Asian Studies Program

Asian cultures and societies are crucial to understanding the world today. Encompassing numerous geographical locations and several of the largest nations in the world, Asia is immensely important to the global economy. Asia is rich with diverse religious practices, continually transforming political policies and varied artistic pursuits. Asia no doubt will continue to play a decisive role in shaping the world in the twenty-first century.

The Asian Studies program provides a broad, interdisciplinary liberal arts education focusing on the language, culture and the arts of Asia (with emphasis on China and Japan). The courses students take in this program develop their interests and equip them for careers requiring exposure to global issues, particularly those pertaining to Asia. The major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree and our graduates have gone on to careers in business, government service, law, education, the arts, journalism or further study in graduate school.

Union College strongly believes that study abroad is an integral component towards building global citizens and there is no better way to understand Asia than through intensive language and cultural immersion. Asian Studies works with the International Programs Office to offer several full-term study abroad programs in China, Japan and Vietnam, as well as many mini-term opportunities such as in Bali, Cambodia, China and India. Students are strongly encouraged to engage with Asian peoples and global culture through firsthand experience abroad.