Asian American Studies, BALAS

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Asian American Studies

The Asian American Studies Department offers a campus-wide Interdisciplinary Major. This major represents a coherent program for students who wish to deepen their study of Asian American histories, experiences, contemporary issues and social problems as a part of their liberal education and understanding of race and diversity in the United States and transnationally.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Asian American Studies

Advising

The Department of Asian American Studies provides advising for students. Students must officially declare their major by registering with the Associate Head of Asian American Studies. Students will work with their advisor to choose appropriate courses from the Additional Coursework List and the Approved Elective List to help plan a coherent program of study.  A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours). Please see your advisor.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: 33 hours. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

University Requirements

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Composition I4-6
Advanced Composition3
AAS 300
Humanities & the Arts (6 hours)6
fulfilled by AAS 200 and AAS 215
Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours)6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)6
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course)3
fulfilled by AAS 100, AAS 200, or AAS 215
Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) 3
Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I)6-10
Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required)0-20

Major Requirements

AAS 100Intro Asian American Studies3
AAS 200U.S. Race and Empire3
AAS 215US Citizenship Comparatively3
AAS 300Theories of Race, Gender, and Sexuality3
Additional Coursework15
Complete at least 15 additional hours of substantive coursework offered by Department of Asian American Studies listed on the Approved Additional Coursework List.
Electives6
Choose 6 hours from the Approved Elective Course List.
Total Hours33

Approved Additional Coursework List and Approved Elective List are maintained in the department office and with the AAS advisor.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Asian American Studies

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.

First Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Free Elective course1AAS 2003
AAS 1003AAS additional coursework3
Free Elective course3General Education course3
Language Other than English (3rd level)4Language Other than English (4th level)4
Composition I or General Education course4Composition I or General Education course3
 15 16
Total Hours 31
Second Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
AAS 2153AAS 3003
AAS additional coursework3AAS Elective course3
General Education course3General Education course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
 15 15
Total Hours 30
Third Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
AAS additional coursework3AAS additional coursework3
General Education course3AAS Elective course3
General Education course3General Education course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
 15 15
Total Hours 30
Fourth Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
AAS additional coursework3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3Free Elective course2
 15 14
Total Hours 29

Total Hours: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Asian American Studies

  1. Intellectual Reasoning and Knowledge: 
    1. Students acquire proficiency in the field and area of Asian American Studies. This includes, for example, knowledge based in intersectional, comparative, and interdisciplinary approaches. While largely based in an area approach to the United States, Asian American Studies is also deeply concerned with transnational, diasporic, and global studies. Students learn the history of Asian Americans and theories and methods of the social sciences and humanistic approaches to understand the Asian American experience. The conceptual rubrics broadly include migration, social movements, US imperialism and racism, and ideas of citizenship and belonging.
  2. Critical Inquiry and Discovery
    1. Applying theories in Asian American Studies students develop skills of critical inquiry that draw on intersectional and comparative approaches. As a mode of discovery students exercise their skills using methods of the social sciences and humanities through verbal communication in the classroom and written research projects. Students are asked to apply their critical modes of learning in original and unique projects of discovery through research.
  3. Effective Leadership and Community Engagement
    1. Students study models of community leadership and engagement through the histories of Asian American social movements, political culture, and community activism. Reflection based on these approaches provides a context from which to understand the role of classroom learning and the application of theories of social change in communities.
  4. Social Awareness and Cultural Understanding
    1. Students learn the dimensions of intersectional analysis of social, cultural, economic, and political issues concerning the Asian Americans. Social theories of power inform how students are taught to understand a number of categories of analysis including race, gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, religion, and disability, to name a few.
  5. Global Consciousness
    1. Students gain an understanding of the global dimensions of intersectional approaches in a broad range of fields and disciplines including literary, historical, cultural and ethnographic approaches. Through the study of migration and diaspora, the broad understanding of individual and collective dynamics are observed, analyzed, and theorized. Students are also asked to think in terms of a comparative framework to understand how race, gender, and sexuality, for example, are thought of from a number of vantage points.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Asian American Studies

Department of Asian American Studies

Asian American Studies Faculty
asian-am@illinois.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences