College of Letters and Science
Asian American Studies Program
303 Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706; 608-263-2976; polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/aasp aasp@mailplus.wisc.edu
Professors Bow (English/Asian American Studies), Fujimura (Sociology), Gloria (Counseling Psychology), Lee (Educational Policy Studies), Macken (Linguistics), Oliver (Sociology), Shah (Journalism and Mass Communication), Thornton (Afro-American Studies), Uttal (Director) (Human Development and Family Studies), Young (English); Associate Professors Matsumura (Business), Yu (English); Assistant Professors Baird (Geography), Cheng (History/Asian American Studies), Choy (Dance/Asian American Studies); Lecturers Cullinane (Center for Southeast Asian Studies), Jew (Asian American Studies), Miyasaki (Asian American Studies), Scheder (Asian American Studies/Chican@ and Latin@ Studies/Human Development and Family Studies); Associates Holtzman (McNair/SROP Programs), Horikawa (University Health Services), Inoway-Ronnie (Academic Affairs), Thao (Southeast Asian Student Services Coordinator), Tong (Institute for Cross-College Biology Education)
Undergraduate advisor: Lynet Uttal, 306 Ingraham Hall, 608-263-4026, luttal@wisc.edu
Faculty diversity liaison: Lynet Uttal, 306 Ingraham Hall 608-263-4026, luttal@wisc.edu
The Program in Asian American Studies is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the scholarship and experiences of Americans, Pacific Islanders, and immigrants to the United States from Asian heritage groups. The program sheds light on Asian American experiences and concerns, both historically and in contemporary society. The certificate program provides students with an opportunity to develop a sustained intellectual focus on Asian American racial formation, communities, and culture.
Courses offered by the program and through other departments come from the perspective of a variety of traditional disciplines: anthropology, dance, education, English, ethnic studies, film, history, human development and family studies, journalism, literature, political science, popular culture, psychology, sociology, theatre, and visual arts. New course topics are introduced each year. Examples of past courses include: Asian American history, Asian American literature, Asian American women writers, Asian Americans in the Midwest, Hmong American studies, contemporary legal issues in Asian American communities, mixed race Asian Americans, Asian American cultural politics, Southeast Asian Americans in U.S. schools. Many program courses fulfill the ethnic studies requirement and breadth requirements in the appropriate divisions.
Certificate Program
An undergraduate certificate in Asian American studies is available to students seeking a sustained intellectual focus on Asian American racial formation, communities, and culture. Students learn how to understand knowledge about specific ethnic groups, socioeconomic political histories, cultures, and contemporary issues through a critical race perspective. Interdisciplinary in nature, the certificate can be obtained by completing 15 credits of course work. This requires completion of the following courses with a GPA of 2.75:
- Introduction to Asian American Studies;
- three core courses devoted exclusively to Asian American topics; and
- one race/ethnic/nation comparative course.
Courses from other departments may be used to fulfill these requirements.
For additional information about the certificate, see the program website.