East Asian Studies Major

The major consists of a minimum of 9 full courses.
Note: Many students are required to complete 10 - 12 full courses in order to satisfy the language proficiency requirement.

Students must earn minimum grades of C- or P for all courses that apply toward the major.

View the catalog page for the East Asian Studies department.

This interdisciplinary major program combines language study with coursework in various disciplines.

Students choose a program which focuses on one of the following

East Asian regional studies,
China or Japan (Chinese or Japanese Studies),
a discipline (e.g. History, Religion), or
Chinese or Japanese language, literature, and film. Students who choose this option must complete two semesters of 400-level language courses and must take a minimum of four non-language courses, including at least two literature-in-translation and/or film courses.
Korean Studies: This concentration may be completed through coursework at Oberlin and study abroad at an approved institution.

Transfer of Credit

The transfer of credit is not automatic. Students wishing to apply transfer credit to the major should be advised that a minimum of 6 full courses must be completed at Oberlin, including at least one year of language study and the capstone project. For the minor, no less than half of the course work, including one full course in non-language course work, must be completed at Oberlin.

Honors

Admission to the Honors Program will be by invitation of the EAS faculty at the end of the second semester of the junior year. Students interested in being considered for Honors are encouraged to indicate their interest and discuss the details of the program with any member of the East Asian Studies faculty early in their junior year. By May 1 of the junior year, the candidate will submit a tentative written proposal and bibliography. Students admitted to Honors will present a progress report at mid-year to the faculty. The final written project will be submitted in May of the senior year, when the oral examination will be scheduled. Both the thesis and the oral examination will figure in the awarding of Honors.

East Asian Studies Major Requirements

Language Requirement

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students must complete a minimum of two semesters at Oberlin College and complete CHIN/JAPN 302 or the proficiency equivalent
students who wish to study the Korean language complete the equivalent of three or four semesters at an approved institution

Students who enter the program with previous language training or exposure are still required to take a minimum of two full language courses to complete the major. Students with native or near-native proficiency in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language must study another East Asian language to fulfill the requirements of the major.

students must complete a minimum of five full courses offered through EAS and other departments that offer East Asian courses (such as ARTH, HIST, POLT, RELG)
students must complete courses in their area of concentration
students must complete two non-language courses that do not focus exclusively on their country of interest (regional courses count toward this requirement)
students may apply a maximum of two 400-level language courses toward this requirement

Upper-Level Seminar Courses

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Capstone Requirement

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The Capstone Project is an opportunity to bring to bear on a focused intellectual project the various elements of one’s East Asian Studies training.

Normally completed in the senior year, the Capstone Project may be done in one of three ways:

as a research project in addition to or more substantial than the regular assignments in a scheduled upper-level colloquium or seminar taught by an EAS faculty member
as a project in a 400-level Chinese or Japanese language course
as a Winter Term project overseen by an EAS faculty member

In all cases, students need to consult individually and early in the term with the EAS faculty member. There is a separate form of registration for the Capstone Project. Students who study abroad should complete the capstone in residence at Oberlin. Successful completion of Honors fulfills the Capstone Project requirement.

East Asian Studies Major

Summary of Requirements

Transfer of Credit

Honors

East Asian Studies Major Requirements

Language Requirement

Chinese Language Elective

Japanese Language Elective

EAS Elective Courses

Upper-Level Seminar Courses

Capstone Requirement