Rationale
Asian Studies is an important interdisciplinary field because of the
substantial population of Asia and its prominence in the global
economy, because of the humanistic, artistic and scientific
contributions of Asian societies to world civilization, and because of
the contribution that Asian immigrants have made in the development of
the United States.
Furthermore, Asian Americans have made significant economic and
cultural contributions to the state of Georgia, and Asian immigrants,
the children of Asian immigrants, and Asian non-immigrants (i.e. visa
students) comprise a substantial segment of the University System of
Georgia student population. In recognition of this, the Asia Council of
the University System of Georgia has instituted an Asia Studies
Certificate (ASC) to further promote and develop Asian Studies across
the system.
Area Focus – East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia
The Asia Council recognizes that Asian Studies is not limited to the
above three regions, and includes Central Asia, Southwest Asia, the
Asian region of the Russian Federation, and the Pacific region.
However, one of the primary intents of the Certificate is to encourage
and assist institutions with a limited or a growing focus on Asian
Studies to further develop in this area. As such, concentrating on
East, Southeast and South Asia is the most effective approach with
regard to the resources of the Asia Council and the targeted
institutions.
Institutions with enough resources and course offerings to include
these other areas of Asia may do so, but the primary focus should be on
East, Southeast and South Asia. Middle East Studies are not included in
this certificate program.
Asian American Studies and Pan-Asian Studies (Asian Diaspora studies,
or the study of Asian communities in Europe, Canada, Latin America, the
Pacific Region, etc.) are included in this certificate program if the
diaspora communities studied are from East, Southeast or South Asia.
Academic Focus – Core Curriculum
The focus on the core curriculum will allow all USG institutions,
including two-year colleges and state colleges, full participation in
the certificate program. However, senior institutions may elect to
include upper division courses as part of their requirements (see
Program Design), but are not required to do so.
Institutional Participation
Participating USG institutions must have a designated representative on
the USG Asia Council. The representative serves as the primary contact
person for the certificate program, but may appoint other interested
faculty, professional staff or administrators at the institution to
serve as ASC advisors to students.
Participating institutions will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Asia Council.
Credit Requirements
18 semester hours (detailed in Academic Components)
Program Design
The program design provides a basic framework of course requirements
and minimum credits. However, individual institutions can make
adaptations with the approval of the Asia Council.
Examples:
Senior institutions may include upper division courses or increase the
credit requirements to 24 semester hours if their course offerings in
Asian Studies are extensive enough. Upper division courses should not
exceed 50% of the total requirements of the Certificate in order to
maintain a system-wide focus on the core curriculum. Students may elect
to exceed the 50% upper division course limitation at their own
discretion.
Institutions with limited resources and course offerings in Asian
Studies can work with the Asia Council on appropriate course
substitutions and other alternatives provided they have a plan for
further developing Asian Studies and are making progress in that regard.
Completion of Certificate
The Certificate may be awarded at the Associate or Bachelors level.
The Certificate will be awarded upon completion of the requirements, and is not dependent upon graduation.
Institutions are encouraged to note the Certificate on transcripts, but are not required to do so.
It is the responsibility of participating students to plan and track
their progress in consultation with their Asia Council representative
or other appointed ASC advisors.
Representatives will give regular updates to the Asia Council regarding
number of participating students, Certificate completions, progress in
developing Asian Studies at the institution, and any other issues
related to the certificate program.
Transfer of Coursework
A participating student may transfer coursework toward the Certificate
from one participating institution to another participating
institution. If necessary, the Asia Council will assist the receiving
institution in determining appropriate recognition of credit.
If a participating student transfers from a participating institution
to a non-participating USG institution, the Asia Council will assist
the student, if possible, toward completion of the Certificate provided
the student has recorded at least six semester hours toward the
Certificate before transfer.
Participating institutions may accept transfer credit toward the
Certificate from any regionally accredited institution, including
courses taken before or after enrollment in the program.
Institutions with substantial offerings in Asian Studies may limit
the number of transfer credits allowed toward the Certificate, but are
not required to do so. However, the Asia Council encourages no
limitations on transfer credit from within the USG.
Institutions with limited offerings in Asian Studies are advised to
allow course transfer. Furthermore, they are encouraged to explore
external options for participating students regarding Asian languages
and other courses not offered at the institution. This could include
cross-registration or transient matriculation with nearby institutions,
transient matriculation during the summer, and online studies.
GPA requirements
C or better in all courses included in the Certificate.
Definitions & Examples
Asian Studies course: A course in any discipline which is focused
entirely on the study of Asia, or one region or country of Asia, as it
pertains to that discipline.
Examples: Asian Art, Geography of Southeast Asia, History of China
Asian-infused course: For purposes of this certificate program, a
course which is infused with a minimum of 30% Asian content, but may
include more than 30%. This infusion would not typically change the
title of the course. However, the Asian-infused content and its
percentage should be noted in the course syllabus. For infused courses,
students are required to submit a syllabus to the Asia Council
representative or their ASC advisor for tracking and verification
purposes.
Institutions are advised to include special notes for Asian-infused
courses in the semester course listing (print and electronic versions)
in order to better publicize the courses and the certificate program.
Example: Art Appreciation (with Asian focus)
This Art Appreciation course, in addition to covering content described
in the catalog, includes a special focus on Asian Art that comprises
30% of the course. This is a designated course in the Asian Studies
Certificate.
Asian American & Pan-Asian courses: May be entire or infused, but must relate to the designated regions of Asia.
Examples: Asian American Literature
Japanese Diaspora in Latin American (likely an upper-division course)
Academic Components
1. Asian Languages – 6 semester credits
Option A
At least two semesters (six semester hours) of the same Asian language,
such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, etc.
The languages should be indigenous to East/Southeast/South Asia.
Russian and Arabic do not satisfy the language requirements.
Students may complete language coursework online at any regionally
accredited institution, especially if their home institution does not
offer Asian languages.
Option B
Demonstration of language proficiency in an Asian language at the
1001-1002 level or higher may substitute for the six semester hours of
an Asian language. The following means are acceptable:
Awarding of academic credit at the 1001-1002 level or higher through
a nationally recognized language proficiency examination.
Awarding of advanced placement at the 2001 level or higher through a
nationally recognized language proficiency examination.
Proficiency above the beginner level as defined by ACTFL (American
Council on the Teaching of foreign Languages) standards (equivalent to
completion of 1001-1002 or higher) through examination.
o To be administered by a qualified instructor in a USG or other
regionally accredited instruction, as approved by the Asia Council
representative.
o Must include both a written examination and an oral examination.
o May be administered by distance testing format with oversight from
the Asia Council representative (e.g. proctored on-campus written test;
telephone or video-conference oral test).
Completion of a minimum of two years of full-time study at the high
school level or one year of full-time study at the college or
university level where the medium of instruction was in a recognized
Asian language.
o Note: Heritage Language Speakers are native speakers of a language
who have spent their formative years in the United States or other
English-speaking environment. While they may be bilingual and speak
their mother tongue at home or in their community, they may not be
proficient in reading, writing and grammar, and their oral skills may
be limited to a non-standard version. As such, Heritage Language
Speakers are subject to the criteria above regarding demonstration of
language proficiency in an Asian language at the 1001-1002 level or
higher.
2. Academic Subject Areas – 12 semester credits
The remaining 12 credits must include at least two different areas from the following:
1. English or Literature
2. Humanities (Communication, Linguistics, Religion, Philosophy, Humanities)
3. Fine Arts (Art, Music, Theatre, Film, Dance)
4. History
5. Social Sciences (Political Science, Economics, Geography)
6. Behavioral Sciences (Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology)
7. Education
8. Business
9. Science
10. Technology
Courses that are interdisciplinary in nature or that do not fit into
one of the above categories will be evaluated by the Asia Council
representative.
Credit in the above academic subject areas can be earned through
Asian Studies courses, Asian-infused courses, or a combination (see
Additional Requirements for Infused Courses).
Additional Foreign Language Credits
Students with more than 6 institutionally-earned semester credits of
an Asian language may count the additional credits as Humanities, up to
a maximum of 6 credits.
Example:
A student who earns 18 institutional credits in 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002,
3010, and 3020 (USG foreign language course numbers are consistent
through the 2002 level, but vary after that) can count 6 credits toward
the foreign language requirement and 6 credits toward the Humanities
requirement. The remaining 6 credits cannot count toward the Humanities
requirement or any other part of the Certificate.
Once 6 credits are earned in the same language for the Asian language
requirement, any additional language credits used for Humanities may be
in the same language or a different Asian language.
Example:
A student earns 6 credits in Japanese, which is used for the Asian
language requirements, and 3 credits in Chinese, which counts toward
Humanities credit.
Foreign language credit or proficiency recognized though other means
other than formal matriculation, as described above, may not count for
credit beyond the 6 language credits.
Example:
A student with recognized language proficiency at the intermediate
level that results in academic credit or advanced placement would be
equivalent to a student who earned institutional credit in 1001, 1002,
2001, and 2002. This student can exempt the required 6 language
credits, but may not count recognized language proficiency beyond the 6
language credits toward Humanities credit the same as a student who
earned more than 6 credits of an Asian language through formal
matriculation.
Academic Options
Special Courses
Independent Study, Directed Study, Special Topics courses and Research
Projects for academic credit may be included in the certificate program
if the focus is on Asian or
Pan-Asian studies, even if the course is not a formal Asian Studies or Asian-infused course.
Learning Communities with an Asian focus will be evaluated based on the
number of courses in the cluster and the extent of the Asian content.
Service Learning
Students may earn up to 3 credits for a service learning course or a
service learning infused course where the service focuses on Asian or
Asian-American issues, even if the actual course is not an Asian
Studies course or Asian-infused course.
Study Abroad
Summer
Students may count up to 6 credits of non-Asian Studies courses or
non-Asian-infused courses if those courses were taken on a study abroad
trip in Asia.
Semester (other than Summer)
Students may count up to 12 credits of non-Asian Studies courses or
non-Asian-infused courses if those courses were taken on a study abroad
trip in Asia.
Academic Year (two semesters)
Students may count up to 18 credits of non-Asian Studies courses or
non-Asian-infused courses if those courses were taken on a study abroad
trip in Asia.
The Asia Council encourages study abroad in Asia, and will work with
the Asia Council representative of students studying abroad in Asia on
the appropriate recognition of credits for the Certificate if
coursework does not easily fit within the defined parameters.
Additional Requirements for Infused Courses
While credit in the academic subject areas can be earned through Asian
Studies courses or Asian-infused courses, the Asia Council recognizes
that Asian-infused courses do not provide as much Asian content as
Asian Studies courses. However, the Asia Council also recognizes that
Asian-infused courses are essential in the development of Asian Studies
programs for institutions with limited resources and course offerings
in Asian Studies.
The following requirements are in effect in order to accommodate for
the quantitative difference in content between Asian Studies courses
and Asian-infused courses.
Students who earn fewer than 3 semester credit hours of Asian-infused courses are not required to complete a project.
Students who earn 3-6 semester credit hours of Asian-infused courses are required to complete one project.
Students who earn more than 6 semester credit hours of Asian-infused courses are required to complete two projects.
Projects may include the following and must be Asia related. Asia
Council representatives may consult with the Asia Council on the scope
and rigor of various projects, and may approve additional projects.
Conference presentation, conference poster session, campus
presentation, or local workshop on a student’s area of interest.
Display table at an international or cultural festival or any other
type festival or event, either on campus or in the community.
Attending conferences, workshops, or seminars on Asian issues.
Attending community programs or events related to Asia.
Assisting a professor with research or special projects on Asia.
Assisting the Study Abroad office with Asia programs.
Assisting the International Student Office with programs for Asian students.
Short-term community service or other volunteer work other than
service completed for a service learning course used toward the
Certificate. (Long-term volunteer work may count as two projects.)
Asian Studies Development & Leadership Development
The Asia Council will work with interested institutions
To develop Asian Studies and Asian-infused courses
To implement the Asian Studies Certificate program
Leadership Models
The Asia Council will work with targeted institutions to develop model
programs and courses which can be duplicated at other institutions.
Online Courses
The Asia Council will work with targeted institutions to offer online
courses, especially in Asian languages, which will enable more
institutions to participate in the certificate program.
Asian Studies Certificate Committee
The Asian Studies Certificate is overseen by a Committee from the Asia
Council whose responsibilities include the following, as well as any
additional responsibilities determined by the Council:
Implementation of the Certificate
Responding to and addressing issues related to the Certificate
Making any necessary minor changes in the Certificate