Asian Religions and Cultures, Bachelor of Arts (615)
Program Coordinator
Sophia R. Arjana, sophia.arjana@wku.edu, (270) 745-3841
Asian Religions and Cultures
The Asian Religions and Cultures major at WKU is interdisciplinary, drawing on a wide range of fields including Religious Studies, History, Geography, Modern Languages, Political Science, Anthropology, Art, and others. The major facilitates the understanding of the continent and its peoples, including their languages, religions, and cultures. It provides students with an understanding of the Asian past and the knowledge to put current issues and problems into broader historical, religious, and cultural contexts. The flexible program pairs well with many majors to advance students' academic and professional goals. This program of study helps students to think critically and to write well. Students will develop global cultural competency and a range of skills that will prepare them for success in government, international business, and non-profits/NGOs.
Program Requirements (31 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Religion (9 Hours) | ||
| Select three of the following courses: | 9 | |
| World Religions | ||
| Buddhism | ||
| Hinduism | ||
| Islam | ||
| Confucianism | ||
| Daoism | ||
| Religions of Asia | ||
| Pilgrimage, Islam and Modernity | ||
| Islam, Sexuality, and Gender | ||
| Language (6 Hours) | ||
| Select one of the following one-year sequences: | 6 | |
| Elementary Arabic I and Elementary Arabic II | ||
| Intermediate Arabic I and Intermediate Arabic II | ||
| Advanced Arabic I and Advanced Arabic II | ||
| Elementary Chinese I and Elementary Chinese II | ||
| Intermediate Chinese I and Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Advanced Intermediate Chinese I and Advanced Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Intensive Elementary Chinese I and Intensive Elementary Chinese II | ||
| Intensive Intermediate Chinese I and Intensive Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Intensive Advanced Chinese I and Intensive Advanced Chinese II | ||
| Elementary Japanese I and Elementary Japanese II | ||
| History and Politics (6 Hours) | ||
| Select two of the following courses: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Asian Civilization | ||
| Modern South Asia: from Empires to Nations | ||
| History of Yoga: Tradition, Literature, Practice | ||
| Gandhi: The Creation of a Global Legacy | ||
| Traditional East Asia | ||
| Modern East Asia | ||
| History of the Middle East | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Local and Global Influences | ||
| Modern China | ||
| Modern Japan | ||
| International Relations of the Middle East | ||
| Politics of North Korea | ||
| Chinese Politics | ||
| Government and Politics of the Middle East | ||
| Government and Politics in East Asia | ||
| Electives (9 Hours) | ||
| Select three of the following courses not already counted toward the major from at least two different areas of study: | 9 | |
| The Archaeology of Ancient China | ||
| Elementary Arabic I | ||
| Elementary Arabic II | ||
| Intermediate Arabic I | ||
| Intermediate Arabic II | ||
| Advanced Arabic I | ||
| Advanced Arabic II | ||
| Topics in Asian Religions and Cultures | ||
| Study in Asian Religions and Cultures | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
| Elementary Chinese I | ||
| Elementary Chinese II | ||
| Intermediate Chinese I | ||
| Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Advanced Intermediate Chinese I | ||
| Advanced Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Advanced Chinese I | ||
| Advanced Chinese II | ||
| Intensive Intermediate Chinese I | ||
| Intensive Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Intensive Advanced Chinese I | ||
| Intensive Advanced Chinese II | ||
| Media Chinese | ||
| Chinese Culture | ||
| Chinese Tradition | ||
| Classical Chinese | ||
| Geography of East Asia | ||
| Introduction to Asian Civilization | ||
| Modern South Asia: from Empires to Nations | ||
| History of Yoga: Tradition, Literature, Practice | ||
| Gandhi: The Creation of a Global Legacy | ||
| Traditional East Asia | ||
| Modern East Asia | ||
| History of the Middle East | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Local and Global Influences | ||
| Modern China | ||
| Modern Japan | ||
| Elementary Japanese I | ||
| Elementary Japanese II | ||
| Intermediate Japanese I | ||
| Intermediate Japanese II | ||
| International Relations of the Middle East | ||
| Politics of North Korea | ||
| Chinese Politics | ||
| Government and Politics of the Middle East | ||
| Government and Politics in East Asia | ||
| The New Testament | ||
| The Old Testament/ Hebrew Scriptures | ||
| World Religions | ||
| Buddhism | ||
| Hinduism | ||
| Islam | ||
| Confucianism | ||
| Daoism | ||
| Religions of Asia | ||
| Pilgrimage, Islam and Modernity | ||
| Islam, Sexuality, and Gender | ||
| Senior Project (1 Hour) | ||
| ARC 499 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
Note: students must take courses from at least four different programs. At least 17 hours must be at the 300-level or above. A second major or minor is required.
Finish in Four Plan - Asian Religions and Cultures (615)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 145 or ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 or ENG 100 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109 (or higher) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science | 3 | Asian History or Politics Course | 3 |
| Asian Language Course (101) | 3 | Asian Language Course (102) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science w/lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ARC Elective (or additional language work) | 3 | ARC Elective (or additional language work) | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Asian Religion Course | 3 |
| RELS 102 | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 |
| Asian Religion Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| Asian History OR Politics Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Asian Religion Course | 3 | ARC Elective | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | ARC 499 | 1 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||