2025-2026 General Catalog
Source: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/asian-american-studies/asian-american-studies-ab/ Parent: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/#programsanddegreestext
The Major Program
Offering both an undergraduate major and minor, our curriculum emphasizes multidisciplinary, comparative, transnational, and intersectional perspectives; original empirically-based scholarship; cultural production and analyses; and community engagement.
In consultation with our faculty and staff advisors, students in the major have the exciting opportunity to select an emphasis or specialty organized around our faculty’s core areas of intellectual focus including—Immigration, Labor, and Transnationalism; Visual, Literary, and Cultural Studies; and Public/Community-Engaged Scholarship. The department is also developing an emphasis on Health through its emerging partnerships. Each emphasis incorporates a diverse array of thematic, theoretical, disciplinary, and methodological approaches—as well as a focus on a broad range of Asian American communities—allowing students to choose a course of study that aligns with their particular academic and career interests.
In order to enhance students’ intellectual development and postgraduate preparation, our curriculum also requires that all majors complete an off-campus community internship. This requirement seeks to ensure students experience a deeper and more comprehensive liberal arts education that connects classroom education to real life contexts that foster the development of new forms of knowledge and practical skills. The Department also offers an optional two-quarter thesis writing seminar for students in the major and minor that progresses through each stage of designing and completing an individualized undergraduate thesis project based on original research, which helps prepare students interested in applying for graduate school.
Career Alternatives
With the multidisciplinary emphasis of our program, an Asian American studies major provides excellent preparation for a diverse range of careers. Our alumni have established successful careers in the arts, community-based and non-profit organizations, government and politics, human rights, journalism, international relations, law, K-12 education, public health, public policy, social work, and student affairs in higher education. Others have gone on to pursue postgraduate degrees in a wide variety of fields that include education, ethnic studies, fine arts, feminist & queer studies, history, law, literature, political science, public policy, sociology, and social work. Our department has fostered close relationships with our alumni who are committed to supporting our majors with their career plans.
General Education Requirements
A large number of the courses offered by the Department fulfill a wide range of general education topical breadth and core literacy requirements that include:
Topical Breadth
- Arts & Humanities
- Social Sciences
Core Literacy
Literacy with Words & Images
- Writing Experience
- Oral Skills
- Visual Literacy
Civic & Cultural Literacy
- American Cultures, Governance, & History
- Domestic Diversity
- World Cultures
Major Advisor
Joe Nguyen, Student Academic Advisor; 530-752-8617
Substitutions for disciplinary track courses will be considered by the Department Chair on a case-by-case basis. Likewise, any substitutions of Major/Minor criteria will be considered by the Department Chair.
Direct questions pertaining to the following courses to the instructor or to the Department of Asian American Studies in 3102 Hart Hall; 530-752-2069. Also find relevant contact information at Asian American Studies.
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