Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization

Information about the Asian American Studies Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization

The Asian American Studies Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization (GIS) provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary research to understand the rich and complex layers—political, social, cultural, and historical forces—that shape and inform Asian American peoples in the US and that they in turn shape in their political, educational, cultural, and historical struggle and participation.

The GIS enables students to pursue an academic concentration in the rapidly growing field of Asian American Studies (AAS). Since its inception in the late 1960s, AAS has developed into a vitally important part of higher education, focusing primarily on the histories, cultures, and communities of peoples of Asian descent in the United States. Interdisciplinary by nature, AAS is conducted within and draws upon such areas of study as history, literary studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, and the arts. Students will have the unique opportunity to explore a range of questions and issues—such as immigration and racialization, ethnic and cultural identity formation, gender and sexuality, war and imperialism, transnational social linkages, and cross-cultural expressive practices—that are central to a critical understanding of our contemporary world.

Issues of multiculturalism, racial and ethnic diversity, and new social institutions continue to be at the forefront of US and global concerns/policies. A study of issues related to identity, culture, ethnicity, and community formation reveals the history, acculturation, politicization, diversity, and socioeconomic conditions of people and national and global society. The specialization in AAS represents a unique and systematic way to study the status, conditions, and opportunities of ethno-linguistic minorities and emerging populations in the US, as well as the cultural production (art, literature, music, popular culture) of these populations. Research and courses in AAS explore Asian Americans in the US and all that these communities spin out of themselves (culture, politics, for instance) in their shaping of society. AAS courses also seek to establish a hemispheric understanding of Asian Americans and countries of ancestry, and therefore actively build curricula that promote research across borders.

Requirements

The AAS GIS requires 12 hours of graduate-level coursework. These hours must include at least three different courses, at least one of which must be taught by a faculty member affiliated with Asian American Studies. A GIS involves two or more graduate programs outside the student’s major graduate program. At least 9 hours must be from outside the home graduate program. 

While GIS candidates may take relevant classes in Asian Studies (e.g., Chinese Studies or South Asian Studies), they must take at least 6 credit hours of coursework in US Ethnic or Asian American Studies. Students pursuing transnational projects in Asian Studies classes that include the Asian diaspora in the US may petition to substitute those courses for US Ethnic/AAS credit instead. 

When considering final approval for the GIS certificate in Asian American Studies, completion of all requirements outlined in the proposed curriculum is expected, including 6 credit hours of coursework in US Ethnic or Asian American studies to fulfill the balance between Asian American and Asian Studies classes. We also require candidates to meet with the Program Director early in the process to talk through potential classes and directions in their program of study. All students must submit a final dossier outlining their pathway through the program, for approval by CES Director or AAS Program Director.

General Advising Information for GIS Program 

Students interested in the GIS should consult with the Asian American Studies program director and Faculty Advisor for the GIS, Martin Joseph Ponce (Joe) , or Director of the Center for Ethnic Studies, Namiko Kunimoto, regarding a plan of study. Once the director(s) has confirmed the plan, the student can submit the GIS application form through the Graduate School's online portal, GradForms. After logging into GradForms, click "Forms," then select "Enrollment," and then scroll down to "Minors and Interdisciplinary Specializations." The GIS form is located here.

According to the new system, the student fills out the form for the GIS, and then it is sent to the program director for review.  Then, the director approves the form, and it goes to the Graduate School for their review. Please let the director know after you have submitted your form. After completing the required credit hours, please return to the GradForms page and complete the “Transcript Designation Form” so that the GIS appears in your transcript.

General questions about Graduate School degree options and specializations may be directed to Tim Watson, director of Graduation Services, at (614) 247-7292. Questions regarding the GradForms system may be directed to Wilma Barnfather at barnfather.1@osu.edu.

Asian American Studies GIS Courses

All courses are 3 credit hours and in-person unless noted otherwise. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) require permission of the AAS Program Director or Director of the Center for Ethnic Studies. Current and upcoming courses that qualify for the AAS GIS can be found here.

African American and African Studies 

  • 5240 | Race and Public Policy in the United States (cross-listed with Comparative Studies) [US Ethnic Studies]

Chinese

  • 5400 | Performance Traditions of China [Asian Studies]
  • 5474 | Chinese Opera [Asian Studies]
  • 6451 | History of Chinese Literature I [Asian Studies]
  • 6452 | History of Chinese Literature II [Asian Studies]
  • 6453 | Classical Chinese Literature in Modern China [Asian Studies]
  • 7463 | Modern Chinese Fiction [Asian Studies]
  • 7466 | Lu Xun [Asian Studies]
  • 7467 | Taiwan Literature [Asian Studies]
  • 7470 | Ethnic Literature and Culture in China [Asian Studies]
  • 7617 | Analysis of Contemporary Chinese Media [Asian Studies]

Comparative Studies 

  • 5240 | Race and Public Policy in the United States (cross-listed with African American and African Studies) [US Ethnic Studies]
  • 7320 | Theorizing Race and Ethnicity [Asian Studies OR US Ethnic Studies]
  • 7360 | Theorizing Culture [Asian Studies OR US Ethnic Studies]

East Asian Languages and Literatures

  • 5383 | Scripts of East Asia [Asian Studies]
  • 5475 | Women Writers, Culture and Society in East Asia [Asian Studies]
  • 7897 | Introduction to Graduate-level East Asian Studies (1 credit hour) [Asian Studies]

English

  • 6758.01* | Introduction to Graduate Study in US Ethnic Literature and Culture [US Ethnic / Asian American Studies]
  • 6760.01* | Introduction to Graduate Study in Postcolonial Literature and Theory [US Ethnic / Asian American Studies]
  • 7858.01* | Seminar in US Ethnic Literatures and Culture [US Ethnic / Asian American Studies]
  • 7864.01* | Postcolonial/Transnational Literatures [US Ethnic / Asian American Studies]

History of Art

  • 5822 | Studies in Japanese Art [Asian Studies / Asian American Studies]
  • 7401 | East Asia and the Modern/Contemporary World (1-6 credit hours) [Asian Studies]
  • 8811 | Studies in Chinese Art (4 credit hours) [Asian Studies]
  • 8821* | Studies in Japanese Art (4 credit hours) [Asian Studies]

History

  • 7405 | Introduction to Graduate-level East Asian Studies (1 credit hour) [Asian Studies]
  • 7410 | Studies in Pre-Modern Chinese History (1-6 credit hours) [Asian Studies]
  • 7411 | Studies in Modern and/or Contemporary Chinese History (1-6 credit hours) [Asian Studies]
  • 7425 | Studies in Japanese History [Asian Studies]
  • 7600 | Studies in the History of Women and Gender (1-6 credit hours) [Asian Studies OR US Ethnic Studies]
  • 8400 | Seminar in East Asian History (4 credit hours) [Asian Studies]

Japanese

  • 5400 | Performance Traditions of Japan [Asian Studies]
  • 7453 | Studies in Japanese Drama [Asian Studies]

Korean

  • 5256 | Interdisciplinary Topics in Korean Politics and Society [Asian Studies]
  • 5400 | Performance Traditions of Korea [Asian Studies]
  • 5405 | Korean Dramatic Tradition [Asian Studies]
  • 5455 | Interdisciplinary Topics in Korean Art, Music, Film, and Theatre [Asian Studies]

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

  • 7501 | Narratives of Origin: The Islamic Tradition [Asian Studies]

Philosophy 

  • 5440 | Philosophical Perspectives on Race, Education & Citizenship [Asian Studies OR US Ethnic Studies]