The Department of Asian American Studies was one of the very first autonomous academic Departments in the United States completely devoted to the study of Asian Americans.

The Department offers undergraduate students, through a Bachelor of Arts degree, the opportunity to study and understand the experiences of Asian Americans, particularly their histories, communities, and cultures. Students learn to evaluate the existing literature on Asian American communities, to analyze a variety of data on Asian Americans, and to conduct original research.

A minor degree and Honors Program are also available to students. The Department provides a well-rounded curriculum, which engages approaches from traditional disciplines, including sociology, law, education, psychology, and literature, and from interdisciplinary scholarship in women’s studies, law and society, public policy, global studies, cultural studies, and film and media studies.