At A Glance

The Asian studies program at Carthage cuts across disciplines as diverse as biology, history, and religion to prepare majors and minors for an array of careers involving Asia. Students develop and apply linguistic, cultural, and academic competency in a geographic context.

Degree Offered:

  • B.A. in Asian Studies

Minor Offered:

  • Minor in Asian Studies

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Earn your Asian Studies degree at Carthage

The Carthage Asian Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that broadly trains students in several critical and methodological approaches to studying Asia. Carthage offers both a major and a minor in Asian studies.

These constantly evolving competencies are learned and practiced within the specific geographical context of Asia, preparing our majors and minors for a diverse array of careers involving Asia.

  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.jpg" alt="Tyler Hunter" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/74/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,899,1164/37744_8231_163701665847155.rev.1683847595.jpg 3x" data-max-w="899" data-max-h="1164" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “I chose Carthage because I really loved the atmosphere of having close relations with the professors and feeling more involved in the classroom and on campus. The other main reason is for the reputation of Carthage’s study abroad and Japanese programs.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2417-">Tyler Hunter</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.jpg" alt="Lorin Bucur in front of Machu Picchu, picture for student voices profile." width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1665690123.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1737" data-max-h="1737" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My 8-year-old self was a nerd who always had her head in books — I am sure she’d be insanely surprised to see that I am pursuing a career outside of ‘Librarian Studies.’”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2094-">Lorin Bucur</a> ’26</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.jpg" alt="Laura Xiu Hung ?24" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/24/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,792/33037_Laura-Xiu-Hung-24.rev.1643922764.jpg 3x" data-max-w="612" data-max-h="792" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My classmates and professors make the environment fun and engaging, which really benefits my learning. Carthage professors are clearly passionate about the subjects they teach, and it’s easily reflected in the students’ learning.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/1511-">Laura Xiu Hung</a> ’24</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>

Original research

Research is built into the Carthage experience through the required senior thesis and the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, a paid option that pairs students with a faculty member. Past projects have included “Traditional Medicine in Contemporary Beijing” and “Reinventing Tradition in the Chinese Tea Industry.”

Learn More about Research at Carthage

 

beyond the classroom

Student organizations such as the Chinese Club, Japanese Club, International Friendship Society, and foreign language honor society Alpha Mu Gamma are popular with Asian studies majors. An immersive international experience is available through J-Term study tours and longer academic exchange programs with partner institutions in Japan and China.

See More student opportunities

 

where Carthage Asian studies graduates go

Our graduates work in many fields and industries, both in the United States and in Asia, for employers such as:

  • Heartland Financial
  • Taiyo Yuden
  • Yangtze Normal University – China
  • The Legal Aid Society
  • Waseda University

Others have taught English across East Asia. A few have even won competitive fellowships through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Read more about careers in Asian studies