The Asian Studies Undergraduate Certificate combines the study of Asian languages, culture, politics, and history, and is particularly well-suited to majors from business, global studies, international studies, journalism and advertising, the visual and performing arts, communication, economics, the natural sciences, political science, or any discipline that involves interactions with the Asian world.
Students who obtain this certificate are better equipped to work in global industry and business, international politics, technology, tourism, and media because they're able to better analyze Asian societies and act with cultural awareness and understanding. Students can choose to obtain the certificate with or without an Asian language focus, with the latter requiring more language classes. The certificate is interdisciplinary with coursework from economics, history, comparative literature, anthropology, political science, sociology, and art history.
Eligibility
The Undergraduate Certificate in Asian Studies is open to all students seeking a bachelor's degree from UWM, to those who previously received a bachelor's degree from UWM or any other accredited college or university, and to people who do not plan to pursue a college or university degree (non-degree students) but who have a strong interest in this subject area.
Requirements
Students enrolling in the Asian Studies Certificate Program are required to earn a minimum of 18 credits, at least 9 of which must be completed at UWM. Of the 18 credits, at least 12 credits must be taken in courses in the College of Letters and Science, and 9 of those must be at the upper level (numbered 300 and above). Of the required credits, at least 9 must be at the 300 level or above, of which 6 credits must be non-language courses. Courses counting for the certificate may not be taken on a credit/no credit basis. Students must achieve a grade point average of 2.700 or above in all courses counting toward the certificate. A maximum of 6 credits in a combination of approved independent study and/or relevant Asia-focused courses from other schools and colleges may count toward the requirements of the program.
To earn the Certificate in Asian Studies, students must fulfill the requirements for one of two tracks:
- Track A (22 credits): 6 courses, including 2 courses in a single Asian language (10 crs.), 1 gateway course (3 crs.), and 3 upper-level electives (9 crs.); or
- Track B (18-22 credits): 6 courses, including 1 gateway course (3 crs.) with the remaining courses chosen from the list of electives. Students must take a minimum of 3 upper-level courses (9 crs.), and no language courses are required. However, as electives, students may choose to take a course in any single Asian language or 2 courses (up to 10 crs.) in any combination of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.
Students majoring or minoring in Chinese or Japanese may only earn the Asian Studies Certificate through Track B. Interested students should contact the Asian Studies Program Advisor as soon as they decide to pursue the certificate. The advisor's role is to help the student design a program of study from the among the available courses and to guide the student in completing that program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Asian Art and Architecture (HU) | ||
| First-Year Seminar: (Economics of Asia (SS) or other appropriate subtitles) | ||
| Geography of Asia (SS) | ||
| East Asian Civilization to 1600 (HU) | ||
| East Asian Civilization Since 1600 (HU) | ||
| Buddhism Across Asia | ||
| Introduction to Asian Religions | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 15 credits from the approved list below | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Electives
The following courses have been approved for the Certificate in Asian Studies:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 325 | Japanese Culture and Society | 3 |
| ARABIC 390 | Islam: Religion and Culture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 105 | Asian Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 192 | First-Year Seminar: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| ARTHIST 281 | Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art | 3 |
| ARTHIST 308 | Film Styles: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| ARTHIST 381 | Honors Seminar: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| ARTHIST 382 | Chinese Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 383 | Japanese Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 386 | Art, Ritual, and Ethnicity of China | 3 |
| ARTHIST 387 | Buddhist Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 480 | Chinese Painting | 3 |
| ARTHIST 481 | Topics in Chinese Art: | 1-3 |
| ARTHIST 482 | Topics in Non-Western Art: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| CHINESE 101 | First Semester Chinese | 5 |
| CHINESE 102 | Second Semester Chinese | 5 |
| CHINESE 150 | Contemporary Chinese Society and Culture | 3 |
| CHINESE 160 | A Taste of China: Learning Chinese Culture and Society through Cuisine | 3 |
| CHINESE 200 | Chinese Calligraphy | 3 |
| CHINESE 201 | Third Semester Chinese | 5 |
| CHINESE 202 | Fourth Semester Chinese | 5 |
| CHINESE 220 | Introduction to Chinese Poetry | 3 |
| CHINESE 301 | Fifth Semester Chinese | 4 |
| CHINESE 302 | Sixth Semester Chinese | 4 |
| CHINESE 320 | Contemporary Chinese Societies through Film | 3 |
| CHINESE 330 | Chinese Language and Culture | 3 |
| CHINESE 343 | Chinese Martial Arts Fiction | 3 |
| CHINESE 353 | Popular Culture, Entertainment, and China's Modernization | 3 |
| CHINESE 401 | Seventh Semester Chinese | 3 |
| CHINESE 402 | Eighth Semester Chinese | 3 |
| CHINESE 441 | Business Chinese | 3 |
| CHINESE 699 | Advanced Independent Study | 1-3 |
| COMPLIT 360 | Seminar in Literature and Cultural Experience: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| ECON 193 | First-Year Seminar: (Economics of Asia or other appropriate subtitles) (if not selected above) | 3 |
| ENGLISH 316 | World Cinema: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| ENGLISH 507 | Studies in Literature, 1900 to the Present: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| GEOG 213 | Geography of Asia (if not selected above) | 3 |
| GEOG 381 | Honors Seminar: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| GEOG 443 | Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography (with appropriate emphasis on Asia) | 3 |
| HIST 175 | East Asian Civilization to 1600 (if not selected above) | 3 |
| HIST 176 | East Asian Civilization Since 1600 (if not selected above) | 3 |
| HIST 269 | Asian Americans in Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HIST 284 | Buddhism Across Asia | 3 |
| HIST 286 | The Korean War | 3 |
| HIST 287 | The Vietnam War | 3 |
| HIST 370 | Topics in the History of Religious Thought: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| HIST 372 | Topics in Global History: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| HIST 376 | Premodern China | 3 |
| HIST 377 | Modern China | 3 |
| HIST 378 | Revolution in China | 3 |
| HIST 402 | Topics in Asian History: | 3 |
| HMONG 107 | First-Semester Hmong Literacy | 3 |
| HMONG 108 | Second-Semester Hmong Literacy | 3 |
| HMONG 265 | Hmong Americans: History, Culture, and Contemporary Life | 3 |
| HONORS 200 | Honors Seminar: The Shaping of the Modern Mind: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| HONORS 350 | Honors Seminar in the Humanities: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| INTLST 550 | Senior Seminar in International Studies: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| JAPAN 100 | Introduction to Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JAPAN 101 | First Semester Japanese | 5 |
| JAPAN 102 | Second Semester Japanese | 5 |
| JAPAN 110 | Japanese Popular Culture | 3 |
| JAPAN 111 | Elementary Japanese I | 3 |
| JAPAN 112 | Elementary Japanese II | 3 |
| JAPAN 113 | Elementary Japanese III | 3 |
| JAPAN 201 | Third-Semester Japanese | 5 |
| JAPAN 202 | Fourth-Semester Japanese | 5 |
| JAPAN 220 | Introduction to Japanese Food Studies | 3 |
| JAPAN 221 | Japanese Film: Themes and Methods | 3 |
| JAPAN 299 | Ad Hoc: | 1-6 |
| JAPAN 301 | Fifth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 302 | Sixth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 330 | Japanese Language and Culture | 3 |
| JAPAN 331 | Reading Japanese Short Stories | 3 |
| JAPAN 345 | Japanese News Media | 3 |
| JAPAN 351 | Japanese Performance Traditions | 3 |
| JAPAN 352 | Japanese Performance Traditions: Readings | 1 |
| JAPAN 355 | Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture: | 3 |
| JAPAN 356 | Seminar in Japanese Literature: Readings | 1 |
| JAPAN 361 | Translating Japanese Media | 3 |
| JAPAN 401 | Seventh Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 402 | Eighth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 416 | Introduction to Translation: Japanese to English | 3 |
| JAPAN 441 | Business Japanese I | 3 |
| KOREAN 101 | First-Semester Korean | 5 |
| KOREAN 102 | Second-Semester Korean | 5 |
| KOREAN 201 | Third Semester Korean | 5 |
| KOREAN 202 | Fourth Semester Korean | 5 |
| KOREAN 221 | Korean Culture and Society | 3 |
| KOREAN 301 | Fifth Semester Korean | 3 |
| KOREAN 302 | Sixth Semester Korean | 3 |
| KOREAN 325 | Korean Contemporary Culture and the Korean Wave | 3 |
| PHILOS 204 | Introduction to Asian Religions (if not selected above) | 3 |
| PHILOS 304 | Buddhist Philosophy | 3 |
| POL SCI 314 | Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy | 3 |
| POL SCI 338 | Seminar in International Relations: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| POL SCI 341 | Politics and Markets in Pacific-Rim Countries: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
| POL SCI 343 | Asian International Relations | 3 |
| POL SCI 345 | Korean Politics and Foreign Policy | 3 |
| WGS 500 | Advanced Social Science Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies: (with appropriate subtitle) | 3 |
Spring 2024: Upcoming Courses in Program
Check catalog for compatibility - https://catalog.uwm.edu| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ARABIC 390 | Islam: Religion and Culture
|
| ARTHIST 383 | Japanese Art and Architecture
|
| ARTHIST 383G | Japanese Art and Architecture
|
| ARTHIST 386 | Art, Ritual, and Ethnicity of China
|
| ARTHIST 386G | Art, Ritual, and Ethnicity of China
|
| CHINESE 102 | Second Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 200 | Chinese Calligraphy
|
| CHINESE 202 | Fourth Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 302 | Sixth Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 320 | Contemporary Chinese Societies through Film
|
| CHINESE 402 | Eighth Semester Chinese
|
| GEOG 443 | Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography
|
| GEOG 443G | Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography
|
| HIST 176 | East Asian Civilization Since 1600
|
| HIST 287 | The Vietnam War
|
| HIST 370 | Topics in the History of Religious Thought: |
| HIST 376 | Premodern China
|
| HONORS 350 | Honors Seminar in the Humanities: |
| JAPAN 102 | Second Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 202 | Fourth-Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 302 | Sixth Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 355 | Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture: |
| JAPAN 361 | Translating Japanese Media
|
| KOREAN 102 | Second-Semester Korean
|
| KOREAN 202 | Fourth Semester Korean
|
| KOREAN 302 | Sixth Semester Korean
|
| KOREAN 325 | Korean Contemporary Culture and the Korean Wave
|
| PHILOS 204 | Introduction to Asian Religions
|
| POL SCI 314 | Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy
|
Summer 2024: Upcoming Courses in Program
Check catalog for compatibility - https://catalog.uwm.edu| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHILOS 204 | Introduction to Asian Religions
|
Fall 2024: Upcoming Courses in Program
Check catalog for compatibility - https://catalog.uwm.edu| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ARABIC 390 | Islam: Religion and Culture
|
| ARTHIST 105 | Asian Art and Architecture
|
| ARTHIST 380 | Chinese Painting
|
| ARTHIST 380G | Chinese Painting
|
| CHINESE 101 | First Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 150 | Contemporary Chinese Society and Culture
|
| CHINESE 160 | A Taste of China: Learning Chinese Culture and Society through Cuisine
|
| CHINESE 201 | Third Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 301 | Fifth Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 353 | Popular Culture, Entertainment, and China's Modernization
|
| CHINESE 401 | Seventh Semester Chinese
|
| CHINESE 699 | Advanced Independent Study
|
| ECON 193 | First-Year Seminar: |
| HIST 175 | East Asian Civilization to 1600
|
| HIST 377 | Modern China
|
| HMONG 107 | First-Semester Hmong Literacy
|
| HMONG 265 | Hmong Americans: History, Culture, and Contemporary Life
|
| HONORS 200 | Honors Seminar: The Shaping of the Modern Mind: |
| JAPAN 100 | Introduction to Japanese Literature
|
| JAPAN 101 | First Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 201 | Third-Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 301 | Fifth Semester Japanese
|
| JAPAN 331 | Reading Japanese Short Stories
|
| JAPAN 401 | Seventh Semester Japanese
|
| KOREAN 101 | First-Semester Korean
|
| KOREAN 201 | Third Semester Korean
|
| KOREAN 301 | Fifth Semester Korean
|
| PHILOS 204 | Introduction to Asian Religions
|
Certificates
Certificates are similar to minors and generally require the completion of six to eight classes. Unlike a minor where all of the classes come from a single subject area, the classes come from multiple subject areas related to the theme of the certificate. Certificates are typically earned in conjunction with a degree though some certificates are available as a standalone credential.