East Asian Languages and Cultures Major & Minor Requirements

three cultures, one program

East Asian Languages and Cultures Major

See The Bulletin for requirements

Units required: Eight courses for a minimum of 24 upper-level (3000-level or above) units

Prerequisites:

  • First and second levels of the chosen language: Chinese, Japanese, or Korean (or the equivalent)
  • One Civilization course: CHINA 2270 Chinese Civilization, JAPAN 2260 Japanese Civilization, or KOREA 2230 Korean Civilization

Requirements:

Eight courses for a minimum of 24 advanced (3000-level or above) units, including the following:

  1. One 3000-level EALC Seminar course: EALC 3800 (premodern) or EALC 3810 (modern)
  2. Two courses focusing on the premodern era: one course to be chosen from CHINA 3410 Early and Imperial Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3320 Japanese Literature: Beginnings to 19th Century, or KOREA 3700 When Tigers Smoke: Songs and Stories from Traditional Korea
  3. Two courses focusing on the modern era: one course to be chosen from CHINA 3420 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3330 The Modern Voice in Japanese Literature, or KOREA 3520 Literature of Modern and Contemporary Korea
  4. One approved 4000-level Capstone course (prime majors)
    1. The Capstone course is taken during the senior year and must be a course offered by EALC faculty. Writing-intensive courses and language courses cannot fulfill the Capstone requirement.
    2. Majors are required to present on their Capstone course at the EALC Senior Symposium which is held in the spring.
  5. The remaining upper-level courses are elective and chosen in consultation with the advisor.
  6. Latin Honors: Students wishing to pursue senior honors may complete a senior honors thesis. This option, which also entitles the student to Latin Honors, requires a minimum of a 3.65 grade point average. The thesis is researched and written over two semesters, for a total of 6 units; this requirement is in addition to the 24 upper-level units required for the major. Students should enroll in EALC 4998 Independent Work for Senior Honors (3 units) during the fall of senior year and in EALC 4999 Independent Work for Senior Honors (3 units) during the spring of senior year.
    1. Majors are required to present their Senior Honors thesis (instead of the Capstone course) at the EALC Senior Symposium which is held in the spring.

Additional Notes:

  • With adviser approval, students may include two courses in a related area offered outside of the department among the 24 advanced units. (For example, a student may take one course in Film and Media Studies or Art History that focuses on East Asia.)
  • Language courses require a grade of B- or better to continue to the next level. Students must also maintain a B- average in all required courses for the major. Those who do not meet this requirement may either repeat the course(s) in question or earn at least a B- in an approved equivalent course or courses (either during the summer or in a study abroad program).
  • Courses for the major must be taken for credit.
  • Study Abroad credit: Up to 6 units of credit may be applied toward the major from one semester abroad, and up to 12 units of credit may be applied from two semesters abroad.
  • Transfer credit: Students who wish to transfer credits from other institutions (non-study abroad units) for use toward the major must have approval from the director of undergraduate studies. With approval, students may transfer a total of 9 units from other U.S. institutions. University policy specifies that at least half of the units for the major must be completed in residence at the Washington University. Therefore, no more than 12 units in total can be applied to the major whether the credits are earned via study abroad or transfer credit.
  • No more than 3 units of independent study may be counted toward the required upper-level 24 units.
  • The 3000-level EALC Seminar course and the 4000-level Capstone course may also fulfill the premodern or modern requirement.

The East Asian Languages and Cultures Minor

See The Bulletin for requirements

The minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures requires 18 units. These 18 units must include:

Requirements (effective for students who matriculate in Fall 2024 or with department approval):

  • Two semesters of one of the chosen languages: Chinese, Japanese, or Korean
  • One Civilization course: CHINA 2270 Chinese Civilization, JAPAN 2260 Japanese Civilization, or KOREA 2230 Korean Civilization
  • One course focusing on the premodern era to be chosen from CHINA 3410 Early and Imperial Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3320 Japanese Literature: Beginnings to 19th Century, or KOREA 3700 When Tigers Smoke: Songs and Stories from Traditional Korea
  • One course focusing on the modern era to be chosen from CHINA 3420 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3330 The Modern Voice in Japanese Literature, or KOREA 3520 Literature of Modern and Contemporary Korea
  • One upper-level (3000/4000 level) elective course: course must be non-language and offered by EALC (CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA, EALC)
  • At least 9 units must be from 3000-level courses or above

Requirements (for students who matriculated before Fall 2024):

  • Two semesters of one of the chosen languages: Chinese, Japanese, or Korean
  • One Civilization course: CHINA 2270 Chinese Civilization, JAPAN 2260 Japanese Civilization, or KOREA 2230 Korean Civilization
  • One 3000-level Topics course: EALC Seminar EALC 3800 (premodern) or EALC 3810 (modern)
  • One course focusing on the premodern era to be chosen from CHINA 3410 Early and Imperial Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3320 Japanese Literature: Beginnings to 19th Century, or KOREA 3700 When Tigers Smoke: Songs and Stories from Traditional Korea
  • One course focusing on the modern era to be chosen from CHINA 3420 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature, JAPAN 3330 The Modern Voice in Japanese Literature, or KOREA 3520 Literature of Modern and Contemporary Korea
  • At least 9 units must be from 3000-level courses or above

Additional Notes:

  • Students must earn at least a B- or above in language courses to continue to the next level. They must also maintain at least a B- average in all courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements. Students who do not meet this requirement may either repeat the course(s) in question or earn at least a B- in an approved equivalent course or courses (either during the summer or in a study abroad program).
  • No more than 3 units of transfer or study abroad non-language courses may be applied to the minor.
  • Basic Chinese and Basic Korean: students must take both semesters of Basic and one semester of regular language to fulfill the two-semester language requirement. Two semesters of Basic language does not fulfill the language requirement.
  • Courses for the minor must be taken for credit.

Note: students are held to the requirements published in The Bulletin that is in place when they matriculate. Students who matriculate in Fall 2024 follow the new minor requirements. Students who matriculated prior to Fall 2024 are permitted to complete the minor requirements reflected in The Bulletin at the time they matriculated, with the understanding that substitutions for certain requirements may be necessary.  Current students may also elect to follow the new requirements with the permission of the department.

Undergraduate Resources

Overseas Programs

embark on your international journey

EALC Honors

acknowledgement of exemplary work in the major

Senior Symposium and Exit Dossier

EALC Majors

Language Placement Exams

learn about language placement testing in EALC

Senior Honors Proposal

learn about admission to the EALC senior honors program

Senior Thesis Guidelines

learn about completing a senior thesis in EALC

Placement Exams & Back Credit

Placement tests are required for all students entering our language programs, with the exception of those students who have had no previous knowledge of the language and are planning to enroll in the first semester of the first year of instruction. Students who test into second-level, third-level, or fourth-level (effective Fall 2025) Chinese, Japanese, or Korean and satisfactorily complete (with a grade of B– or better) at least one semester of language study may be eligible for back credit.

Refer to the A&S back credit webpage for details.

Note that students with native language proficiency as determined by the language section, as well as students who enroll in a course below their placement level, are ineligible for back credit units. Evidence of secondary or post-secondary study of the language is required. Students who misrepresent the extent of their background so as to gain entrance to a course at the elementary or intermediate level will be dropped from that course.

EALC majors have the option of focusing their major requirements in one of three East Asia civilizations.

Specialization in Chinese
Specialization in Japanese
Specialization in Korean

Specializations recognize a student’s proficiency in one language or extensive knowledge of one East Asia civilization. East Asian Languages and Cultures majors may focus in a civilization of East Asia by taking (as part of their major requirement) 15 upper-level units (5 courses) in one of the three civilizations (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) and submitting a specialization form to the department. Students may earn a specialization in one civilization. Upper-level language and study abroad courses may be used to complete a specialization. The successful completion of a specialization will appear on the student's transcript after graduation and may be particularly helpful for students interested in graduate or professional school. Submission deadlines: Spring graduates due by March 1 of senior year; Fall graduates due by November 1 of senior year. Download a copy of the form.