The Program in East Asian Studies is an interdepartmental plan of study directed by representatives of the cooperating departments: anthropology, art and archaeology, comparative literature, East Asian studies, economics, history, politics, religion, sociology, and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. It provides an opportunity for students who wish to major in a traditional discipline simultaneously to pursue the study of an East Asian language and culture. The program’s purpose is to educate internationally minded students with basic competence in an Asian area as well as to enhance their understanding of Western civilization through perspectives gained from the study of the non-Western world. The student’s work is supervised by the appropriate representative of a cooperating department in consultation with the East Asian studies program director.

Students in the program are encouraged to take advantage of intensive summer language programs and of the numerous opportunities for study or travel in Asia, including an intervening year abroad. A limited amount of scholarship aid for this purpose is available.

Program Courses
EAP 201 The East Asian Challenge \ Not offered this year SA
An interdisciplinary introduction to contemporary China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Methodologies are drawn from sociology, politics, economics, history, and anthropology. Topics include: historical roots, geographic inequalities, national identity, life course, gender and family, education, environment, population, social problems, human rights, development strategies, business organization, and economic and security ties to the U.S. and the region. A foundation course for studying China and Japan and comparing East Asia and the U.S. Two lectures, one preceptorial. Staff

Requirements for Admission
The student must satisfy the established requirements for admission to one of the cooperating departments, or to some other department with whose plan of study this interdepartmental program may, by special arrangement, be combined.

Program of Study (see also “Certificate of Proficiency”)
Students enrolled in the program must complete eight one-term courses in East Asian Studies. No more than four of the eight one-term courses may be language courses; at least two of the language courses must be at the second-year level or higher. Courses for the non-language component of the certificate can be taken in the Department of East Asian Studies or chosen from a list of cognates available in the EAS program office.

The student will submit a paper dealing with an area of East Asia and using Asian language sources. The student may submit his/her thesis or substitute a junior paper or produce a piece of original research that meets the same standards of relevance to Asia and use of Asian-language sources.

Intervening Year Abroad
For a student whose career plans make it appropriate, the program will encourage a year of intensive study at an approved center in Asia, usually at Beijing, Kyoto, or Tokyo. To be eligible for consideration, a student completes two years’ study of Chinese or Japanese by the end of junior year and must be nominated for scholarship assistance by the program committee. Upon returning to Princeton, the student makes use of Chinese or Japanese materials studied for the preparation of the senior thesis. At graduation the student is prepared to begin graduate work at a higher level because of the language training and experience gained abroad.

Certificate of Proficiency
A student who has met the requirements of the program and of the cooperating department and has maintained satisfactory standing will receive a certificate of proficiency in addition to the A.B. degree.