Asian Studies: Women’s College

Alison Dray-Novey, Ph.D. (Notre Dame of Maryland University), Coordinator
R. Keith Schoppa, Ph.D. (Loyola University), Coordinator

The Asian studies minor is offered to students in the Women’s College. Asian civilizations are a major part of human experience. Moreover, they are today the home of dynamic modern and modernizing societies whose power is growing. The study of Asia, fascinating in itself, can lead to careers in business, government, teaching, journalism and other fields.

The Notre Dame-Loyola program in Asian studies allows students in any major field to declare a minor devoted to Asia.

In the Asian studies minor, students learn how different disciplines bring their methodologies to bear on the study of Asia. Students deal with the applicability of concepts originating in Western experience (e.g., “feudalism” or “the Protestant ethic” or “impressionism”) to Asia. They also study the potential of Asian experience to contribute to universal knowledge by challenging or modifying Western concepts. Such studies have as one by-product a better understanding of the West itself.

The 18-credit minor includes five courses (15 credits) selected from the list that follows, plus participation in the 3-credit Asian Studies Seminar or a 3-credit independent study. In this program, no more than two courses (6 credits) may be taken in one discipline. Similarly, no more than 6 credits in an approved language may be applied. No more than three courses (9 credits) may be taken in any one academic department.

Study abroad is strongly recommended, although not required. No more than three courses (9 credits) may be taken through any study abroad program. Current opportunities include study in Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, or Osaka through Loyola, and Kyoto, Osaka, Nanzan, Taiwan, Singapore or Seoul through Notre Dame.

In the final seminar, students research, write and present papers designed to integrate their work on Asia. The seminar alternates between Loyola and Notre Dame; the content of the seminar varies depending on the interests of the instructor and the participants. To accommodate individual interests or scheduling needs, a student may be allowed to choose an independent study instead of the seminar.

Courses

Notre Dame

ART-122 Art of China, Japan and India
ART-413 Explorations in Asian Art
BUS-350 International Business
COM-325 Film Themes: Contemporary Japanese Cinema
ECO-307 Comparative Economic Systems
ENG-410 Topics in Literature (Asian Literature)
HIS-211 Introduction to East Asian Civilization
HIS-331 Modern China
HIS-335 Modern Japan
HIS-462 Asian Studies Seminar

Loyola

AH203 Introduction to the Arts of East Asia
AH204 Islamic Art
AH324 From Tamerlane to the Taj Mahal: Timurid and Mughal Art
CI101-104 Chinese Language
CI201 Chinese  Composition and Conversation
CI202 Advanced Chinese Composition  and Conversation
HS370 The Jesuits in Asia Since 1542
HS371 East Asia in the Modern World
HS372 The Vietnam War through Film and Literature
HS374 East Asia on Film
HS375 Indian History, Culture, and Religion through Film
HS377 History of Modern China
HS378 History of Modern Japan
HS380 History of South Asia in the Twentieth Century
HS381 The Search for the Divine: Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Buddhist Ways in India
HS391 History of the Jesuits
HS444 War and Revolution: East Asia, 1937-1954
HS482 Asian Studies Seminar
HS483 Seminar: Soseki and Mishima: Mirrors of Modern Japan
HS484 Seminar: The Chinese Revolution
IB282 International Business
JP101-104 Japanese Language
ML306 Old Wine in a New Bottle: Modern Film and Classical Chinese Tales
ML310 Introduction to Traditional Chinese Culture
PL216 Philosophical Perspectives: Asian Thought
PL325 Philosophy of East Asian Thought
PL354 East Asian Philosophy
PS302 Chinese Politics
PS351 Third World Politics
TH266 Christian Theology and World Religions

The Johns Hopkins University

Notre Dame and Loyola students may cross-register in Hopkins upper-level Chinese language courses.
Third-year study of Japanese also is available through cross-registration at Hopkins.

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