Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies

University of California, Berkeley

About the Program

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies major at Berkeley is dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of historical and contemporary experiences of Asian-ancestry groups in local, national and global contexts. Although attention is focused on Asians in the U.S, the program situates the experiences, contributions, issues, and concerns of Asian American communities within their larger transnational and diasporic contexts.

Connections among Asian communities in the U.S. and around the world are explored in terms of the entangled histories and circuits of migration and the interconnected space through which people, capital, ideas, influences, and activism flow between Asia and the U.S. and among Asian diasporic communities. 

Honors Program

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Program will provide a program leading to the A.B. degree with honors. A student will be recommended for honors if the student has completed at least 30 units and two semesters with a grade-point average of at least 3.5 overall and for all work undertaken in the Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Program. Students must also have been approved specifically for honors by the Ethnic Studies Department Honors Committee. The honors student will be required to complete ASAMST H195A and ASAMST H195BSenior Honors Seminar for Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Majors. In order to graduate with an A.B. degree with honors, a student must obtain at least 3.5 GPA for all course work undertaken at the university

Minor Program

The Department offers a minor in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. For further information regarding how to declare the minor, please see the program's website.

Other Majors and Minors offered by the Department of Ethnic Studies

Chicanx Latinx Studies (Major and Minor)
Ethnic Studies (Major and Minor)
Native American Studies (Major and Minor)

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

  1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
  2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters & Science.
  3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Lower Division Major Requirements (3 courses)

ETH STD 11ACIntroduction to Ethnic Studies4
ASAMST 20AIntroduction to the History of Asians in the United States4
Select one course from the following:8
Asian American Communities and Race Relations [4]
Contemporary Issues in Asian American Communities [4]
Cultural Politics and Practices in Asian American Communities [4]

Upper Division Major Requirements (9 courses)

ASAMST 131Asian Diaspora(s) from an Asian American Perspective4
ETH STD 101ASocial Science Methods in Ethnic Studies4
or ETH STD 101B Humanities Methods in Ethnic Studies
Completion of one course from Chicano Studies, Ethnic Studies, Native American Studies
Completion of one Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies course from each group below
Group 1 (History):
Chinese American History [4]
Japanese American History [4]
Korean American History [4]
Filipino American History [4]
Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation [4]
South Asian American Historical and Contemporary Issues [4]
Muslims in America [4]
Group 2 (Community):
Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S [4]
Islamophobia and Constructing Otherness [4]
Law in the Asian American Community [4]
Asian American Health [3]
ASAMST 143BAdvancing Health Equity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities4
Religions of Asian America [4]
Politics, Public Policy, and Asian American Communities [4]
Asian Americans and Education [4]
Gender and Generation in Asian American Families [4]
Asian American Women: Theory and Experience [4]
The Second Generation Asian American Experience [4]
Group 3 (Cultural):
Topics in Asian Popular Culture [4]
Asian Americans in Film and Video [4]
Asian American Literature [4]
Creative Writing [4]
Contemporary Narratives on the Philippines and the United States [3]
Genre in Asian American Literature [4]
Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Literature and Culture [4]
Chinese American Literature [4]
Korean American Literature [4]
Two additional electives that can be satisfied with related courses from outside departments (i.e., Asian Studies, East Asian Languages & Cultures, History, South & Southeast Asian Studies), Asian language courses, EAP courses from an Asian university, or related coursework from other 4-year universities
Field Study
Field Study in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies [1-3] (3 Units)
ETH STD 197ALove, Study, Struggle: An Ethnic Studies Community Grounded Learning Lab (1 unit)1

Minor Requirements

Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements.

General Guidelines

  1. All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. 

  2. To declare the minor, please contact an undergraduate major advisor after you have completed at least one course for the minor. 

  3. All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade. 

  4. A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.

  5. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses to fulfill the minor requirements.

  6. Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement, for Letters & Science students.

  7. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.

  8. All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.

  9. All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Requirements

Upper Division
Select five of the following:
Chinese American History [4]
Japanese American History [4]
Korean American History [4]
Filipino American History [4]
Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S [4]
Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation [4]
South Asian American Historical and Contemporary Issues [4]
Muslims in America [4]
Asian Diaspora(s) from an Asian American Perspective [4]
Islamophobia and Constructing Otherness [4]
Topics in Asian Popular Culture [4]
Law in the Asian American Community [4]
Asian American Health [3]
ASAMST 143BAdvancing Health Equity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities4
Religions of Asian America [4]
Politics, Public Policy, and Asian American Communities [4]
Asian Americans and Education [4]
Gender and Generation in Asian American Families [4]
Asian American Women: Theory and Experience [4]
The Second Generation Asian American Experience [4]
Asian Americans in Film and Video [4]
Asian American Literature [4]
Creative Writing [4]
Contemporary Narratives on the Philippines and the United States [3]
Genre in Asian American Literature [4]
Gender and Sexuality in Asian American Literature and Culture [4]
Chinese American Literature [4]
Korean American Literature [4]
Seminar on Advanced Topics in Asian American Studies [4]

College Requirements

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For a detailed lists of L&S requirements, please see Overview tab to the right in this guide or visit the L&S Degree Requirements webpage. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley and must be taken for a letter grade. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and American Institutions requirements are based on the principle that all U.S. residents who have graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American Cultures

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this campus requirement course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses are plentiful and offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer/data science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course taken for a letter grade.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work taken for a letter grade.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College of Letters and Science requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses in sequential order by the end of their fourth semester for a letter grade.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

  • 120 total units

  • Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

  • Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes at Cal for four years, or two years for transfer students. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you graduate early, go abroad for a semester or year, or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an L&S College adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your B.A. degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

Undergraduates are expected to obtain the following skills by the time they graduate. These skills belong to five different general areas: historical knowledge, empirical knowledge and quantitative methods, interpretation and qualitative analysis, theory and critique, and community service. They are:

  1. Historical Knowledge
    • Familiarity with the history of modern Western civilization, including European expansion, conquest, and enslavement.
    • Specific knowledge of the modern history of at least three different ethno-racial groups.
    • Acquaintance with debates in historiography, particularly as they relate to the use of history in relation to the understanding of people of color.
    • For students who specialize in history, proper use of primary and secondary historical sources, as well as the writing of scholarly historical work.
  2. Empirical Knowledge and Quantitative Methods
    • Familiarity with different methods of gathering empirical data about human communities (anthropological, sociological, etc.,).
    • Knowledge of critical debates about the use and implications of traditional methods of gathering empirical data to obtain knowledge about communities of color.
    • Identification of proper methods to conduct research, and awareness of the limits and possibilities of such methods.
    • Creative use, delimitation, and expansion of methods of empirical and quantitative study based on the nature of the problems and questions addressed in the research as well as the object of study.
  3. Interpretation and Qualitative Analysis
    • Acquaintance with major methods and debates in the humanities.
    • Familiarity with the art, film, literature, or music of at least three different ethno-racial groups.
    • Identification of proper methods to conduct research about the creative products of human communities, and ethno-racial communities in particular.
    • Creative use, delimitation, and expansion of methods of qualitative analysis based on the nature of the problems and questions addressed in the research as well as the object of study.
  4. Theory and Critique
    • Familiarity with major theories of race and ethnicity, and their intersections and constitutive relations with class, gender, and sexuality.
    • Acquaintance with theories of space and place, including indigeneity, Diaspora, migration, and nation, as well as their use in determining the unit of analysis.
    • Use of comparison and contrast for evaluating and producing theory as well as for critical analysis.
    • Creative use of philosophies and theories that are relevant to the understanding and critical analysis of the social contexts, interpersonal dynamics, and multiple creative productions of ethno-racial communities.
  5. Service Learning
    • Further refinement and enrichment of the above listed skills in settings where the students interact with communities of color and/or their productions.

Major Map

Major maps are experience maps that help undergraduates plan their Berkeley journey based on intended major or field of interest. Featuring student opportunities and resources from your college and department as well as across campus, each map includes curated suggestions for planning your studies, engaging outside the classroom, and pursuing your career goals in a timeline format.

Use the major map below to explore potential paths and design your own unique undergraduate experience:

View the Asian American and Diaspora Studies Major Map PDF.

 

Advising

Departmental Major Advising

Our mission is to provide holistic and comprehensive advising of the highest quality to assist students in obtaining the best education and experience possible.

Undergraduate Major Advisors

Dewey St. Germaine
530 Social Sciences Building
deweystg@berkeley.edu
510-643-6420

Laura Jimenez-Olvera
532 Social Sciences Building
lauraj@berkeley.edu
510-642-0243

Mailing Address

Department of Ethnic Studies
506 Social Sciences Building #2570
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-2570

Academic Opportunities

Berkeley Connect in Ethnic Studies

Berkeley Connect in Ethnic Studies matches interested students with ethnic studies graduate student mentors in a one semester, 1 unit program that includes individual advising, small group discussions, special events and excursions. Through this program, you will become part of a community of like-minded faculty, mentors, and students that will provide a supportive environment in which to exchange and discuss ideas and goals. Berkeley Connect will help you to make the most of your time at the university as you learn more about the majors offered through the Department of Ethnic Studies. For further information, please see the Berkeley Connect website.

Study Abroad

The Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies program encourages all undergraduate majors to consider study abroad opportunities. Whether you are interested in fulfilling major and/or general education requirements, taking courses related to a future career, improving or learning language skills, or simply living and studying in a country that is of interest to you, we will work with you to make it happen. For information about Study Abroad programs, please see the Berkeley Study Abroad website.

Prizes and Awards

The Department of Ethnic Studies offers the Dr. Carlos Munoz Jr. Scholar/Activist Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded every spring and recognizes a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership and activism in their community on and off campus.

Courses

Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies

Contact Information

Department of Ethnic Studies

506 Social Sciences Building

Phone: 510-643-0796

Fax: 510-642-6456

ethnicst@berkeley.edu

Visit Department Website

Department Chair

Keith P. Feldman

506 Social Sciences Building

kpfeldman@berkeley.edu

Academic Advisor

Laura Jimenez-Olvera

532 Social Sciences Building

Phone: 510-642-0243

lauraj@berkeley.edu

Academic Advisor

Dewey St. Germaine

530 Social Sciences Building

Phone: 510-643-6420

deweystg@berkeley.edu

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