Faculty of Arts

Asian Studies

Convener: Dr C. Stevens

The Faculty of Arts offers an interdepartmental program in Asian Studies housed in the Department of Japanese and Chinese. The program draws on the resources of the Faculties of Arts and Economics.

The normal prerequisite for entry to a major in Asian Studies is the completion of 50 points at first-year level (or equivalent). Students are also strongly advised to undertake some elementary study of an Asian language.

Entry into the Asian Studies major is available from second year. Students planning to enter the Asian Studies major may wish to study an Asian language at first year level, Languages available include Chinese, Indonesian, Korean ¹, Japanese, Thai ¹, and Vietnamese ¹.

Other first year subjects recommended for students interested in undertaking a major in Asian Studies include:

First Year Subjects Recommended

Optional Second and Third Year Subjects 2

Department of English
106-241 Postcolonial Writing
Department of Fine Arts
111-218 Studies in Asian Art and Architecture
Department of Geography
121-204 Development and the Third World
121-218 Australia and the Pacific Rim in a Global Economy
121-238 China: The Awakening Giant
121-277 The Mobile World: Geographies of Migration and Tourism
121-336 The Emergence of East Asia
Department of History
131-207 The Body: History, Sex and Gender
131-220 Gender and Society
131-222 Indonesian Nationalism: Ethnicity and Religious Change in the 20th Century
131-223 Military and State in 20th Century Indonesia
131-227 Gender and the Critique of Development
131-229 Japan and the World 1850s-1990s
131-270 A Long Perspective On the Vietnam War
131-275 China From the Manchus To Mao
131-282 Islam, Modernity and the Middle East Since 1798
131-237 Middle Eastern Women
131-289 The Chinese Overseas: Diasporan Histories
131-298 Subjects, Soldiers, Citizens and Consumers: A Social History of Twentieth Century Japan
Department of HPS and Anthropology
136-272 Ethnic Nationalism and the Modern World
136-277 Power, Ideology and Inequality
136-281 Culture Change and Protest Movements
136-285/385 Anthropology of Health and Illness
Department of Philosophy
161-233/333 Ethical and Religious Dilemmas of South Asia
161-247 Asian Traditions of Philosophy: Nature, Knowledge, and Ethics
161-248 The Philosophy of Buddhism
Department of Political Science
166-215 Chinese Politics and Society
166-217 Understanding the Middle East
166-238 Islam, Politics and Society in the Middle East
166-242 An/Other China: Theorising Everyday Life
Department of Language Studies
150-212 Modern Arab World: Society and Culture
150-213 Islamic Culture, History and Civilisation
150-231 Indonesian Civilisation; Past and Present
Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
175-229 South-East Asian Languages
Department of Economic History
326-205 The Japanese Business System
326-226 Business and Development in South-East Asia
326-232 Chinese Business and Economy
Department of Japanese and Chinese
158-246 Contemporary Japanese Society
158-248 The Dynamics of Japanese Architecture
158-272 Chinese Thought
158-347 Prejudice and Pride: Social Problems in Japan

The prerequisite for entry to Asian Studies combined honours is a major in Asian Studies at an overall average grade of H2A or better and admission to honours in another area of study within the Faculty. Prospective honours students should normally undertake at least some elementary study of an Asian language. Prospective combined honours students should submit an outline of their proposed course of study and a thesis proposal to the convener of Asian Studies during second semester of the academic year preceding commencement of honours.

Combined honours in Asian Studies requires the completion of two single-semester Asian Studies seminars selected from subjects listed below, and two honours seminars from the combining department or alternative subjects arranged with the Coordinator. Students should enrol in the Honours Thesis subject in the Department where supervision will be provided.

Honours subjects

Subject Descriptions

131-288 Inventing Asian Traditions

Status:                   OFFICIAL 1997
Last Modified:            Wednesday March 12 3:36 pm
SGML to HTML Conversion:  Information Technology Services
Authorised by:            Academic Registrar
Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au