Bachelor of Asian Studies
Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University
The degree is awarded after successful completion of 144 units (amounting to 3 years of full-time study). It includes at least 48 units in the Asian language major and 48 units in the non-language cognitive major. Up to 12 units in the cognitive major may be taken in relevant courses from elsewhere in the university. The remaining 48 units are made up of courses from the Faculty of Asian Studies or from other Faculties.
Asian language majors
Asian language majors are offered in:
You may enroll in languages from more than one area of Asia, however, you are encouraged to develop a deeper knowledge of modern and traditional language and society in your area of specialisation. No prior knowledge of an Asian language is required. If you have prior knowledge of the language you wish to undertake, you will normally take a placement test to determine your competence and you may be exempt from introductory level subjects (although you must still complete the full 48 units in the Asian language major). If you are a native speaker you may not normally take a language major in your own language.
The Arabic and Hindi language programs offer ‘in-country’ applied language courses for eligible individuals, over the summer break.
Course advisers assist first-year students in the selection of their courses during the enrolment period. The normal load for a first-year full-time student is 48 units, 12 units in language and 12 units forming the beginning of the non-language cognitive major from the Faculty. Beginning students of Chinese and Japanese will normally take 24 units in language in their first year.
For more information about specific language and non-language cognitive majors offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies please read the Faculty's Centre Programs.
Degree with Honours
The purpose of the Asian Studies honours program is to encourage students of high calibre to deepen their involvement in a chosen field of study. A Bachelor degree with honours is a prestigious qualification in its own right, and a significant positive discriminator in the job market. It is also the most effective means of qualifying for higher degrees be research.
If you obtain overall distinction level results or better in the early years of your degree, you may be eligible to undertake an honours program.
The degree with honours involves additional coursework and a research dissertation of 15,000 to 20,000 words. For the Bachelor of Asian Studies and the combined programs leading to two Bachelor degrees, this additional work requires one further full year of study.
The Honours in Asian Studies pages provide comprehensive information about the Honours Program at the Faculty
Careers
As Australia moves toward increased educational, trade, business, legal and cultural interaction with Asia, the demand for people with Asian language training and knowledge of the area is increasing.
Career prospects for Asian Studies graduates in both the public and private sectors are good. Asian Studies graduates find employment in marketing, international trade, banking and finance, teaching, tourism, as well as all areas of federal, state and overseas government departments. Graduates who have combined their studies of Asia with vocationally oriented qualifications in, say, economics, international relations, political science or law, are especially well placed to find employment in Australia and overseas, and are well placed to benefit from career opportunities which are opening up as Australia's relations with the nations of Asia continue to develop. Asian language graduates obtain employment as translators and interpreters. There is a need for personnel who can communicate with non-English speakers, specifically in government departments dealing with immigration and ethnic affairs, foreign affairs, customs and excise, social welfare, health and consumer affairs. Further, a number of foreign language newspapers and radio programs employ translators. Asian language graduates who complete a postgraduate Diploma of Education can teach languages in primary and secondary schools. Asian Studies graduates are also employable in areas not directly related to their language and area studies because the training they obtain develops the ability to carry out research, communicate ideas and suggest solutions to problems. Employers value their high level of intellectual training.
You might also be interested to read a message from the Dean of the Faculty of Asian Studies in which he explains why Asian Studies is important, why study Asian Studies at ANU, and what are Asian Studies graduates' career prospects.
For a look at some Faculty of Asian Studies graduate stories go to Graduate Highlights.
For more information on careers see the ANU Careers Centre website.
Further information
- Detailed information about Faculty of Asian Studies programs, including admission requirements, prerequisites, career possibilities, program requirements, Majors and Specialisations, and degree structure and courses, is published in the ANU online handbook, which also provides authoritative information concerning the programs and courses available in any particular year.
- You are encouraged to seek specific guidance on these matters from the Sub-Dean of the Faculty. Please email Enquiries.AsianStudies@anu.edu.au or phone 6125 0515 to arrange an appointment.