Undergraduate Program

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The East Asian Studies major is interdisciplinary and interdepartmental. Its primary purpose is to introduce undergraduates to the knowledge, language skills, and research methods they will need to enter various specialized professional paths relating to China, Japan, and Korea, including but not limited to advanced academic research. Under the supervision of an adviser drawn from the Committee on East Asian Studies, students create an individualized program of study.

Requirements for the B.A. Degree

The curriculum of the East Asian Studies major consists of a balanced mixture of language and area studies. A major must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Students must complete at least six semesters of coursework in an East Asian language or languages as an undergraduate. At least one language must be completed at the third year level or higher. Language competency acquired prior to enrollment at Hopkins will not satisfy this requirement. If a student completes third year level language courses in one language and more advanced courses in that language are not available, the student may, with permission from the EAS director, substitute other EAS courses for up to two of the required language courses.
  • Complete eight other East Asian Studies courses under a program of study worked out with his/her academic adviser. Two of these eight may be made up of additional language courses (beyond the required six semesters) or of "comparative" courses with a significant East Asian component, as approved by the Director of East Asian Studies.

At least one of the eight courses must be an introductory history course chosen from among the following:

  • 100.131 History of East Asia
  • 100.208 China: Neolithic to Song
  • 100.347 Early Modern China
  • 100.348 Twentieth-Century China


Honors in the major may be earned by maintaining a GPA of 3.7 in the major and writing a senior honors thesis by taking a year-long seminar, 360.431 Senior Thesis Seminar: East Asian Studies. The thesis seminar is six credits and may count towards two of the eight required EAS courses.

For further information, please consult the Degree Audit Checklist for the East Asian Studies major and visit the Office of Academic Advising.

All courses required for the major must be passed with a grade of C- or higher; none may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

*Updated on 10/2/12