The Bachelor of Arts, Major (BA)
This degree will allow you to develop the knowledge and skills characteristic of a traditional BA program while preparing you to respond creatively to the challenges you will encounter in an increasingly interconnected world. In this four-year interdisciplinary program, you will not only acquire practical skills that you can employ in your multicultural communities locally, you will also develop the intellectual, language, and intercultural competencies required to operate successfully in a world where the nations of East and South Asia are increasingly influential.
If you are a student in programs such as History, Anthropology, Geography, Philosophy, Modern Languages, Journalism, Sociology, Psychology, and Criminology, then a Minor in Asian Studies will be an ideal complement to your major field of study. With a minor in Asian Studies you will be able to market yourself as a graduate who combines expertise in your chosen career field with a high level of understanding of Asian cultural norms, trends, and influences.
The Associate of Arts Degree (AA)
This degree will introduce you to the discipline and prepare you for further study. By completing the AA Degree you will gain a broader understanding of the world in which you live and will become a more informed and engaged citizen. You can choose to focus on a particular geographic region; however, we recommend that you complete as broad a range of courses as possible.
As an Asian Studies student you will begin your first year of studies with courses that introduce you to Asian Studies as a discipline and to the countries and cultures of East and South Asia. These courses will begin to build the critical thinking, communication, and intercultural competencies that will allow you to succeed in more advanced courses. As you progress to more narrowly defined regional and thematic courses, you will examine in greater depth the societies, cultures, political systems, economies, and histories of the peoples and nations of South and East Asia, as well as their interactions with Canada and the rest of the world.
Language Requirement/Waiver:
Students are required to complete at least 12 credits in a single approved Asian language: JAPN, MAND, or PUNJ. The Asian Studies language requirement satisfies the language requirement of the BA Framework.
Students who can demonstrate oral and written competency to a level equivalent to KPU Intermediate Level II language courses in an East or South Asian language offered at KPU (currently JAPN, MAND, and PUNJ) may request an assessment to have the Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies language requirement waived. Approved waivers will be formally noted on the student’s academic record and the credit requirement will be fulfilled with electives.