C1: East Asian Studies Certificate

Requirements

1. HIST284: East Asian Civilization I (3 credits) and HIST285: East Asian Civilization II (3 credits)

HIST284 East Asian Civilization I

Syllabus Repository (0)

Credits 3

An interdisciplinary survey of the development of East Asian cultures. An historical approach drawing on all facets of East Asian traditional life, to gain an appreciation of the different and complex cultures of the area.

HIST285

East Asian Civilization II

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Credits: 3

A survey of the historical development of modern Asia since 1700. Primarily concerned with the efforts of East Asians to preserve their traditional cultures in the face of Western expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries, and their attempts to survive as nations in the 20th century.

2. Six semester hours of introduction to Chinese, Japanese or Korean: CHIN101: Elementary Chinese I (6 credits); JAPN101: Elementary Japanese I (6 credits);  a sequence of two introductory Korean courses: EITHER: KORA101: Elementary Korean I (3 credits) and KORA102: Elementary Korean II (3 credits) OR KORA211: Introductory Readings for Speakers of Korean I (3 credits) and KORA212: Introductory Readings for Speakers of Korean II (3 credits) ???

• Email Minglang Zhou at UMD if the second requirement means that we either take Chinese or Japanese, but we need an additional two introductory Korean courses. So like Chinese + Korean, or Japanese + Korean.

• CHIN101 Intensive Elementary Chinese I (6 Credits)

  Introduction to speaking, reading, and writing Chinese with an emphasis on mastering the essentials of pronunciation, basic characters and structural patterns.

  Prerequisite: Must have attained appropriate World Language Placement Test (WLPT) score.

• JAPN101 Elementary Japanese I (6 Credits)

  Introduction to basic patterns of contemporary spoken Japanese and to the two phonetic syllabaries (Katakana and Hiragana).

  Prerequisite: Must have appropriate World Language Placement Test (WLPT) score.

• KORA101 Elementary Korean I (3 Credits)

  Introduction to the Korean language. Primary emphasis on oral skills, but Hangul, the Korean alphabet, will also be introduced.

  Prerequisite: Must have appropriate World Language Placement Test (WLPT) score; and permission of ARHU-School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures department.

  Restriction: Must be a non-Heritage student with no background in Korean.

• KORA102 Elementary Korean II (3 Credits)

  Continued training in elementary spoken and written Korean.

  Prerequisite: KORA101; or must have appropriate World Language Placement Test (WLPT) score.

  Restriction: Must be a non-Heritage student; and permission of instructor required for new students.

3. Electives: Students must complete 12 hours of electives selected from formally approved courses on East Asia. Each semester, CEAS posts a list of formally approved courses.

East Asian Studies Certificate courses 2025 (spring)

Certificate in East Asian Studies, Spring 2025 courses

Asia and East Asia Courses

• HIST285 East Asian Civilization II

  • Focus on historical developments across East Asia.

• HIST429P Special Topics in History; The Japanese Empire and East Asia

  • In-depth analysis of Japan's imperial history and its impact on East Asia.

• HIST639P Special Topics in History; The Japanese Empire and East Asia

  • Graduate-level exploration of Japan's role and influence in East Asian history.

China Courses

• ARTH789A Selected Topics in Art History; The Uses of the Past in China and Beyond, 1600-2000

  • Investigation of historical art practices and their relevance today.

• ARTH391 Transnational Chinese Cinema

  • Examination of cinematic trends and movements within and outside China.

• GVPT454 Seminar in the International Relations of China

  • Discussion on China’s foreign relations and their global implications.

• HIST419B Special Topics in History; China's Last Empire: History of the Great Qing, 1644-1911

  • Study of the Qing dynasty's significance in Chinese and world history.

• CHIN100 Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture

  • Basic principles of the Chinese language and cultural context.

• CHIN102/103 Elementary Chinese II

  • Continuation of foundational Chinese language studies.

• CHIN203/204 Intermediate Chinese II

  • Development of intermediate language skills in varied contexts.

• CHIN205 Intermediate Chinese - Accelerated Track

  • Intensive course for fast advancement in Chinese proficiency.

• CHIN302 Advanced Chinese II

  • Advanced studies focusing on complex language structures.

• CHIN402 Readings in Modern Chinese II

  • Critical reading of modern Chinese literature.

• CHIN403 Classical Chinese I

  • Introduction to classical Chinese texts and language.

• CHIN307 Linguistic Landscape of China

  • Exploration of language usage and its socio-cultural implications in China.

• CHIN315 Modern Chinese Literature in Translation

  • Study of contemporary Chinese literature through translated works.

• CHIN332 Chinese Culture through Traditional Chinese Arts

  • Insight into Chinese culture via traditional artistic practices.

• CHIN411 Business Chinese I

  • Language skills tailored for business communication in Chinese contexts.

• CHIN418N Special Topics in Contemporary Chinese Fiction and Film; Chinese Cinemas and the Underground

  • Examination of underground cultural expressions in contemporary China.

• CHIN425 Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in China

  • Study of the various ethnic groups and cultures within China.

Japan Courses

• ARTH292 Discovering Japan: How the Arts Shaped a Nation

  • Exploration of Japan's cultural evolution through art.

• ARTH488F Colloquium in Art History; Japanese Art after 1945

  • Seminar on the transformation of Japanese art post-World War II.

• JAPN102 Elementary Japanese II

  • Continuing foundational studies in the Japanese language.

• JAPN202 Intermediate Japanese II

  • Intermediate level focus on language skills and cultural understanding.

• JAPN302 Advanced Japanese II

  • Advanced language proficiency course.

• JAPN311 Traditional Japanese Language and Culture

  • Study of classical language forms alongside cultural traditions.

• JAPN325 Modern Japanese Literature and Film (In Translation)

  • Critical reading and viewing of modern literature and cinema.

• JAPN345 Mapping Premodern Japan

  • Mapping and understanding historical developments in Japan.

• JAPN407 The Art of Translation

  • Technical and theoretical aspects of translating Japanese texts.

• JAPN438P Topics in Japanese Pragmatics; Speech Acts and (Im) politeness in Japanese

  • Examination of pragmatics and social language use in Japanese.

Korea Courses

• KORA102 Elementary Korean II

  • Furthering basic skills in the Korean language.

• KORA202 Intermediate Korean II

  • Continued development of intermediate Korean language skills.

• KORA398U Special Topics in Korean Studies; Korean Politics

  • In-depth study of contemporary political issues in Korea.

• KORA398V Special Topics in Korean Studies; Advanced Korean Through Current Events

  • Focused language learning through current events in Korea.