Why study East Asian languages and cultures?
China, Japan, and Korea are three of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world, offering rich literary and philosophical traditions, vibrant contemporary cultures, and cutting-edge technological innovation. Mainland China and Japan are among the world’s largest economies after the United States and, along with South Korea and Taiwan, are key U.S. trading partners. Thousands of US companies do business with East Asia. Economic, political and cultural connections between the US and East Asia are of critical significance for the US and will continue to be so throughout the 21st century.
With an EALC B.A., students can pursue a range of careers in business, government, education, nonprofit organizations, to name a few, or continue on to graduate study in East Asian languages and cultures. Many students pair an EALC major or minor with a second major to widen their skill-set and increase their competitiveness as they enter the global marketplace. Some students choose EALC related courses to connect with their heritage or to fulfill personal interests.
Requirements for the Minor
Students selecting this minor must complete the following:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| Elementary Chinese I | |
| Elementary Japanese I |
| Elementary Korean I |
| Elementary Chinese II | |
| Elementary Japanese II |
| Elementary Korean II |
| Intermediate Chinese I | |
| Intermediate Japanese I |
| Intermediate Korean I |
| CHIN 208 | Intermediate Chinese II | 5 |
| or JPN 208 | Intermediate Japanese II |
| or KOR 208 | Intermediate Korean II |
| CHIN 504 | Advanced Modern Chinese I | 5 |
| or JPN 504 | Advanced Modern Japanese I |
| or KOR 504 | Advanced Modern Korean I |
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| Advanced Modern Chinese II | |
| Advanced Modern Japanese II |
| Advanced Modern Korean II |
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| Total Hours | 18-19 |
Minor Hours & Minor GPA
While completing all required courses, minors must also meet each of the following hour and GPA minimum standards:
Minor Hours
Satisfied by 18-19 hours of minor courses.
Minor Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 9 junior/senior (300+) hours of KU resident credit in the minor.
Minor Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by 13-14 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the minor.
Minor Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in all departmental courses in the minor. GPA calculations include all courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
