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Asian Studies

Join KPU’s Asian Studies Program and we will introduce you to the diverse cultures of Asia and their connection to our country and our local communities.

In this four-year interdisciplinary program, you will not only acquire practical skills that you will be able to apply in our local multicultural communities, you will also develop the intellectual and cultural skills required to operate successfully in a world where the nations of Asia are increasingly influential.

In our contemporary globalized economy, your ability to combine Asian language skills with an awareness of the region’s cultural and historical heritage will automatically give you many advantages.

  • In this interdisciplinary degree, you will choose from a number of disciplines such as Asian Studies, History, Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology in order to create a program that suits your particular interests and career goals.
  • Language training is an important part of your Asian Studies Program. At KPU, you can choose to study East and South Asian languages such as Punjabi, Mandarin, or Japanese.
  • If you enrol in the Asian Studies program, you will be eligible to take part in exchanges with Kwantlen’s partner institutions in China, India, and Japan. The Asian Studies program also offers opportunities for you to participate in Field Schools in Asia where you will earn credits while experiencing Asian culture first-hand.
  • If you are enrolled in another program at KPU, consider courses offered by the Asian Studies program as electives. Many of these courses will complement your Business, General Studies, and other degree programs.

In this section

Student Profile

The Interdisciplinary Asian Studies program will appeal to recent high school graduates as well as mid-career professionals seeking to expand their knowledge and skills base. In a world increasingly characterized by complex interdependencies and problems in areas such as business and trade, the environment, immigration, international conflict, food security, and human health, your knowledge of Asia's cultures, histories, politics, and languages can only lead to better and more sustainable solutions. You will find a home in our program and, in turn, these you will have a greater chance of making a positive impact on our communities and your world.

Career Opportunities

You will gain valuable skills including the ability to think critically, to carry out research, and to write clearly in a variety of formats. Your ability to link what you learn in class to the needs of our communities and our world will prepare you for a career in:

  • public and community service
  • local and international business
  • social work
  • primary and secondary education
  • law or policing
  • professional writing
  • military
  • NGOs

The Asian Studies program will also prepare you for admission to graduate studies.

Last Updated: 14-Jun-2016

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