Asian Studies – Albright College

Asian Studies

 

 

 

The Albright Asian Studies Minor offers Albright students enrolled in any chosen academic concentration the opportunity to design a curriculum that focuses on the field of Asian Studies. Courses included in the program extend across different departments to allow for multiple approaches and interpretations of Asian culture, and to provide a wide range of disciplinary methodologies for developing greater understanding of the globally emerging societies of South, Southeast, East and West Asia. These fields of study include History, Political Science, Business, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Art, and Film Studies. Students enrolled in Asian Studies will have the opportunity to choose five courses from the ones offered in the program so that they may tailor their educational experience according to their own specific interests and concerns. In addition to the curriculum offered at the Albright campus, students will also be encouraged to study abroad, giving them the important experience of completing course work while living in the cultural worlds they are studying. Upon completion of Albright’s Asian Studies program students will be better prepared to continue their education in graduate studies or to move on to a number of professional careers in Asian Studies education, business and marketing, or social and economic development. Contact: Prof. Victor Forte

asian-studies

Arcana Albright, Ph.D.
Professor of French
610-921-7694
aalbright@albright.edu

asian-studies

Jennifer Koosed, Ph.D.
Professor of Religious Studies
610-921-7760
jkoosed@albright.edu

asian-studies

Victor J. Forte, Ph.D.
Professor of Religious Studies
610-921-7731
vforte@albright.edu

asian-studies

Midori E. Hartman Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Classical Studies
610-929-6620
mhartman@albright.edu

asian-studies

Michelle McGowan, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish

asian-studies

Andrew Mbuvi
Visiting NEH Chair in Religious Studies
ambuvi@albright.edu

asian-studies

Guillaume de Syon, Ph.D.
Professor of History
610-921-7822
gdesyon@albright.edu

asian-studies

Adam John, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of French and Spanish
610-921-7699
ajohn@albright.edu

asian-studies

Lisa Bellantoni, Ph.D.
Department Chair; Associate Professor in Philosophy
610-921-7709
lbellantoni@albright.edu

asian-studies

John Pankratz, Ph.D.
Professor of History
610-921-7823
jpankratz@albright.edu

asian-studies

Patricia Turning, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History; Chair of Department
610-921-6733
pturning@albright.edu

asian-studies

Melissa Katz, M.A.
Senior Instructor of Spanish
610-921-7858
mkatz@albright.edu

asian-studies

Katherine L. Brown, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Spanish
kbrown@albright.edu

Requirements:

  • One introductory course – REL 266 “Asian Cultural Life”
  • Three Asian Studies content courses from three different departments
  • One course with a research module, either:
    • Within an Asian studies course
    • An independent research with a faculty member in the Asian studies curriculum
    • In a special topics or senior seminar course approved by the Asian Studies coordinator

Students in the Asian Studies minor are encouraged to take Chinese at Albright or Chinese or another Asian language at another institution.


Art Department
ART 104 Survey of Art History – Module Course

Economics and Business Department
Module Courses:
ECO 233 Comparative Economics (pre-req. ECO 105)
BUS 368 International Management (pre-req. BUS 346)
BUS 374 International Marketing (pre-req. BUS 347)

History Department 
HIS 241 History of East Asia to 1800
HIS 242 History of East Asia after 1800
HIS 254 From Byzantine to Ottoman: Middle East 500-1500
HIS 255 Gunpowder Empires: Ottomans, Safivids and Mughals: Middle East 1500-1900
HIS 256 Modern Middle East

Interdisciplinary Courses
IDS 289 – Japanese Religion and Philosophy and its Impact on Business Practice (includes study
in Japan)
IDS 283 – Class, Religion and Development in India (includes study in India)

Modern Foreign Languages Department
CHI 101 Elementary Chinese I
CHI 102 Elementary Chinese II
CHI 201 Intermediate Chinese I

Philosophy Department
PHI 217 Asian Philosophy
Module Courses:
PHI 130 Individual and Society
PHI 135 Class, Race & Gender
PHI 140 Human Nature
PHI 210 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHI 222 World Philosophy

Political Science Department
POS 340 Modern Politics in East Asia

Religious Studies Department
REL 152 Religions of India, China and Japan
REL 257 Buddhism across Cultures
REL 210 Asia on Film
REL 251 Islam: Ideals and Realities