East Asian Studies (B.A.)

Looking for a way to gain entry into a new world? The Bachelor of Arts with a Major inEast Asian Studies is an immersive program that takes a multidisciplinary approach to East Asia. Explore the history, politics, society, philosophy, arts, cinema, languages, and literature of China, Japan, and Korea.

Become a leader on a region of major global significance. East Asian Studies will let you encounter the region as a whole, while allowing you to concentrate in either Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies or Korean Studies.

By the time you graduate you will have gained written and spoken fluency in a critical language that you choose to focus on: Chinese, Japanese or Korean.

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts

Campus Availability

Dahlonega Campus

Request Information How to Apply

East Asian Studies at UNG

Gain fluency in East Asia's language and culture will build the foundations for success and for you to lead in a region of major global importance.
Immerse yourself in our study abroad programs and experience life in East Asia and apply first-hand the knowledge that you've learned.
- Global Competence
- Research and Comparative Methods
- Social and Business Communication
- Cultural Understanding
- Fluency in Chinese, Japanese or Korean
The East Asian Studies program only started from 2019. So far, its majors have been recipients of numerous nationally competitive scholarships: Boren Scholarship, Cox-State Department Diplomacy Seminar, Critical Language Scholarship, Freeman Asia Scholarship, Fulbright, and Gilman Scholarship

Catalog Listing Plan of Study Tuition & Fees Visit Us

Experience the East Asian Studies Major

The major will provide you a number of in-demand skills that include global competence, critical comparative thinking, and the ability to conduct research, with attention to social and business communication along the way.

9 Disciplines in which the program offers courses on East Asia, ranging from Political Science to Cinema Studies.

Become fluent linguistically and culturally in a focus in: Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Studies

Experience study abroad programs in China, Japan and South Korea, which are in the top 10 of countries by GDP.

Our Faculty

Director

Sung Shin Kim, Ph.D.Profile page

Professor, History

706-867-2564

Barnes Hall, 307, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: East Asian history (China and Korea)

East Asian Studies Faculty

Ms. Chi-Hsuan CattersonProfile page

Senior Lecturer - Chinese

706-864-1823

Dunlap Hall, 305B, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: East Asian Language and Literature.

Ran Chen, Ph.D.Profile page

Program Coordinator

Chinese Flagship Program

706-867-2464

Barnes Hall, 313, Dahlonega

Jiyoung Daniel, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Professor, Korean

706-867-4553

Dunlap Hall, 314-C, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Korean as a Foreign Language (KFL), linguistics, second language acquisition

Yi Deng, Ph.DProfile page

Associate Professor, Philosophy

706-867-2745

Barnes Hall, 330, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Political and Social Philosophy, Ethics, Chinese Philosophy

Yunjuan He, Ph.DProfile page

Professor - Chinese

706-867-4554

Dunlap Hall, 216-D, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Second language acquisition, phonetics, phonology, Chinese pedagogy.

Yizhe Huang, Ed.D.Profile page

Lecturer & Chinese Flagship Tutoring Coordinator

706-864-1399

Barnes Hall, 128, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: High Impact Teaching Strategies, Foreign Language Pedagogy and Assessment, Teacher Training, International Education, Global Mobility, Intercultural Communicative Competence

Christopher Jespersen, Ph.D.Profile page

Dean, College of Arts & Letters

706-864-1771

Barnes Hall, 318, Dahlonega

Jinny KimProfile page

Part Time Faculty

Gainesville

Mina Kyounghye Kwon, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Professor, English

706-867-2964

Dunlap Hall, 202A, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: World Literature, Postcolonial Studies, Asian/Asian American Studies, Gender Studies, Performance Studies

Hosuk Lee, Ph.D.Profile page

Professor

706-864-1994

Dunlap Hall, 215B, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Physical Geography, Human Geography, Environmental Geography, Geography of East Asia, World Regional Geography

Tomoe Nishio, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Professor

706-867-4595

Barnes Hall, 304, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Second language acquisition, applied linguistics, Japanese pedagogy

Robin O'Day, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Professor

706-867-2793

Barnes Hall, 303, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Cultural Anthropology, specialization in Japanese culture

Tianyu Qin, Ph.D.Profile page

Assistant Professor

706-864-1841

Dunlap Hall, 106D, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Second Language Acquisition, Pedagogy and Assessment, Interlanguage Pragmatics

Haelim Suh

Assistant Professor

678-696-2646

Film & Digital Media Building, 106, Gainesville

Sawako TsutsumiProfile page

Lecturer

Nesbitt Academic Building, 4112, Gainesville

Yandan WangProfile page

Lecturer

706-864-1849

Dunlap Hall, 106F, Dahlonega

Laurel Wei, Ph.D.Profile page

Assistant Professor

706-867-2143

Hansford Hall, 319, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: International relations of East Asia; Chinese foreign policy; US-China relations; and politics on the Korean Peninsula

Candice WilsonProfile page

Associate Professor

678-696-2645

Film & Digital Media Building, 105, Gainesville

Yanfei Zhu, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Professor

706-867-2818

Hansford Hall, 219, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Chinese Painting, Art History, East Asian Studies

Affiliated Faculty

Dlynn Williams, Ph.D.Profile page

Dept Head, Professor

706-864-1869

Hansford Hall, 328, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: International Relations; Security Studies; International Political Economy; and Northeast Asian politics (China, Korea, Japan)

Richard Byers, Ph.D.Profile page

Professor, History

706-867-2841

faculty.ung.edu/rwbyers

Barnes Hall, 311, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: German history, Southeast Asia, modern Europe, holocaust/genocide, aviation history, world history

Jeff MarkerProfile page

Director, School of Communication, Film & Theatre

678-717-3578

Nesbitt Academic Building, 4230, Gainesville

Timothy May, Ph.D.Profile page

Associate Dean, College of Arts & Letters

Professor of Central Eurasian History

706-864-1913

Barnes Hall, 314, Dahlonega

Area(s) of Expertise: Mongol Empire, Mongolia, Central Eurasian history, Islamic history, the Crusades

What Your Journey Could Look Like

Your First Year

Begin your journey by choosing your language and concentration.
Language is an important part of your degree path.
To help make your decision, consider taking core curriculum courses in:
- World History
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Geography

Sophomore Year

Get involved and excited by attending our sponsored events such as the East Asian Film Series!
- Watch a movie and improve your cultural and language skills at the same time.
Continue with your language and get ready to begin upper level content courses next year.

Junior Year

Meet with your East Asian Studies major adviser to stay on track for graduation!
There are a lot of choices in this major, and your adviser will help you to navigate through your plan of study.
- Then head over to the Center for Global Engagement to start to plan your study abroad.
You must study abroad for 9-15 credit hours.

Senior Year

Whether you’ve studied abroad in the summer or during the fall semester, you’ll return to UNG to finish your plan of study with a newfound view (and appreciation!) of your major.
Talk with your adviser, visit Career Services, and start planning for your career after UNG!

Define Your Own College Experience

College life isn't just about academics. It's about the relationships you make, the experiences you have, and the new things you can discover not just about yourself, but about the world around you. UNG provides many opportunities on each campus and beyond to help you explore your interests and find new passions.

SMMC Staff working with student — Make Your Money Count

Take control of your personal finances. Attend budgeting workshops, make a financial action plan or connect with a money mentor.

Student Money Management Center

student in counseling session — We're Here for You

At UNG, you're not alone. You have access to licensed therapists and other mental health resources to support your well-being.

Student Counseling

a newly formed fraternity pose for a photo — Find Friends for Life

Members of our fraternities, sororities, and gender-inclusive organizations find friendship in community service & leadership.

Fraternity & Sorority Life

Where Can a Major in East Asian Studies Lead You?

This program will prepare you for public service or for jobs in the private sector, for instance in one of the many companies in Georgia that are connected with China, Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea.

Many of our students plan to continue their education – either in the US or in the country they have specialized in.

Use our tool to explore different careers related to this degree program. You can download a customized career profile, learn about location-based salaries, and discover the skills you need to get the job you want.

Start Your Journey

East Asian Studies (B.A.)

Degree Type

Campus Availability

East Asian Studies at UNG

Experience the East Asian Studies Major

Director

East Asian Studies Faculty

Haelim Suh

Affiliated Faculty

What Your Journey Could Look Like

Your First Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Define Your Own College Experience

Make Your Money Count

We're Here for You

Find Friends for Life

Where Can a Major in East Asian Studies Lead You?

Start Your Journey

Apply Now

Learn More

Department Info

Related Programs

Communication Major with Multimedia Journalism Concentration (B.A.)

English Major with Literature Concentration (B.A.)

History (B.A.) with Teacher Certification

English (B.A.) with Teacher Certification

Communication Major with Organizational Leadership Concentration (B.A.)

Film & Digital Media Major with Production Concentration (B.S.)