Asian, East European, & German Studies

Welcome to the Department of Asian, East European, and German Studies!

We offer classes on some critical regions and countries in the world—including Germany and Japan, Russia and China, India and Korea, and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. We also provide language instruction in German, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. And our faculty research and publish significant scholarly work in these areas.

Our courses are of interest to, and fulfill General Education requirements for, students from many fields—ranging from the humanities and social sciences to art and music to business and engineering. Students seeking more in-depth study pursue minors, majors, double-majors, and graduate programs in the department.

For further information on the degrees, courses, research, study abroad, and other activities in each of our main areas, see the adjacent pages for German Studies, Asian Studies, and Russian and East European Studies. Students may specialize in one of these areas, and also gain valuable comparative perspectives by taking classes across the areas and from other units covering languages, cultures, and area studies. The Dr. Patricia W. O'Connor World Languages and Cultures Center offers further opportunities for language learning and related activity.

Our mission: contributing to global education on campus. As our community, the country, and the world become more internationally connected, it is important to engage across societies and gain an appreciation for multiple perspectives. We develop student skills in writing and communication, critical thinking, and intercultural competence, enabling our students to succeed in a diverse global environment.