The following Asian Studies courses are listed at the University of North Texas. Please be aware that courses are added and deleted on a rolling basis, and that many departments offer courses on an occasional or experimental basis, and that those courses may not have formal listings or course descriptions. For up-to-date information on course offerings and scheduling for any given semester, please contact the relevant school or department.

Department of Anthropology

ANTH 3700 Peoples and Cultures of South Asia. A survey of the culturally rich and diverse cultures and traditions of South Asia, each with its own unique history covering thousands of years. From the days of prehistory to the present period of profound social, economic, political, and technological changes, this course provides an in-depth background and understanding of the peoples and cultures of this area. No prerequisites.

ANTH 3710 East Asia. An overview of cultures and contemporary issues in societies in the Far East, in the context of social and political change and development. Compares anthropological and ethnographic studies of the Peoples' Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, supplemented by selected research from sociology, history, and political science, and specific areas of cultural and social change in each society, including kinship and family, ethnicity, economic and political development, industrialization, urbanization, and health and social policy. No prerequisites.

ANTH 3720 Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia. A survey of mainland and insular areas of Southeast Asia. Covers the development of indigenous cultures, the period of empires influenced by India and China, the merger with the Islamic world, Western colonialism and emerging nationalism, and the modern period of seeking global identity. No prerequisites.

Department of Communication Studies

COMM 4240 Communication Studies in Japan. Experience Japanese culture and explore the importance of communication through visits to popular cultural sites, temples, museums, and historical structures in Japan! This program allows students to take COMM 4240/5900, focusing on intercultural and popular communication in Japan. Three weeks of the program will take place in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Students will apply communication theory to cross cultural experiences and gain insight from diverse perspectives. Additionially, students will gain a historical and cultural perspective of Japan. Prerequisites: COMM majors must have completed COMM 3010 and all other majors must have completed COMM 2140.

Department of Geography and the Environment

GEOG 3760 Geography of China: Environment and Society. Introduces students to the history, culture, physical environments, and diverse populations of China to better understand current and future affairs. Evaluate recent developments in China from a geographical perspective. No prerequisites.

Department of History

HIST 3440 The Indian Ocean World. Examines the Indian Ocean World through the lives, objects, and ideas of the people that inhabited it from ancient to contemporary times. No prerequisites.

HIST 4072 World War II in Asia and the Pacific. Explores World War II on the Asian continent and in the Pacific Ocean from 1931 to 1945, focusing on the participation of the United States and other Allies within a broader global context. Japan's reasons for going to war with the United States, Britain, and other countries and Japanese military strategies and tactics during the war. No prerequisites.

HIST 4075 The Korean and Vietnam Wars. Analyzes the domestic historical background and roots of the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts; their function as international proxy wars between the socialist and capitalist camps in the context of the Cold War; and their effects on Korea, Vietnam, China and the United States. No prerequisites.

HIST 4104 The British Raj. Examines the expansion and growth of the English East India Company, the transition to British Crown rule after the rebellion of 1857, and anti-colonial movements leading up to the partition of India in 1947. No prerequisites.

Hist 4110 British Empire in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Examines the rapid expansion of the British Empire across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific after the loss of the American colonies, examining social, cultural, and political ideas of imperial subjects and anti-colonial activists from the nineteenth century to the present. No Prerequisites.

HIST 4263 Topics in African-, Asian-, or Latin American History (When addressing Asian topics). Specific historical topics in African-, Asian-, or Latin American history. No prerequisites.

HIST 4283 Decolonization in Asia and Africa. Examines the modern histories of Asian and African experiences of colonialism, nationalism, and decolonization. Focus on the politics, economics, and cultural aspects of colonialism, nationalism, and decolonization from the early nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Prerequisite HIST 1060

HIST 4550 Imperial China. Chinese politics, ideas, economics and society from the Xia dynasty (ca. 2205 BCE) through the High Qing (late 18th century CE); political philosophy, the imperial state, Buddhism, women's roles, and political and economic relations with non-Chinese peoples and states. No prerequisites.

HIST 4560 Modern China. Chinese politics, ideas, economics and society from the High Qing (late 18th century) through 1989; European idealism, the decline and fall of the Qing dynasty, Republicans and Communists, women, modernization and the question of democracy. No prerequisites.

HIST 4565 Chinese Military History, 1750-Present. Chinese military history from the Qing Empire's military expansion of the mid-18th century through the early 21st century. No prerequisites

HIST 4570 Japanese History. Jomon Culture (ca. 10,500 BCE) through the 1970's; myth and history, the imperial system, Buddhism and Confucianism, samurai culture, modern economic development, European imperialism, Japan's rise to a world power, and the post-World War II "economic miracle." No prerequisites.

HIST 4600 Late Medieval and Early Modern South Asia. Examines the history of the Indian subcontinent from 1000 to 1835 CE. No prerequisites.

HIST 4605 History of South Asia, 1757-1947. Examines the modern histories of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldive Islands) from 1757-1947. Topics include the East India Company in Southern Asia, the transition to formal colonialism, the 1857-58 rebellions and mutinies, colonial British Indian culture, anti-colonial resistance, nationalism, and the partition of British India in 1947. Prerequisite: HIST 1060 recommended.

HIST 4610 Contemporary South Asia. Examines the contemporary histories of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldive Islands) from 1947 onward, including the 1947 partition of India, India-Pakistan relations since 1947, the role of Afghanistan in South Asia, and themes such as religion, caste, gender, minorities, cinema, popular culture, and sport. Prerequisite: HIST 1060 recommended.

Department of Hospitality, Event, and Tourism Management

CMHT 4000 (as faculty-led study abroad) Global Discovery in Merchandising and Hospitality: The Japanese Experience. Experience retail and hospitality industries through visits to manufacturing facilities, retail establishments, hotels/restaurants, tourism venues, UNESCO sites, museums, historical structures, and industry support organizations in Japan. The program will take place primarily in Tokyo and Kyoto. There, students will learn to communicate ideas across cultures and gain insight from diverse perspectives and analyze major global trends and their impacts on market conditions. Additonally, students will gain a historical and cultural perspective of Japan. No prerequisites.

International Studies Program

INST 4860 Asian Youth: Cultures, Activism, Media. Explores social and political engagement of young people in Asian countries, including youth culture, and the use of digital media. No prerequisites.

Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing

MDSE 4003 (as faculty-led study abroad) Global Discovery: Hong Kong/China. Experience establishments, museums, historical structures, and industry support organizations in Hong Kong and China. Pre-trip and post-trip classes required. Students may get program credit for up to two study tour classes. Prerequisite(s): C or higher in MDSE 2490 or DRTL 2090 or consent of department and good standing.

College of Music, Division of Theory, History, and Ethnomusicology

MUET 3070 Studies in Asian Music. Historical development and current issues in Asian music. Select music cultures are studied from an ethnomusicological perspective. No prerequisites.

MUET 3090 Music of India and Pakistan. This course introduces many genres and styles of music (including classical, folk, popular, and religious) from South Asia, with emphasis on music from India and Pakistan. Students will learn about its history, performance practice, cultural significance, and social politics in addition to learning songs/compositions in many styles. No musical experience is required; students from all majors are welcome. No prerequisites.

Department of Philosophy and Religion

PHIL 3585 South Asian Philosophy and Religion. Study of South Asian philosophical and religious thought from earliest times to the present: the Indus Valley civilization, Vedic religion, the development of Jainism, Buddhism and devotional Hinduism, the philosophical schools, medieval Indian thought, Sikhism, and modern Indian philosophy. Prerequisite: upper-division standing or consent of department.

PHIL 3595 East Asian Philosophy and Religion. Philosophical study of East Asia from earliest times to the present, including ancient Chinese religion; Taoist, Confucian, Mohist and Legalist philosophies; Chinese Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism; the influence of Shinto, Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism upon medieval Japan; and Japanese philosophy since the Meiji Restoration. Prerequisite: upper-division standing or consent of department.

PHIL 3620 South Asian Philosophy and Religion. An examination of South Asian philosophical and religious thought from earliest period in Indian history of the Indus Valley civilization to the religion of the Vedas, through the Upanishads, and classical period in Indian thought including the development of Buddhism and Jainism. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3625 Modern South Asian Philosophy and Religion. An examination of Medieval to Contemporary South Asian philosophy and religion from Puranic Hinduism, the influence of Islam upon Indian thought, the development of medieval devotional Hinduism, and the origin of the Sikh religion. Explores contemporary Indian philosophy as expressed in the thought of such figures as S. Radhakrishnan, Sri Aurobindo, Tagore, and most particularly Gandhi. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3630 Jainism. An examination of one of the world's oldest religious and philosophical traditions from its origins in the 6th century BCE to its influence on contemporary figures, including Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama. Topics include pacifism and non-violence, self-control, non-materialism, compassion, meditation, and the relationship of the self to divine consciousness. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3635 Bollywood. Examination of Indian culture as manifested in the Hindi language film industry known as "Bollywood." Topics include South Asian religions, epics and classical drama, devotional songs, Hindi-Urdu poetry, poverty and urban life, crime, and romance. Course presupposes no previous knowledge of Indic religions or cinema. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3665 Eastern Religion and the Environment. An examination of non-Western religious traditions for an environmental philosophy geared toward assessing global environmental issues with a focus on South Asian and East Asian philosophical and religious traditions. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3670 Chinese Philosophy. An examinatin of the philosophical, spiritual, and scholarly traditions of China with a focus on Confucianism from the Warring States period to the Song and Ming dynasties. Explores Confucianism as a moral philosophy, a political science, a ritual system, and a path of spiritual cultivation. No prerequisites.

PHIL 3680 Buddhism, Daoism, Shintoism. Philosophical study of East Asia from earliest times to the present, including ancient Chinese religion; Taoist, Confucian, Mohist and Legalist philosophies; Chinese Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism; the influence of Shinto, Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism upon medieval Japan; and Japanese philosophy since the Meiji Restoration. No prerequisites.

Department of Political Science

PSCI 3641 Politics of Japan. Overview of politics in Japan, with an emphasis on electoral competition and political parties in the post-war era. No prerequisites.

PSCI 3642 Politics of China. Overview of the political development, culture, and institutions of the People's Republic of China. Emphasis is on the post-Mao era.

PSCI 3700 Area Politics (When addressing Asian politics) Political institutions, processes, problems and policies in distinctive geographic or cultural areas of the world. Frequently offered areas include Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Anglo-American democracies, and the Commonwealth of Nations. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Prerequisite: 3 hours of Political Science.

Department of Psychology

 PSYC 4849 (as faculty-led study abroad) Cross-Cultural Psychology in Taiwan and China. This study abroad program includes lectures on the UNT campus 22-day (21 days of visiting + 1 day of international flight) cross-cultural immersion trip to Taipei, Taiwan and Wuhan & Beijing in China. Prerequisites: PSYC 1630 or PSYC 1650.

Department of Rehabilitation & Health Services

RHAB 4900 (as faculty-led study abroad) Public Mental Health in India. This study abroad course will help students develop an understanding of the broad economic, political, social and cultural dimensions influencing public mental health in India and allow them to make comparisons with services in the U.S. Students will gain opportunities to investigate factors that impact the  help-seeking behaviors of Indian populations with special needs such as women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly, especially in the context of the cultural and social norms prevalent in India. No prerequisites.

College of Visual Arts and Design

AEAH 4823 Asian Art  Survey of the art of India, China, and Japan from prehistoric to modern times, including architecture, sculpture, painting, ceramics and printmaking. Prerequisites: ART 2350,  ART 2360 , and ART 2370 with a grade of C or better (may substitute ART 1200, ART 1300, or ART 1301 for one of this group);or consent of instructor.

ARTH 4824 Topics in Asian Art. Selected topics in the arts of Asia. Prerequisites:  ART 2350,  ART 2360 , and ART 2370, with a grade of C or better (may substitute ART 1200, ART 1300, or ART 1301 for one of this group); or consent of instructor.

Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

CHIN 1010* Elementary Chinese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice. No prerequisites.

CHIN 1020* Elementary Chinese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice. Prerequisite: CHIN 1010 or equivalent.

CHIN 2040* Intermediate Chinese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice. Prerequisite: CHIN 1020 or equivalent.

CHIN 2050* Intermediate Chinese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice. Prerequisite: CHIN 2040 or equivalent.

CHIN 3040* Advanced Topics in Culture. Focus on deepening students' understanding of Chinese culture and society today through a study of Chinese history, social dynamics, business practices and advanced readings from sources in contemporary and mainstream Chinese media. Prerequisite: CHIN 2050 or equivalent.

CHIN 3050* Chinese Pop Culture. Survey of pop culture of the Chinese-speaking world through readings and films. Prerequisite: CHIN 2050 or equivalent.

CHIN 3060* Advanced Topics in Language. Focus on Chinese grammar and intense practice to develop fluency in reading, writing and comprehension of modern Chinese beyond the intermediate level. Prerequisite: CHIN 2050 or equivalent.

KORE 1010* Elementary Korean. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice No prerequisites.

KORE 1020* Elementary Korean. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice Prerequisite: KORE 1010 or equivalent.

KORE 2040* Intermediate Korean. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice Prerequisite: KORE 1020 or equivalent.

KORE 2050* Intermediate Korean. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice Prerequisite: KORE 2040 or equivalent.

JAPN 1010* Elementary Japanese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice No prerequisites.

JAPN 1020* Elementary Japanese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice Prerequisite: JAPN 1010 or equivalent.

JAPN 2040* Intermediate Japanese. Grammar, composition, oral-aural practice and readings. Prerequisite: JAPN 1020 or equivalent.

JAPN 2050* Intermediate Japanese. Grammar, composition, oral-aural practice and readings. Prerequisite: JAPN 2040 or equivalent.

JAPN 3020* Advanced Japanese I. Advanced listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Topics include Japanese society, culture, history and intercultural communications. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3030* Advanced Japanese II. Advanced listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Topics include Japanese society, culture, history and intercultural communications. Prerequisite: JAPN 3020.

JAPN 3040* Topics in Japanese Culture. Focus on deepening students' understanding of Japanese culture and society today through a study of Japanese history, social dynamics, business practices and advanced readings from sources in contemporary and mainstream Japanese media. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3042* Japanese Society Today. Exploration of contemporary Japanese society through readings and discussions. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3044* Adventure in Japanese Songs. Exploration of Japanese songs and lyrics through a variety of genres from historical to contemporary. Analysis of the significance of words in relationship to the rhythm of music. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3046* Japanese Cultural Expressions Through the Ages. Exploration of Japanese art and culture throughout the ages. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3048* Japanese Food Culture. Students learn about the intricacies of Japanese food culture through a variety of reading materials and video clips. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3052* Introduction to Japanese Literature. Introduction to influential works in the Japanese literary canon from the Nara period to the present, as well as their cultural and historical context. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3060* Topics in Japanese Language. Focus on Japanese grammar and intensive practice to develop fluency in reading, writing and comprehension of modern Japanese beyond the intermediate level. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050.

JAPN 3064* Japanese Grammar and Kanji. Enhancement of the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar rules and kanji expressions and improvement of Japanese communication skills. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3066* Building Japanese Fluency and Listening Skills. Improvement of fluency and listening skills to aid in transition from intermediate to advanced Japanese. Promotion of critical thinking in discussions on issues in diversity, equity, and inclusion in Japan is enhanced with a drama series for students' fluency development. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 3068* Japanese Extensive Reading. Enhance reading proficiency and other skills through cultural materials. Prerequisite: JAPN 2050 or equivalent.

JAPN 4020* Advanced Japanese III. Continuation of advanced listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Topics may include Japanese arts, culture, history and politics. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.

JAPN 4030* Advanced Japanese IV. Continuation of advanced listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Topics may include Japanese arts, culture, history and politics. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.

JAPN 4040* Advanced Topics in Japanese Culture. Study of Japanese cultural products and practices with an emphasis on the past associated with the present. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.

JAPN 4042* Japanese Ghost Stories. Examination of Japanese ghost stories and analysis of Japanese religious thoughts and values. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.

JAPN 4044* Lives of the Samurai. Examination of Samurai's lives and analysis of Japanese culture and society. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.

JAPN 4046* Dawn of Modern Japan. Examination of representative peoples in the 19th century and analysis of the era, society and culture in which Japan was modernized. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department. 

JAPN 4048* Travel Writings of the Edo Period. Study of the Japanese sense of beauty and humor through a survey of travel writings including haiku from the Edo Period. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department. 

JAPN 4080* Business Japanese. Introduction to Japanese business culture and development of appropriate advanced language skills. Prerequisites: 9 hours of advanced Japanese or consent of department.  

WLLC 3200 Chinese Culture and Society. Introduction to the contemporary cultures and societies of the Chinese-speaking world through readings and films. This course is taught in English and does not fultill a foreign language requirement. No prerequisites.

WLLC 3600 Japanese Popular Culture. Exploration and analysis of contemporary Japanese popular culture in a variety of contexts. This course is taught in English and does not fulfill a foreign language requirement. No prerequisites.

*Up to six hours of CHIN, JAPN, or KORE classes may be counted toward the minor.