Study Abroad

Study abroad is a primary gateway to competence in Japanese or Chinese and to the cross-cultural awareness that is indispensable in today's world. For most students, total immersion in the culture and language of another country is the only path to becoming bilingual and bicultural. Study abroad sharpens our understanding of ourselves in relation to the world we live in and is thus a vital component of a liberal education.

Accordingly, East Asian Studies majors should devote one, or preferably two semesters to study at an approved program in China, Japan, or Taiwan. (Students whose exceptional circumstances make study abroad problematic may petition the Program faculty to have this requirement waived.) Students must consult the Office of International Studies for detailed information on study abroad.

Programs. Detailed information on approved programs in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan is listed on the Office of International Studies "Study Abroad: Asia" page.

Credit  toward graduation is granted automatically for course work completed on a Wesleyan or Wesleyan-approved program. Grades are reported on the Wesleyan transcript and counted toward the student's overall GPA.

Students who attend Wesleyan-administered programs may count four courses per semester toward the East Asian Studies major. Language courses taken at these programs may be counted toward satisfaction of the major language requirement. Students who attend Wesleyan-approved programs  may count two non-language courses per semester toward the East Asian Studies major. Students may count language courses taken at these programs toward the major. Grades received from Wesleyan-administered programs only will be counted toward departmental honors.

Students may normally receive no more than one credit for Study in the Field and one credit for Independent Study undertaken abroad. Students must obtain approval for such courses from their major advisor and from the Program Chair before leaving Wesleyan.

During their time in East Asia, majors should consider possible topics for senior research projects. They should therefore discuss research possibilities with their advisor before leaving Wesleyan.

Majors are normally expected to take at least one language course in Chinese or Japanese at Wesleyan after their return from study-abroad programs.

Financial aid for study abroad is available in various forms; see the International Studies Office for detailed information.