Interdisciplinary - Global - Professional

Excellence in Scholarship and Teaching

Throughout its history, the Asian Studies Program at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University has consistently represented excellence in scholarship and teaching, and continues to provide one of the most diverse offerings of Asian Studies courses in Minnesota.

As the program works toward the establishment of a regularized major, we also continue to pursue our mission of fostering a greater understanding of Asia and its relationship with the global community while preparing students to become better global citizens who can successfully pursue their professional goals in the “Asian Century.”

Our Program

Our program offers a well-rounded interdisciplinary approach to the study of Asia, as well as more specialized training in each student’s particular area of interest. Courses cover a broad range of topics including history, economics, politics, society, geography, art and art history, business, film, and literature. The program faculty has rich and diverse interests that span from pre-modern times to the present day. Variety and depth are added to our students’ regular coursework through experiential learning, including study abroad in Asia and internships in St. Cloud and the Twin Cities. Further, we understand that language is critical to understanding Asia: our students have access to three years of Chinese and Japanese language classes through the Department of Modern and Classical Languages.

Information related to courses, the Asian Studies major, and related resources are located through the links at the left of this page and throughout the web site. We hope you find the information you need. For further assistance, please contact Rachel Sherman, Coordinator of Asian Studies.