Asian American Studies
College of Ethnic Studies
Dean: D. Phillip McGee
Department of Asian American Studies
PSY 103
415-338-2698
Chair: Marlon K. Hom
Faculty
Professors—Begonia, Chan, J., Chew, Hom, Okutsu, Woo
Associate Professors—Chung, Dong, Gonzales, Kobashigawa
Lecturers—Chow, Collier, Kim, D., Tong
Program
Minor in Asian American Studies
Program Scope
The goals of the Asian American Studies Department include:
- To provide a comprehensive offering of courses which offer all students the opportunity to study and develop greater understanding and awareness of the histories, cultures, communities, and experiences of Asian Americans;
- To integrate knowledge and skills from a variety of other disciplines into a coherent body of information and methodologies that reflect Asian American perspectives, approaches, and needs;
- To increase the general body of information within the field of Asian American Studies;
- To encourage and promote the application of skills and knowledge from Asian American Studies to the improvement of conditions within Asian American communities and the larger society.
These goals are approached through a combination of course offerings, guided research, supervised fieldwork and participation, and student/faculty involvement in Asian American community activities and issues. The department is committed to a constant evolution of its programs and perspectives so as to reflect the dynamic character of Asian American life and circumstances. Towards these ends, courses
offered by the department can be used in a number of programs and to meet a variety of graduation requirements. Solid course work in the department will be of significant value to any student intending a career that involves significant contact with Asian Americans.
Minor Program
The department offers a Minor in Asian American Studies for those students who wish to pursue a coherent course of study regarding the Asian American experience while completing majors in other fields. The minor program is designed to provide a wide range of course selections while ensuring knowledge of a broad range of different Asian American groups. The minor is of particular value for those students whose chosen careers may bring them into regular professional contact with Asian American groups and communities.
General Education and History/Government Requirements
The Asian American Studies Department has designed its course offerings so that students may take a broad range of courses in Asian American Studies while also meeting their general education and history and government requirements for graduation. These offerings explore all aspects of Asian American history, arts, and contemporary family and community experience, providing students with the opportunity to obtain a solid understanding of Asian American life and communities.
Liberal Studies
Asian American Studies courses can be used to meet many of the requirements for a B.A. in Liberal Studies, most especially as the basis for an emphasis in ethnic studies in Area III, Social Science. Those students planning to seek a multiple subjects credential to teach in the elementary school grades can use additional Asian American Studies courses to meet some of the subject matter and general unit requirements in the 85-unit liberal studies program for credential candidates. Students are encouraged to see a Liberal Studies adviser early in their enrollment, if they wish to make full use of these options.
Teacher Preparation
Courses in the Asian American Studies Department will provide important knowledge on Asians in America that can assist them in teaching in California. Course work in Asian American Studies also will help prepare students and meet credential subject matter requirements as described earlier as part of the liberal studies major.
MINOR IN ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
A total of 24 units are required for the Asian American Studies Minor—eighteen of which must be from core courses and six from electives on advisement.
Courses for this program are listed in alphabetical sequence (see Asian American Studies discipline in the "Announcement of Courses" section).
Core Courses Units
Introductory Course (chosen from one of the following) 3
AA S 200 History of Asian Americans
ETHS 210 Asian American Culture
ETHS 220 Asians in America
Ethnic-group Courses—one each chosen from three of the four ethnic groups listed below) 9
Chinese American
AA S 310 Chinese in America
AA S 315 Chinese American Personality
AA S 322 Chinese American Culture—Language, and Literature
Pilipino American
AA S 355 Psychology and Behavior of Pilipinos
AA S 363 Survey of Philippine Literature
AA S 456 Pilipinos in America: Problems of Transition
Japanese American
AA S 331 Japanese Americans in the United States
AA S 335 Japanese American Personality
AA S 444 Japanese American Art and Expression
Southeast Asian American
AA S 370 Southeast Asians in America
Thematic or Cross-ethnic Courses—one chosen from the following: 3
AA S 205 Asian Americans and American Ideals and
Institutions
AA S 206 Introduction to Asian American Literature
AA S 308 Photographic Exploration of Asian America
AA S 406 Asian American Workshop in Creative Writing
AA S 434 Concentration Camps, U.S.A.
AA S 603 Asian American Women
AA S 693 Asian Americans and the Mass Media
Concluding Community Courses—one chosen from the following: 3
AA S 680 Community: Changes and Development
AA S 695 Seminar on Contemporary Asian American
Communities
Electives
Asian American Studies courses on advisement, with at least one upper
division AA S course 6
Total for minor 24