About East Asian Languages & Cultures
Welcome to the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. EALC explores the complexity and richness of human experience as expressed in the languages, histories, cultures, and literatures of China, Japan, and Korea. Not only are the civilizations of East Asia among the world's most ancient, these three cultural and linguistic areas have also come to pla
y a vital role in today's global economy. EALC offers a wide-ranging and diverse curriculum by means of which students may acquire knowledge and understanding of the literary, historical and cultural expressions of East Asia from ancient times up to the present. Our language programs also foster the ability to negotiate meaning in a culturally and contextually appropriate manner through the development of high levels of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The emphasis in the East Asian Language and Culture programs (with concentrations on Chinese, Japanese or Korean), is on achieving and high competency in the relevant language and learning how to read texts from the target culture—literary, philosophical, cultural, historical, or even visual—with an informed appreciation of the contexts in which they were produced. The emphasis in the East Asian Studies programs is on achieving a somewhat broader interdisciplinary background on one or more East Asian culture areas, which includes basic language study, and an understanding of the cultural and historical heritage as well as issues and challenges these cultures face today. The shared goal of all of these studies -- language, textual and interdisciplinary -- is to acquire the cultural sensitivities needed to become sophisticated scholars and educated global citizens, as well as to provide a deeper appreciation of our common cultural experience and the intrinsic value of humanistic study. We offer courses in the languages, literatures, and cultures of China, Japan, and Korea leading to the following degrees:
Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts Programs:
Chinese Language and Literature (major and minor)
Japanese Language and Literature (major and minor)
Korean Language and Literature (minor)
East Asian Studies (major and minor)
Graduate Programs:
M.A. in Chinese Language and Literature
M.A. in Japanese Language and Literature
M.A. in East Asian Studies
Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature
Ph.D. in Japanese Language and Literature
Ph.D. in Chinese and Comparative Literature
Ph.D. in Japanese and Comparative Literature
Each of our language sections has established study abroad programs and institutional connections in East Asia that facilitate research for our graduate students as well as study and work experience for our undergraduates.
