Department of East Asian Studies and Program in East Asian Studies

As cultures across the globe become increasingly interconnected through Internet access, mass media, trade, and international diplomacy, there is a greater need for in-depth knowledge of other societies. This is not the knowledge of tourists or news anchors but rather the knowledge of those who can read the works of native authors in the original, who can converse in that language, and who can see that even the most fundamental assumptions of Western civilization are not shared by all.

With a strong program in history, literature, and cultural analysis, East Asian studies is relevant to people in countless fields. Graduates of the department use their skills in journalism, teaching, banking, trade, diplomacy, law, and academia. Princeton’s language training in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean is considered to be among the best available at any university. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the department covers the histories and literature of these countries from early periods through to the present. In addition, associated faculty in art, comparative literature, economics, history, politics, religion, and sociology provide an excellent opportunity to combine strong language and cultural background with one of these disciplines.

Apart from majoring in the Department of East Asian Studies, it is also possible to earn one of two certificates upon graduation: the language and culture certificate in Chinese or Japanese offered by the department, and the certificate of proficiency that is offered by the Program in East Asian Studies. The language and culture certificate focuses on intense language study and work in the humanities; the certificate of proficiency requires fewer language courses (a minimum of two years) but more East Asian studies coursework, and its independent work may be in any discipline related to East Asia. Many students studying engineering or the natural or social sciences, in addition to those students in the humanities, have taken advantage of the certificate of proficiency.

The Department of East Asian Studies and the Program in East Asian Studies strongly encourage both summer language study and study abroad, and provide financial support when possible. Some students spend an extra year studying in Asia and then bring their experiences and improved language skills to bear on their independent research.

All interested students are invited to consult with the faculty in the Department of East Asian Studies and in the Program in East Asian Studies as early as possible. Because students can best profit from our course offerings if they have had good basic language training, early planning is important.