We study the languages, societies and cultures of major civilizations that stretch from the Arab World to Japan. Students expand their knowledge and challenge assumptions about this large and vital part of the world.
We offer two types of courses: language courses in Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese, and culture courses representing a broad range of academic disciplines such as anthropology, art history, film studies, history, literature, political science, and religion.
Our Curriculum
Whether through literature, film, art, architecture, political science, anthropology, religion, or history, Asian Languages and Civilizations allows you to engage this vital and significant part of our world.
The Major
The department encourages study abroad in the language of concentration to further language development and experience local societies and cultures.
Study Abroad
Doshisha University was founded by Joseph Hardy Neesima of the Class of 1870, the first Japanese to graduate from a Western institution of higher learning. Amherst College’s ongoing partnership with Doshisha includes student exchanges, faculty exchanges, and a post-graduate fellowship.
Doshisha UniversityThis course explores central ideas and practices in the religious and intellectual traditions of India up until the medieval period.
This course provides an introduction to the history and institution of the museum, with an emphasis on more recent developments in the digital domain.
This course teaches students how to design research projects and analyze data about people in China using findings from the instructor’s longitudinal project about Chinese only-children and their families.
We award the Doshisha Asian Studies Prize for the best undergraduate honors thesis pertaining to Asia, and The Smith Prize for Japanese Studies.