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Asian Studies at UNSW

National Museum of Australia

Minangkabau house architecture from Sumatra, Indonesia.

UNSW is the university where students can develop an understanding of our region and prepare themselves for careers related to Australia’s continuing and increasing economic, social and political engagement with Asia. UNSW gives students the opportunity to learn Asian languages, explore histories of Asian societies and understand Asian cultures in all their enormous variety. UNSW is the only university in New South Wales with specialists in China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Asian Studies specialists are located in the Schools of History and Philosophy, Languages and Linguistics, Social Sciences and International Studies, and in English, Media, and Performing Arts.

We offer courses in:

  • Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian languages, literature and professional interpretation
  • History of China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
  • Chinese philosophy
  • Asian Religious traditions
  • Visual arts and modern culture
  • Women and gender

Students can take Asia-related courses in the BA degree, they major in Asian Studies, or choose the Asian Studies Stream in the Bachelor of International Studies. The BInst degree includes one year of study overseas in China, Korea, Japan or Indonesia.

In Australia today business leaders, politicians and journalists call for an increased knowledge of our Asian neighbours and language skills. The 100 participants in the stream “Australia’s Future in the World” at the Australia 2020 Summit (April 2008) recommended immediate action:

  • To reinvigorate & deepen our engagement with Asia
  • To ensure that the major languages and cultures of our region are no longer foreign to Australians but are familiar and mainstreamed into Australian society.

The Asian Studies program is coordinated through the School of History and Philosophy by:

Dr. Mina Roces
Convenor: Asian Studies
School of History and Philosophy
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
369 Morven Brown Building
Telephone: 9385-2348
Fax: + 61 (2) 9385-1251
Email: m.roces@unsw.edu.au