Our goal is to promote an enhanced understanding of the nations of East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Academics

Please view the sidebar to the right for more information.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) offers instruction in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean as well as an undergraduate major in Chinese and Japanese. EALL also has faculty specialties in East Asian literature, film, theater, linguistics, and art.

Many other departments offer students the option of focusing on Asian Studies in their discipline-based master’s and doctoral programs. In addition, the Asian Studies Center coordinates Certificate Programs for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as an interdisciplinary master’s degree (IDMA) in East Asian Studies.

Departments that offer programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in Asian Studies include Anthropology, Business, Classics, East Asian Languages and Literatures (Chinese or Japanese, as well as a minor in Korean), Economics, History of Art and Architecture, History, Linguistics, Music, Political Science, Religious Studies, and Sociology.

It is strongly recommended that all undergraduate students who have a scholarly interest in a specific country of Asia, regardless of their academic major, enroll in the Asian Studies Certificate Program.

Graduate Degree Programs

Programs leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, with an emphasis in Asian Studies, are available in many departments and schools of the University. These include the Departments of Anthropology, Classics, East Asian Languages and Literatures, Economics, Fine Arts (referred to as the Department of History of Art and Architecture), History, Music, Political Science, Sociology, the School of Education, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

These departments all have faculty who specialize in East Asia. Students are encouraged to coordinate their graduate programs in their own departments and professional schools with opportunities for advanced work on Asia, using Asian Studies faculty and courses available throughout the University.

All graduates students with a scholarly interest in a specific country of Asia (including East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Melanesia), regardless of departmental major, are urged to also enroll in the Asian Studies Advanced Certificate Program.

Course Listings

A listing of all courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels with at least 25% Asia-related content are compiled each semester by the Asian Studies Center.

>> Download course description booklets

Areas of Study

View detailed information about faculty, departments, courses, financial aid, categorized by region.

>> China
>> Japan
>> Korea
>> Pacific Islands & Southeast Asia (Indo-Pacific Council)
>> South Asia

Study Abroad Programs

To view details of Pitt's study abroad agreements with universities in Asia, please visit our study abroad page.