Asian Studies

Study Abroad Programs  

Study abroad programs in China, Japan and Korea are well established at BGSU and offer placement at one of China’s top 20 universities and at Japanese universities in cities such as Hiroshima, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kobe.

Students report transformative experiences from their time in Asia. The Asian Studies Advisory Committee interviews and places students in the available programs based on gender identity (some of our partner institutions are women's colleges), grades, level of Japanese language skill, and other criteria.

Summer Studies

Summer studies programs include trips to China and Japan. Trips focus on either study or cultural exposure. Options include living with host families, regular excursions and classroom experiences.

The Peace Studies course focuses on an intensive trip to study Hiroshima and the human and material consequences of atomic bombings and the subsequent history of nuclear politics and culture.  

Careers

Asian studies will prepare you for career opportunities with companies that are supplied by or work within Asian countries.  A growing number of corporations and agencies operate branches, subsidiaries or joint ventures in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.

For students interested in Asian studies, there are generally three paths of study that can lead to an exciting and stimulating career:

• Asian Studies, in combination with a degree in economics, finance and business administration, can be a great asset for pursuing a profession in international business.
• An undergraduate degree in Asian Studies is a great stepping stone for a career in academia.
• Students interested in human rights might find a rewarding career with the U.S. Department of State or an international nonprofit agency within Asia.

Internships are encouraged in the BGSU Asian studies program and increase your prospects of job attainment.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in Asian Studies are expected to:

• Know the developments in the arts, history, culture, economics, politics and societies of selected countries in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia; recognize the diversity of Asia; and identify basic practices and theories of major Asian beliefs and institutions;
• Demonstrate an advanced level of understanding of a chosen Asian country or region;
• Develop knowledge of the historical, present and evolving relationship of the United States with other Asian countries of the Pacific Rim. Cultivate a sensitive cultural and historical understanding of U.S.-Asian relations;
• Choose at least one discipline (language and literature, history, political science, geography, philosophy, anthropology, education, music) and gain an ability to use its methodology in identifying, analyzing and explaining issues of the Asian region;
• Demonstrate college-level competence in an Asian language (including speaking, reading and writing).