Undergraduate Major

WELCOME

Welcome to Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies! We are in the midst of developing new course offerings and have revamped the requirements for our major in ways we hope will address diverse student interests while providing a wider array of choices and enhanced flexibility. The new requirements for the major are being presented for approval by the L&S Executive Committee.  There is a total of 12 required courses.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Lower Division

  • AAS 20A: Introduction to the History of Asians in the United States
  • AAS 20B: Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Asian American Communities
  • Either ES 10AC: A History of Race and Ethnicity in Western North America, ES 11AC: Theories and Concepts in Comparative Ethnic Studies, OR ES 21AC: A Comparative Survey of Racial and Ethnic Groups in the U.S.

Upper Division

  • ES 101A: Social Science Methods in Ethnic Studies OR 101B: Humanities Methods in Ethnic Studies
  • AAS 131: Asian Diasporas from an Asian American Perspective
  • AAS 197 (four units): Field Work in Asian American Communities
  • two additional electives that can be satisfied with AASDS related
    courses from outside departments or other UC campuses, EAP courses in an Asian university, or Asian language courses

Electives

Completion of at least one from each group below for a total of four electives courses:

Group 1 (history): 121: Chinese American History, 122: Japanese American History, 123: Korean American and Korean Diaspora History, 124, Filipino American History 125L Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S., 126: Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation, 127: South Asian American Historical and Community Issues, or 128AC: Muslims in America

Group 2 (community studies): 132: Islamophobia and Constructing Otherness, 141: Law in the Asian American Community, 143: Asian Americans and Health, 144: Religions of Asian America, 145: Politics, Public Policy, and Asian American Communities, 146: Asian Americans and Education, or 165: Research Methods: Video Documentation

Group 3 (cultural studies): 138: Asian Popular Culture, 171: Asian American Cinema, 172: Asian American Literature, 175: Contemporary Narratives on the Philippines and the U.S., 178: Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Literature and Culture, 181: Chinese American Literature, or 183: Korean American Cultural Studies

Students interested in majoring in Asian American/Asian Diaspora Studies can choose either to fulfill the old requirements or opt for the new ones outlined below.

Questions can be addressed to undergraduate adviser Dewey St. Germaine (email him at deweystg@berkeley.edu to ask questions or make an appointment).