East Asian Languages and Cultures

About East Asian Languages and Cultures

The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) promotes a broad knowledge of and deep engagement with the languages, literatures, and cultures of China, Japan and Korea. We emphasize the common inheritance and enduring legacies of these countries, as well as the varied experiences of diverse groups within their ever-changing societies and communities.  EALC offers BA programs in Chinese and Japanese and minors in all three.

At EALC, we consider language, literature, and culture to be the bedrock of a strong undergraduate curriculum.

Since language ability and knowledge are fundamental to an understanding of China, Japan, and/or Korea, we provide rigorous language training in modern Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.  Our students acquire proficiency in both the spoken and the written languages, and in addition, they are trained in the linguistic structures and histories of these languages as well.  We also encourage students to take Classical Chinese or Classical Japanese.

EALC offers a wide range of courses in literature and culture, focusing on a variety of regions, genres, and historical periods. In addition to critical methodologies of literary analysis, classes cover various disciplines including social and cultural history, gender studies, film and media studies, and visual culture.

By approaching East Asia through the intersections of language, literature, and culture, our students gain a fundamental mastery of and appreciation for diverse ways of life and experiences in East Asian countries, the region, and beyond.