East Asian Studies

Professor Wilt Idema, Head Tutor

The concentration in East Asian Studies seeks to develop a critical understanding of the human experience in East Asia. A concentrator develops skills in a language, participates in the tutorial program, and selects from a rich offering of lecture courses and seminars. Each student is trained in the study of East Asia as a whole and pursues specialized study of one East Asian society: China, Japan, Korea, or Vietnam. The program provides preparation for a variety of fields of work and advanced study after graduation. Study abroad is encouraged.

The concentration offers both a social sciences track, stressing approaches to modern East Asia drawn from the social science disciplines, and a humanities track, in which the history, literature, religion, and philosophy of modern and premodern times are studied. It draws upon faculty working on East Asian topics from the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, the Departments of Anthropology, Economics, Government, History, and Sociology, and the schools of Business, Law, and the Kennedy School of Government. The sophomore tutorial, a two-term course on East Asia from ancient times to the present, introduces a variety of perspectives from both the humanities and the social sciences, as well as offering concentrators an opportunity to meet with Harvard's East Asia faculty. At the end of the sophomore year, each concentrator chooses to study China, Japan, Korea, or Vietnam, and to enter either the humanities track or the social sciences track. Juniors take EAS 98 or an approved course to serve as EAS 98 fall term requirement, and EAS 98 in spring (Junior Writing Seminar). It is usual for honors candidates to spend the senior year researching and writing the honors thesis.

The East Asian Studies concentration welcomes joint concentrators. Primary concentrators in another field who are interested in language study take six half-courses of language and two half-courses of sophomore tutorial. Those interested in area studies take two half-courses of sophomore tutorial, two half-courses of junior tutorial or courses designated as tutorial equivalents, and two additional half-courses on East Asia. Consult the East Asian Studies tutorial office for detailed requirements.

For information on the secondary field in East Asian Studies, please see page 325 of this Handbook or the secondary fields website (www.secondaryfields.fas.harvard.edu/EAS/program-desc-EAS.htm).

REQUIREMENTS

For students entering the College in Fall 2006 or later. Other students should refer to the Handbook for Students from the year in which they declared their concentration.

Humanities Track
Basic Requirements: 13 half-courses

1. Required courses:
1. Six half-courses in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan, or Vietnamese; or an approved combination of courses involving two East Asian languages. The language requirement is met by attaining a level of competence equivalent to six half-courses of language study; thus it is possible for the requirement to be satisfied in part by work done or experience gained elsewhere than in formal course work at Harvard. However, students who are allowed to take fewer than six half-courses of language due to previous training or knowledge are required to substitute other courses.
2. Three half-courses of tutorial or courses designated as equivalents.
3. Four non-language half-courses in East Asian or related subjects, selected from the list available in the tutorial office. One of these courses must be one of the following survey courses: Historical Study A-13 (China), Historical Study A-14 (Japan), Historical Study A-75 or Korean 111 (Korea), or Historical Study B-68 (Vietnam).
2. Tutorials:
1. East Asian Studies 97a (may be taken in sophomore or junior year). For the class of 2010, it is strongly recommended that students take this course in the fall of the sophomore year.
2. East Asian Studies 97b (may be taken in sophomore or junior year). For the class of 2010, it is strongly recommended that students take this course in the spring of the sophomore year.
3. East Asian Studies 98 (ordinarily taken in spring of junior year; 97a and 97b must be completed before enrolling in 98). With permission of the Head Tutor, an approved replacement course may be substituted for EAS 98.
3. Thesis: None.
4. General Examination: None.
5. Other information: Courses counted for concentration credit may not be taken Pass/Fail, except by special petition.

Humanities Track
Requirements for Honors Eligibility: 14 half-courses

1. Required courses:
1. Six half-courses in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan, or Vietnamese, or an approved combination of courses involving two East Asian languages (see Basic Requirements, item 1a).
2. Five half-courses of tutorial or courses designated as equivalents.
3. Three half-courses selected from among East Asian or related subjects (see item 1c of Humanities Track Basic Requirements), including language courses beyond Basic Requirements.
2. Tutorials:
       a-c. Same as Basic Requirements.
       d. Senior year: East Asian Studies 99 (two terms), preparation of thesis, required. Letter-graded.
3. Thesis: Required of all honors candidates.
4. General Examination: None.
5. Other information: Courses counted for concentration credit may not be taken Pass/Fail, except by special petition.

Social Sciences Track
Basic Requirements: 13 half-courses

1. Required courses:
1. Four half-courses of an East Asian language (or equivalent).
2. Three half-courses of tutorial or courses designated as equivalents.
3. Six half-courses selected from among East Asian or related subject course offerings (see item 1c of Humanities Track Basic Requirements). Additional language courses may replace up to one full year of these courses.
2. Tutorials:
1. East Asian Studies 97a (may be taken in sophomore or junior year). For the class of 2010, it is strongly recommended that students take this course in the fall of the sophomore year.
2. East Asian Studies 97b (may be taken in sophomore or junior year). For the class of 2010, it is strongly recommended that students take this course in the spring of the sophomore year.
3. East Asian Studies 98 (ordinarily taken in spring of junior year; 97a and 97b must be completed before enrolling in 98). With permission of the Head Tutor, an approved replacement course may be substituted for EAS 98.
3. Thesis: None.
4. General Examination: None.
5. Other information: Courses counted for concentration credit may not be taken Pass/Fail, except by special petition.

Social Sciences Track
Requirements for Honors Eligibility: 14 half-courses

1. Required courses:
1. Six half-courses of an East Asian language (or equivalent).
2. Five half-courses of tutorial or courses designated as equivalents.
3. Three half-courses chosen from East Asian course offerings (see item 1c of Humanities Track Basic Requirements).
2. Tutorials:
       a-c. Same as Basic Requirements.
       d. Senior year: East Asian Studies 99 (two terms), preparation of thesis, required. Letter-graded.
3. Thesis: Ordinarily a senior thesis is required for all levels of honors in Field. In rare cases, a student with an outstanding record of course work may be recommended for Honors in Field, though not for High or Highest Honors, without having written a thesis.
4. General Examination: None.
5. Other information: Courses counted for concentration credit may not be taken Pass/Fail, except by special petition.

Joint Concentration in East Asian History

Students whose interest in East Asian civilization is primarily historical in character should consider concentrating in East Asian History. East Asian History is a joint concentration cosponsored by the History Department and the East Asian Studies concentration. It aims to take advantage of the strengths of both concentrations. The goal of the program is to introduce students to the craft of historical study-the ways historians make sense of the past, and the skills of historical analysis, writing, and research-as well as to promote a critical understanding of the historical experience of East Asian societies. In addition to in-depth language study and substantial course work in the history of East Asia, students enrolling in this concentration will do one-half of their tutorial work in the History Department and the other half in the East Asian Studies concentration. The sophomore tutorial in History introduces students to the analysis of historical writing in various genres, while the EAS sophomore tutorial introduces the history, literature and intellectual traditions of China, Japan, and Korea. By taking a history department research seminar or the EAS junior paper workshop (or both), students are introduced to methods of historical research and writing and have the opportunity to conduct in-depth research projects. In the senior year, joint concentrators will work with an appropriate faculty adviser and graduate student tutor to write a thesis, an original work in some aspect of East Asian history.

ADVISING

All concentrators meet individually with an Assistant Head Tutor during the first week of each term. At other times, students are welcome to drop in during office hours as often as is desired or necessary. At the end of the sophomore year students consult with an Assistant Head Tutor to decide whether they will enter the humanities or social sciences track. Students are also welcome to meet with the Head Tutor during office hours.

For up-to-date information on advising in East Asian Studies, please see the Advising Programs Office website: www.fas.harvard.edu/~advising/concentrations/EastAsianStudies.html.

RESOURCES

Students of East Asia at Harvard, in whatever program, benefit from a number of unusual resources. Among these are the magnificent collections of the Harvard-Yenching Library-the Chinese collection is perhaps the most comprehensive in the world, while those on Japan and Korea also are imposing. The Harvard-Yenching Institute, in addition to its support of the library, operates programs that bring younger East Asian scholars and graduate students to Harvard. The Fairbank Center for East Asian Research and the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies also have a number of scholars on East Asia in residence annually, and sponsor workshops and other enriching activities. Harvard, moreover, sponsors certain study programs abroad, and the existence of these and other opportunities have led to an increasing number of students spending one of their undergraduate years in East Asia.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE

Freshmen or sophomores interested in concentrating on East Asia, in either the humanities or social sciences track, should meet with the Assistant Head Tutor for sophomores during office hours. A copy of our brochure, East Asian Studies at Harvard University, A Guide for Undergraduates may be obtained by mail or by visiting the tutorial office at 9 Kirkland Place (617-495-8365). The contents of the guide are also available on the EAS website: www.fas.harvard.edu/~eas/.

ENROLLMENT STATISTICS

Number of Concentrators as of November