The Program

The Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate provides students from all majors and backgrounds the opportunity to develop deeper understandings and critical analyses of historical and emerging political, economic, and cultural connections and intersections between Asia and the U.S., particularly as they relate to Asian Americans.

As students take courses taught in different departments related to both Asian Studies and Asian American Studies, the Certificate also gives students:

1. An understanding of different racial/ethnic groups & international issues, and
2. Interdisciplinary and multi-method research and critical analysis skills.

Both of these will give students a competitive advantage in their courses at UMass, in whatever career they enter once they graduate, and the skills to thrive in today's increasingly diverse, globalized, and transnational society and world.

Requirements

As of March 2023, completing the Certificate requires taking a total of 22 credits (or the equivalent of 8 courses).  However, we have submitted a proposal to the UMass administration to lower the number of required courses from 8 to just 6 and hope that this proposal will be be approved soon.  Please check the Certificate website for the latest update about this proposed change.  For now, the 8 required courses include:

• 2 required courses:
• Asian Studies 312 "Bridging Asia and Asian America" (usually taken toward the beginning of their studies at UMass)
• Asian Studies 491A - "Senior Seminar" (usually taken toward the end of their studies at UMass)
• 2 elective courses designated as Asian Studies and 2 elective courses designated as Asian American Studies, then choosing one of these as their area of concentration, then taking 2 more elective courses in that concentration area.
  
  
• If the number of required courses is lowered to 6, in addition to the 2 required courses listed above, students will just have to take 2 elective courses in Asian Studies and 2 elective courses in Asian American Studies.

With the approval of the Program Director, students may substitute courses offered by other colleges in the Five College community or taken through study abroad.  A minimum grade of C is required in all courses. No courses may be taken Pass/Fail.

Advising

Interested students should complete the Certificate Enrollment Form and will be added to our email list and will receive periodic emails about their progress toward completing the Certificate.

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the Program Director submits students’ names to the Registrar’s office to confirm completion of the certificate program. Students then receive a certificate suitable for framing and their official transcripts include the designation “Completed requirements for the University of Massachusetts Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate.”