Asian Studies In Asia
An Ever-Improving Program For Both Students and Faculty!
by Tim Maga
8-Mar-2007

Founded on behalf of students who were fascinated by their Asian/Pacific surroundings, UMUC-Asia's Asian Studies Program has a long and proud history. Its educational mission involves a certain balance between cultural interest and enrichment side-by-side the career-based needs of its students. Hence, be it out of raw interest in the culture of one's host country, or stimulated by the interest in employment by an Asian/Pacific-based firm onsite or in the United States, the Asian Studies program fills an important need. Further improvements to that program will continue as well. With this in mind, those faculty with access capability will be able to find some sample Asian Studies syllabi (particularly in reference to newly introduced courses into the curriculum), as well as the latest undergraduate degree/career planning sheet, by clicking on SYLLABUS in the menu section here. For the latest news on Asian Studies and matters related to the field in UMUC Asia, faculty can also click on NEWSLETTER in their menu area here, or, for the latest NEWSLETTERS, see the combined HISTORY, ASIAN STUDIES, and GOVERNMENT newsletter at the UMUC ASIA HISTORY and GOVERNMENT webpage. Indeed, UMUC Asia's Asian Studies program offers one of the more comprehensive approaches to the field in American academe. Its major, for instance, offers UMUC students living in Asia a unique opportunity. Students can enroll in language classes and master basic or intermediate linguistic skills of the host country in which they live. Moreover, students can gain an understanding of the history, culture, and traditions of nations and peoples in a region of the world that has become increasingly important to the United States. For students interested in learing more about UMUC Asia resources, essay writing tips, and research paper-writing assistance, please see the HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT webpage (which is associated with the ASIAN STUDIES academic area).

During the academic years of 2004-05 through 2006-07, the Asian Studies program welcomed a variety of reforms in the interest of furthering both student and faculty interest in the topic. See the latest UMUC ASIA CATALOG, 2006-07, pages 52-53 and 81-82 for curriculum changes and definitions. Asian Studies faculty can anticipate more "common syllabi" projects and "course development" projects, and Asian Studies students can, in turn, anticipate some new course offerings within the program.

The major in Asian Studies is a relatively new edition to the UMUC curriculum, and the foundation courses in the degree program should be completed early in the student's study. For instance, ASTD 150, an Introduction to Asian Studies I, provides a general survey of the history of Asian civilizations, with particular emphasis on China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Students learn about Asian geography, population patterns, religion, agriculture and economic development, and social, political, and cultural history. Great figures in history are topics of discussion, as are the lives of the common people.

ASTD 160, an Introduction to Asian Studies II, is, to a certain degree, a continuation of ASTD 150. This course examines the cultural interaction between Asians and Europeans, the establishment of colonial empires, Asian independence movements, the Second World War, revolutions and civil wars, and the evolution of the modern Asian world. The knowledge gained in ASTD 150 and 160 should enrich the experience of any UMUC student living or traveling in Asia. These courses appear regularly on UMUC course schedules throughout the Pacific and also are offered online through UMUC's Distance Education Program.

Another important course within the Asian Studies major is Philosophy 307, "Asian Philosophy." This course explores the major philosophical systems of Asia: the Indian, Buddhist, and Chinese schools of thought. This course should increase your understanding of basic Asian ideas and values and enable you to make comparisons to Western philosophical concepts. PHIL 307 is also offered via Distance Education.

UMUC students curious about the world in which they live will find the Asian Studies courses interesting and worthwhile, irrespective of whether they choose the Asian Studies major as a degree option.

Finally, in the Spring of 2006, the Dennis Doolin Memorial Scholarship was founded to assist Asian Studies students move forward through their academic program. If a student has completed six semester hours of Asian Studies, holds a 2.75 grade average, and submits an essay on an Asian Studies-related topic, that student can be considered for this $1,000 (applied to tuition & books) award. See the LINKS section of this website or contact the UMUC Asia Financial Aid Office for further detail.