Undergraduate programs
On this page:
Minor Concentrations
Minor Concentration in East Asian Language and Literature (Expandable)
3 credits, chosen from the following introductory culture courses:
- EAST 211 Introduction to East Asian Culture: China
- EAST 212 Introduction to East Asian Culture: Japan
- EAST 213 Introduction to East Asian Culture: Korea
9 credits of an East Asian language.
Students may meet this requirement by passing with a grade of "C" in a first level language (EAST 220D1/D2, EAST 230D1/D2, or EAST 240D1/D2).
Students with a prior knowledge of an Asian language may substitute a second level language: EAST 320D1/D2, EAST 330D1/D2 or EAST 340D1/D2.
The 9 language credits can also be earned by taking 6 credits of Classical Chinese (EAST 533/EAST 534), Classical Japanese (EAST 543/EAST 544), a third or fourth level language (EAST 420, EAST 421 EAST 430 D1/D2, EAST 440 D1/D2, EAST 520, EAST 521, EAST 530 D1/D2, EAST 540 D1/D2, EAST 546, EAST 547, EAST 556, EAST 557, EAST 576, or EAST 577), 6 credits of Chinese for Business (EAST 535/EAST 536), OR China Today through translation (EAST 537D1/D2). AND an additional 3 credit course in East Asian Literature, Culture or Area Studies in order to fulfill the 9 language credits. (Admission to language courses is subject to placement tests).
IMPORTANT NOTE: a second level 9 credit language course is not an option in this minor.
6 credits at the 300-level or above chosen from the Department of East Asian Studies course offerings:
EAST 303/304, EAST 305/306, EAST 307/308, EAST 313/314, EAST 315, EAST 350, EAST 351, EAST 352, EAST 353, EAST 356, EAST 357, EAST 358, EAST 360, EAST 362, EAST 363, EAST 364, EAST 368, EAST 369, EAST 370, EAST 371, EAST 385, EAST 390, EAST 399, EAST 437, EAST 453, EAST 454, EAST 456, EAST 457, EAST 458, EAST 461, EAST 462, EAST 464, EAST 466, EAST 467, EAST 490, EAST 491, EAST 492, EAST 493, EAST 494, EAST 501, EAST 502, EAST 503, EAST 504, EAST 515, EAST 533, EAST 534, EAST 535, EAST 536, EAST 551, EAST 552, EAST 559, EAST 562, EAST 563, EAST 564, EAST 569, and EAST 582.
Minor in East Asian Cultural Studies (Expandable)
Complementary Courses (18 credits), which must include:
6 credits chosen from EAST 211, EAST 212, and EAST 213.
12 credits in East Asian Literature, Culture, and Society courses as listed here.
Supplementary East Asian Studies Minor (Non-expandable)
Complementary Courses(18 credits) which must include:
18 credits in Second, Third, or Fourth level courses in a single East Asian language or a combination of an advanced language and other courses in East Asian culture, literature, or society at the 300-level or above, chosen in consultation with the Minors advisor.
The Japanese Studies Minor Adviser is Mrs. miwako [dot] uesaka [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Miwako Uesaka) .
The Chinese Studies Minor Adviser is Mrs. myunghee [dot] kim [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Myunghee Kim) .
Major Program
Complementary Courses (36 credits)
6 credits, chosen from the following introductory East Asian courses:
- EAST 211 Introduction to East Asian Culture: China
- EAST 212 Introduction to East Asian Culture: Japan
- EAST 213 Introduction to East Asian Culture: Korea
6-9 credits chosen from the following East Asian language courses: EAST 220D1/D2, EAST 230D1/D2, EAST 240D1/D2, EAST 320D1/D2, EAST 330D1/D2, EAST 340D1/D2, EAST 420, EAST 421, EAST 430D1/D2, EAST 440D1/D2, EAST 520,EAST 52, EAST 530D1/D2, EAST 540D1/D2, or a selection of EAST 533 and EAS 534, EAST 535 and EAST 536, EAST 537D1/D2, or EAST 543 and EAST 544 and EAST 546 and EAST 547 and EAST 556 and EAST 557 and EAST 576 and EAST 577
Admission to language classes is subject to placement tests.
21-24 credits chosen from the East Asian Literature, Culture, and Society courses listed here. At least 6 credits must be at the 400 or 500 level.
You may also select equivalent courses in consultation with a Majors adviser.
Inquiries regarding the Major programme should be addressed to Professor Thomas LaMarre: thomas [dot] lamarre [at] mcgill [dot] ca
Honours in East Asian Studies
(60 credits)
Required Course (6 credits): EAST 498D1/D2: Honours Thesis in East Asian Studies
Complementary Courses (54 credits):
24 credits of East Asian language courses
EAST 220D1/D2, EAST 230D1/D2, EAST 240D1/D2, EAST 320D1/D2, EAST 330D1/D2, EAST 340D1/D2, EAST 420,EAST 421, EAST 430D1/D2, EAST 440D1/D2, EAST 520, EAST 521, EAST 530D1/D2, EAST 540D1/D2, or a selection of EAST 533 and EAS 534, EAST 535 and EAST 536, EAST 537D1/D2, or EAST 543 and EAST 544 and EAST 546 and EAST 547 and EAST 556 and EAST 557 and EAST 576 and EAST 577.
Admission to language classes is subject to placement tests.
30 credits in East Asian Culture, Literature, and Society Courses:
- 6 credits chosen from the following introductory courses: two of EAST 211, EAST 212, EAST 213
- 24 credits in the EAst Asian Literature, Culture and Society courses listed here. ; of these , 6 credits must be at the 400 level or above, on 400-level coruse must be taken before commencing the thesis. Please consult the FAQ - Honours program in East Asian Studies document: faq_honours_eas.pdf
Inquiries regarding the Major programme should be addressed to Professor Yuriko Furuhata: yuriko [dot] furuhata [at] mcgill [dot] ca
Joint Honours in East Asian Studies
(36 credits)
Required Course (3 credits): EAST 495D1/D2: Joint Honours Thesis: East Asian Studies
Complementary Courses (33 credits):
6 credits chosen fro the following introductory courses, two of EAST 211, EAST 212, or EAST 213.
18 credits in East Asian languages above the introductory level, chosen from the following:
EAST 320D1/D2, EAST 330 D1/D2, or EAST 340 D1/D2; EAST 420, EAST 421, EAST 430 D1/D2, or EAST 440 D1/D2; EAST 520, EAST 521,EAST 530 D1/D2, or EAST 540 D1/D2; or EAST 533, EAST 534, EAST 535, EAST 536, EAST 537 D1/D2, EAST 543, EAST 544, EAST 546 and EAST 547 and EAST 556 and EAST 557 and EAST 576 and EAST 577.
9 credits in East Asian Culture, Literature and Society courses: at least 3 credits must be at the 400-level or above:
EAST 303/304, EAST 305/306, EAST 307/308, EAST 313/314,EAST 315, EAST 350, EAST 351, EAST 352, EAST 353, EAST 354, EAST 356, EAST 357, EAST 358, EAST 360, EAST 362, EAST 363, EAST 364, EAST 368, EAST 369, EAST 370, EAST 371,EAST 385, EAST 390, EAST 453, EAST 454, EAST 456, EAST 457, EAST 461, EAST 462, EAST 464, EAST 466, EAST 467, EAST 490, EAST 491, EAST 492, EAST 493, EAST 494, EAST 501, EAST 502, EAST 503, EAST 504, EAST 515, EAST 550, EAST 551, EAST 552, EAST 559, EAST 562, EAST 563, EAST 564, EAST 569, AND EAST 582.
Students who wish to study at the Honours level in two disciplines can combine Joint Honours Program components from any two Arts disciplines; for more information on available programs, see section 5.3.5.2. “Joint Honours Programs” of the McGill University Undergraduate Calendar at
According to Faculty regulations, Joint Honours students must maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.00 and maintain a minimum program CPA of 3.00.
Joint Honours students should consult an advisor in each department to discuss their course selection and their interdisciplinary research project (if applicable).
The following courses constitute the East Asian Studies interdisciplinary program. Not all courses are offered every year; to find out whether or not these courses will be offered please consult the McGill Undergraduate Calendar, available at or visit
Departmental approval is required for students who wish to take First Level Chinese and First and Second Level Japanese. Any student taking a language course for the first time must see the Department. Departmental approval must be obtained during the pre-registration period.
Please note that courses with a D1/D2 designation are full-year classes; students register for both the Fall and Winter session to gain credits for either term’s work.
EAST ASIAN CULTURE INTRODUCTORY COURSES
EAST 211 Intro:East Asian Culture:China
EAST 212 Intro:East Asian Culture:Japan
EAST 213 Intro:East Asian Culture:Korea
EAST ASIAN LANGUAGE COURSES
EAST 220D1 First Level Korean
EAST 220D2 First Level Korean
EAST 230D1 First Level Chinese
EAST 230D2 First Level Chinese
EAST 240D1 First Level Japanese
EAST 240D2 First Level Japanese
EAST 320D1 Second Level Korean
EAST 320D2 Second Level Korean
EAST 330D1 Second Level Chinese
EAST 330D2 Second Level Chinese
EAST 340D1 Second Level Japanese
EAST 340D2 Second Level Japanese
EAST 420 Third Level Korean 1
EAST 421 Third Level Korean 2
EAST 430D1 Third Level Chinese
EAST 430D2 Third Level Chinese
EAST 440D1 Third Level Japanese
EAST 440D2 Third Level Japanese
EAST 520 Fourth Level Korean 1
EAST 521 Fourth Level Korean 2
EAST 530D1 Fourth Level Chinese
EAST 530D2 Fourth Level Chinese
EAST 533 Classical Chinese 1
EAST 534 Classical Chinese 2
EAST 535 Chinese for Business 1
EAST 536 Chinese for Business II
EAST 537D1 China Today Through Transl
EAST 537D2 China Today Through Transl
EAST 540D1 Fourth Level Japanese
EAST 540D2 Fourth Level Japanese
EAST 543 Classical Japanese 1
EAST 544 Classical Japanese 2
EAST 546 Advanced Reading: Japanese
EAST 547 Advanced Translation: Japanese
EAST 556 Advanced Reading in Chinese
EAST 557 Advanced Translation: Chinese
EAST 576 Advanced Reading in Korean
EAST 577 Advanced Translation: Korean
EAST ASIAN CULTURE, LITERATURE AND SOCIETY COURSES
EAST 214 Japanese Animation & New Media
EAST 215 Introduction to East Asian Art
EAST 216 Chinese Action Film
EAST 299 Introduction to Manga
EAST 303 Current Topics:Chin Studies 1
EAST 304 Current Topics:Chin Studies 2
EAST 305 Curr Topics:Japanese St 1
EAST 306 Curr Topics:Japanese St 2
EAST 307 Topics: Chinese Lang. & Lit. 1
EAST 308 Topics:Chinese Lang. & Lit. 2
EAST 313 Current Topics:Korean St 1
EAST 314 Current Topics:Korean St 2
EAST 315 Survey: Modern Korean Literature in Translation
EAST 350 Gender&Sexuality in ChineseLit
EAST 351 Women Writers of China
EAST 352 Crit Approaches to Chinese Lit
EAST 353 Approaches to Chinese Cinema
EAST 354 Taoist & Buddhist Apocalypses
EAST 356 Modern & Contemp. Chinese Art
EAST 357 Early Chinese Art
EAST 358 Later Chinese Art (960-1911)
EAST 360 Archaeology of Ancient China
EAST 362 Japanese Cinema
EAST 363 Aesthetics and Politics of Vision in Premodern Japan
EAST 364 Mass Culture & Postwar Japan
EAST 369 Topics:Gen&Sex in Chinese Cine
EAST 370 History of Sexuality in Japan
EAST 371 Approaches to Japanese Animation
EAST 385 Society and Community in Korea
EAST 390 The Chinese Family in History
EAST 453 Topics: Chinese Literature
EAST 454 Topics: Chinese Cinema
EAST 456 Chinese Drama&Popular Culture
EAST 457 Brushwork in Chinese Painting
EAST 461 Inventing Mod Japanese Novel
EAST 462 Japan in Asia
EAST 464 Image, Text, Performance
EAST 466 Feminism and Japan
EAST 467 Topics: Japanese Cinema
EAST 490 Confucius and the Classics
EAST 491 Tutorial:East Asian Lang&Lit 1
EAST 492 Tutorial:East Asian Lang&Lit 2
EAST 493 Spec Topics:East Asian St 1
EAST 494 Spec Topics:East Asian St 2
EAST 501 Adv Top in Japanese Studies 1
EAST 502 Adv Top in Japanese Studies 2
EAST 503 Adv Top in Chinese Studies 1
EAST 504 Adv Top in Chinese Studies 2
EAST 515 Seminar: Beyond Orientalism
EAST 550 Class Chin PoetryThemes&Genres
EAST 551 Technol of Self in Early China
EAST 552 The Yijing (Book of Changes)
EAST 559 Adv Topics: Chinese Literature
EAST 562 Japanese Lit Theory & Practice
EAST 563 Images,Ideograms,Aesthetics
EAST 564 Structures of Modernity: Japan
EAST 569 Adv Topics:Japanese Literature
EAST 582 Japanese Culture and Society
ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 329 Modern Chinese Society&Change
ANTH 331 Prehistory of East Asia
ANTH 431 course description not available
ANTH 500 Chinese Diversity & Diaspora
ECONOMICS
ECON 335 The Japanese Economy
ECON 336 The Chinese Economy
ECON 411 Econ Development:A World Area
GEOGRAPHY
GEOG 408 Geography of Development
GEOG 508 course description not available
HISTORY
HIST 208 Intro to East Asian History
HIST 218 Modern East Asian History
HIST 308 Formation of Chinese Tradition
HIST 318 History of Japan 1
HIST 328 The Qing Empire
HIST 337 Japanese Intellectual Hist 1
HIST 338 Twentieth-Century China
HIST 348 China:Science-Medicine-Tech
HIST 352 Japanese Intellectual Hist 2
HIST 358 Medieval to Early Modern China
HIST 359 History of Japan 2
HIST 420 Gender&Sexuality: Modern China
HIST 438 Topics in Cold War History
HIST 439 History of Women in China
HIST 441 Topics:Culture&Ritual in China
HIST 442 Asian Diasp: Chinese Overseas
HIST 443 course description not available
HIST 445 Late Imperial China
HIST 485D1 Seminar in Japanese History
HIST 485D2 Seminar in Japanese History
HIST 497D1 Topics in Chinese History
HIST 497D2 Topics in Chinese History
HIST 579 course description not available
HIST 581 The Art of War in China
DESAUTELS FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
ORGB 380 Cross Cultural Management
POLITICAL SCIENCE
POLI 323 course description not available
POLI 349 Foreign Policy: Asia
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
RELG 253 Religions of East Asia
RELG 264 Introductory Tibetan 1
RELG 265 Introductory Tibetan 2
RELG 339 Gender & Sexuality in Buddhism
RELG 344 Mahayana Buddhism
RELG 352 Japanese Religions
RELG 354 Chinese Religions
RELG 364 Intermediate Tibetan 1
RELG 365 Intermediate Tibetan 2
RELG 442 Pure Land Buddhism
RELG 443 Japanese Esoteric Buddhism
RELG 451 Zen:Maxims and Methods
RELG 452 East Asian Buddhism
RELG 453 Vajrayana Buddhism
RELG 464 Advanced Tibetan 1
RELG 465 Advanced Tibetan 2
RELG 549 Japanese Buddhist Philosophy
RELG 557 course description not available
Prizes and awards
THE DR. NORMAN BETHUNE MEMORIAL AWARD
Initially established by a donation from the late Mr. W.A. Scott, founding member and Honorary President of Victoria's Canada- China Friendship Association in memory of Dr. Norman Bethune. Awarded to an outstanding student at the conclusion of the first or intermediate year in the Faculty of Arts, with preference given to a student who is registered in any program relating to Chinese studies. Awarded upon recommendation of the Department of East Asian Studies.
Value: $400.
CANADIAN CHINESE CULTURAL SOCIETY OF MONTREAL INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Founded in 1969, the Canadian Chinese Cultural Society of Montreal Inc. offers an annual scholarship to an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in Chinese Studies. Candidates must be Canadian citizens able to demonstrate financial need and registered as full time students in the third or fourth year of undergraduate studies or in a graduate program. Candidates apply directly to the Canadian Chinese Cultural Society of Montreal Inc. Please consult CCCSM website at http://cccsm.org/ (Deadline: April 30)
Value: $1000
HUAYU ENRICHMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Each year a maximum of three full Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarships are awarded to Canadian Students at McGill University. Students who are Canadian Citizens with a good academic record are eligible to apply for periods of study of three, six, nine, or twelve months. For more information visit Cultural Division, TECO Canada
Value: Approximately $760 per month
