Certificate Program in Asian Studies

Committee

  • Douglas R. Brooks, Ph.D. (Harvard), Professor of Religion and Chair of the Committee
  • Joanne Bernardi, Ph.D. (Columbia), Assistant Professor of Japanese
  • Anthony T. Carter, Ph.D. (Cambridge), Professor of Anthropology
  • William B. Hauser, Ph.D. (Yale), Professor of History
  • David Pollack, Ph.D. (California, Berkeley), Professor of Japanese and Chinese
  • Thomas P. Gibson, Ph.D. (London School of Economics), Associate Professor of Anthropology

Certificate Requirements

The Asian Studies Program at the University of Rochester is designed to permit students concentrating in the social sciences and humanities to develop knowledge of Asian cultures and languages as a complement to their disciplinary concentration. Those interested in the program must satisfy the requirements in their major field and, in addition, submit a program that includes at least the following:

  • Six courses from those listed under the heading of Primary Courses in Asian Studies, with an understanding that no more than two will be taken in any one department.
  • Four additional courses from those listed under the heading of Modern Languages and Cultures (Chinese or Japanese), Religion and Classics (Sanskrit) or Allied Asian Courses.

In addition:

  • None of the courses used toward the certificate may be taken satisfactory/fail.
  • Students must earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in courses submitted for the program.

The Asian Studies Certificate Program is administered through the College Center for Academic Support. Students who plan to enroll in the program should pick up an application at the Academic Services Counter outside Lattimore 312 and then consult with one of the members of the Asian Studies Committee, who act as faculty advisers for the program. Once the application is completed and signed by the faculty adviser, it should be returned to Lattimore 312.

Upon graduation, students successfully completing their Asian Studies Program will receive a certificate in Asian Studies at their departmental diploma ceremony.

A. Primary Courses in Asian Studies:

Anthropology

  • ANT 215 Self, Psyche and Soul
  • ANT 253 Imagining India
  • ANT 264 Islam and Global Politics
  • Modern Languages and Cultures — Japanese
  • JPN 210 Introduction to Traditional Japanese Culture
  • JPN 217 Traditional Japanese Literature
  • JPN 218 Reel War: War on Film
  • JPN 219 Manga and Anime
  • JPN 220 Urban Culture, 1650-1850
  • JPN 222 Japanese Theater
  • JPN 233 The Culture of Zen
  • JPN 234 Haiku Poetry
  • JPN 246 Contemporary Japanese Culture
  • JPN 247 Samurai Connections
  • JPN 253 Japanese Fascism and Mishima
  • JPN 254 Modern Japanese Literature
  • JPN 255 Japanese Literature and the Problem of Evil
  • JPN 256 The City in Film
  • JPN 261 Japanese Cities
  • JPN 263 Great Novels of China and Japan
  • JPN 273 Japanese Women Writers
  • JPN 283 History of Japanese Film
  • JPN 284 Mobsters, Monsters, Swords
  • JPN 285 Akira Kurosawa
  • JPN 286 The Japanese New Wave (1960s Cinema)
  • JPN 287 Rebel Film: Oshima Nagisa
  • JPN 290 Women in Japanese Film
  • JPN 292 Japanese Animation (Anime)
  • JPN 293 New Japanese Directors

Modern Languages and Cultures — Chinese

  • CHI 210 Introduction to Traditional Chinese Culture
  • CHI 232 Asian Calligraphy: History and Practice

History

  • HIS 105 Traditional Japan
  • HIS 108 Traditional China
  • HIS 183 Modern China
  • HIS 184 Modern Japan
  • HIS 238 History of British India
  • HIS 280 The Asian American Experience
  • HIS 296 Women in East Asia
  • HIS 314W Gender & International Human Rights
  • HIS 347W Tokugawa Japan, 1560-1850
  • HIS 348W Modern Japan, 1850-1945
  • HIS 349W Postwar Japan
  • HIS 387W Nation & Culture in 20th-Century China
  • HIS 388W The Chinese Cultural Revolution in History & Memory
  • HIS 389W Gender in Late Imperial and Modern China

Religion and Classics

  • REL 105 The Asian Search for Self
  • REL 106 From Confucius to Zen
  • REL 108 Hinduism: An Introduction
  • REL 171 Storytelling in Indian Religions
  • REL 172 Striving for Perfection
  • REL 173 Religions of Japan
  • REL 255 Hindu Goddesses and Women
  • REL 257 Hindu Philosophy I
  • REL 258 Hindu Philosophy II
  • REL 259 Hindu Mystical Poetry
  • REL 260 Hindu Ascetics, Mystics and Doctors
  • REL 261 Hindu Tantric Yoga
  • REL 263 Japanese Noh Drama
  • REL 264 Buddism in South Asian
  • REL 266 Buddhist Philosophers, Poets & Siddhas
  • REL 270 Medicine, Alchemy & Religion in India
  • REL 271 Medieval Hindu Philosophy
  • REL 272 Classical Yoga Traditions of India
  • REL 310 Seminar in Mahabharata

B. Modern Languages and Culture, Religion and Classics (Languages)

Any offering from Modern Languages and Cultures (Chinese and Japanese) or Religion and Classics (Sanskrit)

C. Allied Asian Courses

Anthropology

  • ANT 266 Global Culture

History

  • HIS 201 The Third World College of Arts and Sciences

Registration Form

Information about other Certificate Programs