN 477SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
Japanese
JAPA 141FIRST YEAR JAPANESE I3
JAPA 142FIRST YEAR JAPANESE II3
JAPA 222AP/OTH CREDIT IN JAPANESE LANGUAGE3
JAPA 238SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
JAPA 263SECOND YEAR JAPANESE I3
JAPA 264SECOND YEAR JAPANESE II3
JAPA 301THIRD YEAR JAPANESE I3
JAPA 302THIRD YEAR JAPANESE II3
JAPA 401FOURTH YEAR JAPANESE I3
JAPA 402FOURTH YEAR JAPANESE II3
JAPA 477SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
Korean
KORE 106ACCELERATED FIRST YEAR KOREAN3
KORE 141FIRST YEAR KOREAN I3
KORE 142FIRST YEAR KOREAN II3
KORE 206ACCELERATED SECOND YEAR KOREAN3
KORE 222AP/OTH CREDIT IN KOREAN LANGUAGE3
KORE 238SPECIAL TOPICS1-4
KORE 263SECOND YEAR KOREAN I3
KORE 264SECOND YEAR KOREAN II3
KORE 301THIRD YEAR KOREAN I3
KORE 302THIRD YEAR KOREAN II3
KORE 401CURRENT ISSUES IN KOREA THROUGH MULTIMODAL TEXTS3
KORE 477SPECIAL TOPICS1-4

Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

Students pursuing the major in Asian Studies and a major concentration in Asian Language should be aware of the following program restrictions:

  • Students pursuing the major in Asian Studies may only pursue one major concentration within the major. 

Transfer Credit 

For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities. 

Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines

Students pursuing the major in Asian Studies should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:

  • No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major.

Distribution Credit Information

The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.  

Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration. 

Distribution courses from Asian Studies (ASIA) develop students' critical and aesthetic understanding of texts and the arts. They lead students to the analytical examination of ideas and values and introduce students to the variety of approaches and methods with which different disciplines approach intellectual problems. Additionally, they engage students with words of culture that have intellectual importance by virtue of the ideas they express, their historical influence, their mode of expression, or their critical engagement with established cultural assumptions and traditions.

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Asian Studies website: https://asianstudies.rice.edu/.

Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Asian Studies and a Major Concentration in Asian Language

Academic Honors

The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Asian Studies website: https://asianstudies.rice.edu/.