The Asian Studies Program was established in 1981 to provide students with a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Asian cultures and languages with a primary focus on China, Japan, and Vietnam. The program works across departments to bring together a wide range of courses and methodological approaches to area studies. We currently have over 40 undergraduate majors and minors, and over 100 students each term enrolled in both the Japanese and Chinese language programs. Each year we send Tulane graduates to graduate programs and prestigious governmental and professional positions related to Asia.
The rapid economic growth and increasing cultural influence of Asian countries have made Asian Studies an area of increasing interest for students and scholars around the world. Tulane's Asian Studies program aims to equip students with an understanding of the languages, cultures and peoples of Asia through study and collaboration with our growing faculty, who are engaged in world-class research in anthropology, cultural, cinematic, and literary studies, history, linguistics, sociology, political science, and other fields. Our program focuses primarily on China, Japan, and Vietnam; in particular, we are proud to draw upon the strengths of our local New Orleans community in our support of the study of Vietnamese culture.
Read our Mission Statement.