Asian American Studies Major

FALL 2023 UPDATED CURRICULUM APPROVED!

The courses needed to complete the Asian American Studies Major for students adding the major starting in Fall Quarter 2023 will change to be more useful to our students and better reflect Asian American Studies as a field. Over the past few years, the department faculty reviewed and discussed existing curriculum data and also held qualitative interviews with students to develop the new, updated major course requirements listed on this page. We are confident that these curriculum changes better match student interests and provide more opportunity and flexibility in course choices.

Asian American Studies Major Requirements

The Asian American Studies major is a designated capstone major. Students are required to complete either a community-based applied team research project or an independent scholarly or creative expression project. Those who select the community-based project are expected to use their scholarly knowledge and analytical skills to examine problems facing Asian and Pacific Islander American populations, think creatively and innovatively about evidence-based solutions, and to produce reports that benefit community stakeholders. Those who select to design and complete an independent scholarly or creative expression project pursue a key idea or theme of personal interest that is related to their prior coursework and to the experiences and realities of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Through their capstone work, all students are expected to demonstrate their skills in using and synthesizing knowledge gained in disparate courses and communicating effectively their findings and conclusions in a final paper, report, or project and in a public forum.

The BA program in Asian American Studies provides a general introduction for students who anticipate advanced work at the graduate level or careers in research, public service, and community work related to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. An overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better is required for admission to the major.

Lower Division Courses

Students must complete two (2) courses from the following:

• Asian American Studies 10 or 10W: History of Asian Americans
• Asian American Studies 20 or 20W: Contemporary Asian American Communities
• Asian American Studies 30 or 30W: Asian American Literature and Culture
• Asian American Studies 40 or 40W: Asian American Movement
• Asian American Studies 50 or 50W: Asian American Women

For more detailed descriptions of each lower division course, see above tab entitled “Lower Division Classes.”

Upper Division Courses

Students must complete twelve (12) upper-division courses:

• ONE Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and Social Movements course selected from Asian American Studies M108, 109, 110, 113, M116, M119, 130A, M130B, M130C, 131A, 131B, 131C, 132A, 133, 134, 135, 141AX, 141BX, 143B, M143C, 171F, 177, 187C, 191C
• ONE Global and Transnational Perspectives course selected from Asian American Studies 111, 123, 125, 170, 171A, 171B, 171C, M171D, 171E, 171F, M172A, 172B, 172C, M173, 174B, 175B, 176, 178, M179
• ONE Comparative and Intersectional Ethnic Studies course selected from Asian American Studies 109, 110, M112A, M112B, 113, M114, 115, M117, 118, 122A, M124, 126, M128, M129, M161, M162, M163, M164, M165, M166A, M166B, M166C, 167, M169, 172B, 174A, 175A, M191F
• ONE Methodology, Creative Production and Community Engagement course selected from Asian American Studies 103, 104A, 104B, 105, 107, 112C, M119, 120, 121, 122B, 140XP , 141AX, 141BX, C142A, C142B, C142C, M143A, M160, M168, 172C, 187A, 191A, 198A, 198B, 198C, 199
• TWO additional courses from any of the above upper division categories
• FIVE Asian American Studies Elective Courses selected from Asian American Studies 103 through 199
• ONE Capstone Project Course selected from Asian American Studies 185 or 186

Major Policies

• A course can only count towards one of the four upper division categories in the major. No course can be applied to more than one upper division category.
• No more than 4 graded units of courses numbered 192 and 196 may be applied toward the major.
• No more than 12 graded units of courses numbered 195, 197, 198, and 199 may be applied toward the major.
• Courses 188, 189, and 189HC may not be applied toward the major.
• Each course applied toward the major must be taken for a letter grade, each must be at least 4 units, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better.

Major Requirement Worksheet, click here.

Please note that this worksheet is used as a course-planning tool only. This form is not to serve as the official completion document.

Asian American Studies Major who entered the major before Fall 2023

If you declared the Asian American Studies major before Fall 2023, you are currently following those rules (see tab). If you have any questions about changing to these new requirements, please contact the Student Advisor at justin.delacruz@asianam.ucla.edu.