East Asian Languages and Literatures
East
Asian Languages & Literatures courses
Chinese
courses
Japanese
courses
Korean
courses
East Asian Languages & Literatures department
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Director of undergraduate studies: Jing Tsu, 309 HGS, 432-2861, jing.tsu@yale.edu; language director: Seungja Choi, Rm. 101, 432–434 Temple St., 432-2866, seungja.choi@yale.edu
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
Professors
Kang-i Sun Chang, Eiichi Ishigami (Visiting), Edward Kamens, Tina Lu, Haun Saussy, John Treat (Chair)
Associate Professors
Aaron Gerow, Christopher Hill
Assistant Professors
Reginald Jackson, Paize Keulemans, Jing Tsu
Senior Lecturer
Koichi Shinohara
Senior Lectors
Seungja Choi, Koichi Hiroe, Zhengguo Kang, Angela Lee-Smith, Ninghui Liang, Yoshiko Maruyama, Ling Mu, Michiaki Murata, Hiroyo Nishimura, Masahiko Seto, Mari Stever, Wei Su, Peisong Xu, William Zhou
Lectors
Hsiu-hsien Chan, Min Chen, Rongzhen Li, Qingrui Liao (Visiting), Fan Liu, Yukie Mammoto, Jianhua Shen, Haiwen Wang, Yu-lin Wang-Saussy
The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures offers majors in Chinese and Japanese. These are liberal arts majors intended to give the student a general knowledge of Chinese or Japanese literature and the techniques of literary analysis, and advanced oral and written skills in one of these languages. The department also offers language courses in Korean and courses in East Asian humanities. Courses in Indonesian and Vietnamese are listed under Southeast Asia Studies in this bulletin.
Because the study of an East Asian language presents special challenges, all students interested in these languages are encouraged to begin their studies as early as possible in their careers at Yale. Students must begin language study no later than the sophomore year in order to complete the requirements of either major in the department. Students considering a major in East Asian Languages and Literatures should consult the director of undergraduate studies. The Richard U. Light Fellowship, administered by the Office of Fellowship Programs, provides opportunities for qualified Yale students to study East Asian languages in East Asia. Numerous other fellowships are also available. Language requirements may be met in part by taking accelerated language courses elsewhere, but students wishing to receive credit for language study completed at another university must take a placement examination to determine their level of proficiency. It is a department policy that Yale College students may not audit language courses.
Course numbering. Courses with numbers up to 099 are freshman seminars on East Asian literature, film, and humanities. Language courses are numbered from 100 to 199. Courses with numbers from 200 to 399 address literature, film, and the humanities: introductory courses in premodern periods are numbered from 200 to 249; introductory courses in the modern period are numbered from 250 to 299; more advanced courses in premodern periods are numbered from 300 to 349; and more advanced courses in the modern period are numbered from 350 to 399.
Placement examination. Students who are enrolling in the department's language classes for the first time but who have studied Chinese, Japanese, or Korean elsewhere, and students who have skills in one of these languages because of family background, must take a placement examination at the beginning of the year. The times and places of the examinations are listed in the Calendar for the Opening Days and on the departmental Web site. The Chinese and Japanese examinations have online components accessed through the same site. Students of Japanese and Korean returning from programs abroad must take a placement examination. Students of Chinese returning from programs abroad should consult with the Chinese-language teaching staff regarding placement.
The major in Chinese is designed to give the student a broad understanding of the chief forms and themes of Chinese literature through reading in the original language. By the senior year, the student majoring in Chinese can acquire advanced skills in speaking and reading Chinese and in interpreting Chinese literature.
Prerequisite to the major is CHNS 140b or the equivalent. The major consists of at least eleven other courses, which fall into the following seven categories: (1) Chinese literature in translation: two term courses at the 200 or 300 level, of which one must be in premodern literature; (2) third-year Chinese: CHNS 150a and 151b or equivalents; (3) two terms of literary Chinese: CHNS 170a and 171b or equivalents; (4) one general literature course, such as ENGL 129a, 130b or LITR 120a or 300b, or a course on Japanese literature at the 200 level; (5) one course conducted in English that gives an overview of Chinese culture, such as HIST 306b; (6) Chinese literature in the original language: two term courses that involve the study of literary texts (premodern or modern vernacular) to be chosen from the fourth-year Chinese language courses in which literary texts are used (such as CHNS 160a or 161b), CHNS 190b, or other courses at the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies; (7) the senior essay. A maximum of one course taken Credit/D/Fail may be counted toward the requirements of the major with permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
In order to acquaint themselves with the breadth of the field, students majoring in Chinese should take one or more courses in Chinese literature in translation as early as possible in their careers at Yale. Graduate courses in Chinese may count toward the major; enrollment in them requires permission of the instructor and of the director of graduate studies.
Senior requirement. Students prepare a senior essay in CHNS 491a or b or in CHNS 492a, 493b.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisite: CHNS 140b or equivalent
Number of courses: 11 term courses beyond prereq (incl one-term senior essay) or 12 term courses (incl two-term senior essay)
Specific courses required: CHNS 150a, 151b and 170a, 171b or equivalents
Distribution of courses: 2 courses in Chinese lit in translation, incl 1 in premodern lit; 1 general lit course; 1 overview of Chinese culture in English; 2 courses in Chinese lit in Chinese
Senior requirement: Senior essay (CHNS 491a or b, or 492a and 493b)
The Japanese major immerses the student in the breadth and depth of the Japanese literary tradition, premodern through modern. By the senior year, the student majoring in Japanese can acquire advanced skills in speaking and reading Japanese and in interpreting Japanese literature.
Prerequisite to the major is JAPN 140b or the equivalent. The major consists of at least eleven other courses, which fall into the following seven categories: (1) Japanese literature in translation or Japanese film: three term courses at the 200 or 300 level, of which one must be in premodern literature and one in modern literature; (2) advanced modern Japanese: JAPN 150a and 151b or equivalents; (3) literary Japanese: JAPN 170a; (4) one general literature or film course, such as ENGL 129a, 130b, LITR 120a or 300b, FILM 150a, or a course on Chinese literature at the 200 level; (5) one course in English that gives an overview of Japanese culture, such as ANTH 254a; (6) Japanese literature in the original language: two term courses that involve the study of literary or other types of texts, premodern or modern, such as JAPN 156a, 157b, 171b, or other courses as approved by the director of undergraduate studies; (7) the senior essay. A maximum of one course taken Credit/D/Fail may be counted toward the requirements of the major with permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
In order to acquaint themselves with the breadth of the field, students majoring in Japanese should take one or more courses in Japanese literature in translation as early as possible in their careers at Yale. Graduate courses in Japanese may count toward the major; enrollment in them requires permission of the instructor and of the director of graduate studies.
Senior requirement. Students prepare a senior essay in JAPN 491a or b or in JAPN 492a, 493b.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisite: JAPN 140b or equivalent
Number of courses: 11 term courses beyond prereq (incl one-term senior essay) or 12 term courses (incl two-term senior essay)
Specific courses required: JAPN 150a, 151b or equivalent; JAPN 170a
Distribution of courses: 3 courses in Japanese lit in translation or Japanese film, incl 1 in premodern lit and 1 in modern lit; 1 general lit or film course; 1 overview of Japanese culture in English; 2 courses in Japanese lit in Japanese
Senior requirement: Senior essay (JAPN 491a or b, or 492a and 493b)
