The Department of Asian Languages and Literature
offers undergraduate majors and minors in East and South Asian languages and literature. Undergraduate students in the Department receive instruction in language, literature, linguistics,
and culture, and are encouraged to take advantage of numerous study
abroad opportunities.
Graduates of the Department go on to a wide variety of careers in which knowledge of and familiarity with Asian languages and cultures have become indispensible in our increasingly interconnected world. A popular option for many undergraduates at the University of Washington is to combine a major in an Asian language with a second major from another department, such as Computer Science, Business Administration, and International Studies.
Undergraduate degrees are offered in:
In addition to these degree programs, the
department offers language instruction in a number of South, East, and Southeast Asian languages.
Application for B.A. Major
in the Department of Asian Languages and
Literature
In the Department of Asian Languages and
Literature emphasis is placed on the roles of Asian languages
within the cultures they serve as well as on linguistic
(particularly historical) and literary analysis.
Admission to a major in Asian Languages
and Literature prerequisites:
1) Completion of at least 20 credits of college
course work (or Department-approved equivalent) in the
intended primary language of concentration (e.g., Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Sanskrit, depending on the specific
major).
The following stipulations also apply to prerequisite
(1) above: the most recent course completed in the intended
primary language of concentration must be a course offered
by the University of Washington. The final grade in
the most recent course in that language must be 2.5 or
higher.
2) Completion of one W-prefix writing course, conducted
in English, with a grade of 2.0 or higher. (A "second" English
composition course, such as Engl 111, 121, 131, 182, will
also satisfy this requirement. Postbaccalaureate
students are exempt from this requirement.)
The Department prefers that prospective majors present
a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
To apply to major or minor in one of the department's
programs, first familiarize yourself with the program requirements
by following one of the links above, then contact the department's undergraduate
adviser.
