Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University

The Faculty of Asian Studies offers a unique range of specialist four-year degree programs. The four-year program includes one-year of university level study in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, or the Arab World. For mastery of a language and ability to negotiate a culture with confidence, a significant period of in-county experience is necessary. The four-year specialist degree programs open the door to this experience by including a Year in Asia or the Arab World devoted to language and disciplinary study.

In the specialist degree the pattern of the first two years is normally the same as the Bachelor of Asian Studies, followed by the third year is spent in Asia or the Arab world. During this year you will normally attend a university in Asia or the Arab world, and prepare an individual study project. You will then return to the ANU for further advanced study and, possibly, an honours year.

• You are encouraged to seek specific guidance, by appointment, with the Sub-Dean of the Faculty. Please contact the Faculty Secretary Support Officer Frank.Filardo@anu.edu.au to arrange an appointment.

Specialist degrees

The specialist degrees are:

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Arabic)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Chinese)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Hindi)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Indonesian)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Japanese)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Korean)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Thai)

Cricos number: 055805G

• Bachelor of Asian Studies (Vietnamese)

Cricos number: 055805G

The four-year specialist degree program is intended for talented and dedicated students. Therefore the admission requirements are set at a higher level than for the three-year degree, and you will be expected to complete the first two years of the program at credit level or above to be eligible for the Year in Asia or the Arab World. If you do not attain the required standard, you may be required to transfer to the three-year degree. On the other hand, if you are in the three-year degree and meet the required standard, you may apply to transfer to the four-year degree after your second year, in order to participate in the Year in Asia or the Arab World program.

The degree is awarded after successful completion of 192 units, structured as for the three-year degree plus a Year in Asia or the Arab world program of 48 units.

For information about specific language and non-language cognitive majors offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies please see this further information.

Year-in-Asia Disclaimer

Applicants are advised that due to circumstances beyond the University’s control (for example: specific international security concerns, international health crises) it may not be possible for students to commence or complete their Year-in-Asia requirement either within the minumum time for completion of their degree or, the maximum time for completion of the degree. Should these circumstances occur, the Faculty will offer compensating program/s, but not programs leading to the Year in Asia or the Arab World qualification. In these very unusual circumstances (which have not occurred in the 12 year life of the program) reversion to the standard Bachelor of Asian Studies may be necessary.

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.

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.

All students on the Year-in-Asia program receive financial assistance, either from external sources (such as the Japanese Government) or, where no external support is available, an ANU Study Abroad Scholarship (to assist with travel costs). All Year-in-Asia students are enrolled as ‘exchange’ students during their year away, and pay HECS for a full year. The ANU covers tuition fees applicable at overseas universities.