Welcome to Asian Studies

Language, history, culture

The minor in Asian Studies will allow students to acquire new knowledge and wisdom from diverse cultural perspectives and learn to integrate what they learn with their own Western traditions to form a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world and its peoples. The study of the philosophies, religions, languages, and political systems of Asian nations will give students new insights into their own Western culture and lead them to an appreciation of the complexities of the social and political conflicts in the world today.

Loyola has long had a diverse range of courses in Asian studies in its curriculum. These courses have been organized into a coherent minor. An introductory Japanese language course began in the spring semester of 1998 and was soon supplemented in the following years by intermediate and advanced Japanese language courses, Chinese, and Asian culture and history courses. In addition to courses offered by the Department of Foreign Languages, the Departments of Religious Studies, History, Philosophy, and Sociology have also incorporated various aspects of Asian studies into their respective curriculums.