Seasonally chilly weather isn't the only thing happening on campus lately. Keep reading to learn more about upcoming events, deadlines, and other news of interest for Asian Studies students! 

Winter Session 2025 Registration Now Available

Registration for Winter 2025 began on Monday! The session takes place in January 2025. Asian Studies students may be especially interested in the following classes, which count towards your ASIA requirements: 

• ASIA 300: Modern East Asia - Prof. Kim - online/asynchronous
• HIST 381: From Samurai to Salariman: Japanese History Through Film and Literature - Prof. Vaporis - online/asynchronous
• MUSC 230: Musics of the World - Prof. Purdy - hybrid (main campus

Note that HIST 381 counts towards your Culture GEP requirements, and MUSC 230 counts toward both Arts & Humanities and Culture GEP requirements. 

Have You Signed Up for Spring 2025 Advising?

The schedule of classes for Spring 2025 will be available next week (Oct 21), and registration appointments begin as soon as October 29. You can sign up for an advising appointment now! Visit our website for more information! 

Only students with clearance from their advisor - Dr. Vaporis or Dr. Kim, for Asian Studies students - can register for classes. Sign up early! 

Save the Date: Anita Mannur Lecture, Nov 11 1pm

Asian Studies is pleased to welcome Dr. Anita Mannur, Director of American University's Asia, Pacific, and Diaspora Program, to campus for a guest lecture on Monday, November 11 at 1pm! Join us in the Library Gallery for Dr. Mannur's talk, "From Pandan Donuts To Masala Chai Ice Cream: Infusing Asian Tastes Into the Ethno-Culinary Imaginary." We'll have more information about this event here on myUMBC, and on our website, soon - stay tuned! 

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

As the leaves begin to change here on campus and the weather finally gets a bit cooler, we're highlighting some of the upcoming deadlines, important dates, and other things happening in Asian Studies!

Spring 2025 Advising: Soon!

Spring 2025 advising and registration is coming soon! Dr. Vaporis and Dr. Kim are looking forward to meeting with Asian Studies majors and have set up Calendly schedules for advising appointments later this month. 

The Spring 2025 schedule will be available online on Oct 21 (two weeks from now), and students can register for classes as early as Oct 29. Get ready for your registration window now with three easy steps:

1. Look at your Degree Plan on myUMBC to determine what classes you still need to complete for your degree program. 
2. Do you have an account hold? Holds can be placed for many reasons, and will often prevent you from registering for classes. You can check your student account status on myUMBC; if you do have a hold, contact Student Business Services for assistance with resolving it so that you can register! 
3. Sign up for an advising appointment! Our website has all the details you'll need. 

Winter 2025 Registration Begins Oct 14!

January will be here before you know it. Consider signing up to take a Winter Session course! Many are offered online or in a hybrid format, and this year, three of them are of particular interest for Asian Studies students: 

• ASIA 300: Modern East Asia - Prof. Kim - online/asynchronous
• HIST 381: From Samurai to Salariman: Japanese History Through Film and Literature - Prof. Vaporis - online/asynchronous
• MUSC 230: Musics of the World - Prof. Purdy - hybrid (main campus)

Study Abroad Scholarships Available!

Are you planning to study abroad in Asia in 2025? Asian Studies has a limited number of $1000 scholarships to help offset some of those costs! 

This opportunity is available to Asian Studies majors and minors. 

Apply by Nov 1 for Spring 2025, or February 10 for Summer/Fall 2025. More information, including the application form, is available on our website. 

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Spring has finally sprung on campus - the trees are green, the days are warm(er) and sunny, and the end of the semester is in sight. Before we get to finals and Commencement, though, there's still a lot happening on campus and in Asian Studies. Take a look! 

Fall 2024 Advising Available - Have you signed up?

Classes for Fall 2024 are filling quickly! If you have not already received advising and your registration clearance, don't wait - sign up today! 

Information about advising, including a class list and other registration-related details, is available on our website. 

Guest Lecture - Dr. Gregg Brazinsky, George Washington University

Asian Studies and the History Department are pleased to welcome GWU's Dr. Gregg Brazinsky to campus on May 6. Dr. Brazinsky will give a talk in the Library Gallery titled "Empathy at War: China and North Korea During the Korean War." The talk will be followed by light refreshments and coffee - more information is available on the event page. We hope you'll be able to join us! 

Summer Session Registration Available Now!

Considering a summer class? Summer 2024 registration is ongoing. In order to graduate in four years, you need to complete 30 credits per year. Summer Session is a great opportunity to catch up, or to get ahead. Many classes are offered online and asynchronously, and some can be completed in as few as four weeks! A few courses this summer may be of particular interest for Asian Studies students: 

• ASIA 100: Intro to Asian Studies - Six Weeks, Session I, online and asynchronous
• HIST 103: East Asian Civilization - Four Weeks, Session II, online MWF
• HIST 381: From Samurai to Salariman - Four Weeks, Session I, online and asynchronous
• JPNS 102: Elementary Japanese II - Six Weeks, Session II, online MWF

The Fall 2024 Schedule of Classes is now available online, and advising appointments are now available! We'll update the Asian Studies website with ASIA-specific classes soon - stay tuned for more information. 

Registration begins on April 2 - more information about your assigned registration time can be found on the Registrar's website. 

In the meantime, you can get ready for Fall 2024 in three easy steps: 

1. Look at your Degree Plan in your myUMBC profile to learn what classes or requirements you still need to complete for your degree program.
2. Look at your Student Account in your myUMBC profile – do you have an account hold?
   Holds can be placed for several reasons, but most of them will prevent you from being able to register for classes. Contact Student Business Services for more information about resolving an account hold.
3. Sign up for an advising appointment with your advisor.
   For Asian Studies majors, Dr. Oyen is your advisor.

Completing your advising appointment early increases your opportunity to get into the classes you need. Don't wait - get advised soon!

Please contact our office (410-455-8410) or m.power@umbc.edu if you have any questions about advising appointments or the Fall 2024 schedule. 

We had a glimpse of spring earlier this week, but winter is back this morning. In Japan, plum blossoms are out in full force! These bright pink flowers - an earlier cousin of the more famous sakura - are a tantalizing hint that the warmer weather is on the way. Closer to home, take a look at some of the springtime deadlines and opportunities for Asian Studies students:

URCAD Deadline - Friday, March 1

Have you been working on a big research project? Do you want to share your discoveries and insights with a wide audience? Apply to present at URCAD, UMBC's Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Day! 

You can apply here; if you worked with a particular faculty member for your research, let them know that you're applying! 

URCAD will take place on Wednesday, April 10, this year. 

Summer 2024 Registration Begins Friday, March 1

Are you thinking about a summer class this year? Registration for Summer 2024 begins tomorrow, Friday, March 1! Review information about the session at the Summer Session website - or browse the available courses here! 

Of particular interest for Asian Studies students, the following courses are available this summer: 

- ASIA 100 (six weeks, Session I)
- HIST 103 East-Asian Civilization (four weeks, Session II)
- HIST 381 From Samurai to Salariman: Japanese History Through Film and Literature (four weeks, Session I)
- JPNS 102 Elementary Japanese II (six weeks, Session II)

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

March 1 - URCAD application deadline
March 1 - Summer 2024 Registration Begins
March 16-24 - Spring Break; no classes

[thumbnail image: vibrant pink plum blossoms on a tree on the grounds of Nara's Himuro Shrine in February 2020]

The WInter Session is wrapping up and Spring 2024 is just around the corner. We hope that you've had a productive, relaxing January, and are looking forward to welcoming you to campus next week, whether you're returning or just joining us for your first semester! 

Winter Welcome Week 2024

Check out some of the special events taking place around campus next week as part of Winter Welcome Week 2024! From breakfast socials and opportunities to visit and chat with organizations and offices around campus to basketball games and the returning favorite Big Breakfast with Bingo, there's something for everyone on the schedule! Learn more on the Winter Welcome Week website. 

Gilman Study Abroad Scholarships - Application Open

Have you thought about study abroad, but wonder about how to pay for it? If you receive Pell grants as part of your financial aid, or are the child of an active duty service member in the military, the Benjamin Gilman Scholarship program may be just the thing for you! 

The Gilman scholarships award up to $8000 to support study abroad for students with demonstrated financial need. UMBC's Education Abroad Office will host several information sessions about the program in February - be sure to attend! The Gilman scholarship application deadline is March 7! 

Other Study Abroad Opportunities - Start Planning Now!

If the Gilman program isn't a good fit, but you still want to consider study abroad this summer, or for some or all of the 2024-25 academic year, start planning now! The Education Abroad office has created a useful road map of the steps you'll need to take to plan the perfect study abroad experience - check out their myUMBC post today, and contact them for more information!

Internships Available - Maryland Public Service Scholars

Do you have any plans this summer? Consider applying for one of the Maryland Public Service Scholars Program's summer internships!  These paid opportunities give students a chance to explore careers in government agencies and nonprofit organizations and make a difference in the lives of Marylanders. 

Applications for this competitive program are due March 1 - and more information is available at one of the Program's information sessions. 

Upcoming Important Dates and Deadlines

It's a short week here on campus, but the semester is continuing its march towards finals in a few weeks. If you are celebrating this week, we hope that you will have a safe and happy holiday, and will look forward to seeing you again after the long weekend! 

Please note that UMBC's campus and offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov 23-24, in observance of the holiday. 

Conference Applications Now Open

The organization International Student Conferences facilitates three academic and cultural exchange programs organized by university students in the U.S., Japan, Korea, and China. The conferences distinguish themselves from other programs in that they are entirely student-led: students manage the logistics and implementation of each annual gathering. At the end of each Conference, delegates elect an Elective Committee tasked with planning and executing the next conference. 

The programs are premised on the belief that students are not passive observers of international diplomacy but rather are concerned citizens charged with the responsibility of guiding the direction of the world as leaders in U.S.-Asia relations.

Who Can Apply for These Conferences?

The Japan-America Student Conference

The Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) is a student-led exchange program initiated in 1934 by university students concerned about the breakdown of bilateral relations before the Second World War. Today, an equal number of students from the U.S. and Japan are competitively selected each year to spend one summer month together, studying and analyzing Japan-U.S. relations while visiting three diverse regions in the host country. 

The 76th Japan-America Student Conference will occur from August 3rd to August 24th, 2024, in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Washington, DC. JASC 76 will convene with the theme: “Visions: Perspectives reflected from the past - together understanding, contributing for the future.” Applications are OPEN until December 24, 2023. Apply here!

The Korea-America Student Conference

The Korea-America Student Conference (KASC) is a student-led academic conference that was established in 2008 with the goal of supporting the deep bilateral relationship between the U.S. and South Korea. This conference brings together up to 30 students studying in the United States and the Republic of Korea for an academically rigorous, three-week-long summer program, during which students live, travel, and conduct original, peer-reviewed research together. KASC is unique among ISC conferences in its two-country model, in which students travel to both the U.S. and South Korea each year. 

The 17th Korea-America Student Conference will travel to New York City, Washington, DC, and Seoul, South Korea, from June 23rd to July 11th, 2024! The KASC 17 Executive Committee chose the theme: “Embracing Complexity: Navigating the Intersections in Global Diplomacy for a Shared Tomorrow.” Applications are OPEN! Apply by December 23, 2023 at this link!

The China-America Student Conference

The China-America Student Conference (ChASC) is a 2-week academic and cultural interchange program that brings together an equal number of students representing the United States of America and China for off-the-record discussions on the future of the bilateral relationship. ChASC was established in 2020, making it the newest of the ISC conferences. 

The 4th China-America Student Conference will convene from June 3rd to June 15th in Chicago and Washington, DC! ChASC 4 will focus on the theme, “From Reflection to Connection: Lessons from the Past, Visions For the Future” and welcomes American students, Chinese students, and Chinese students studying in the United States! Please apply by December 31, 2023, at this link! 

Fall foliage is on full display on campus and around town, and the semester continues! Here's the latest from Asian Studies.

Guest Lecture - Dr. Yunwoo Song, "Why Be Moral?" 

Asian Studies is pleased to welcome American University's Dr. Yunwoo Song to the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery for a special lecture about Confucian influences and thoughts on morality. 

Please join us on Wednesday at 1pm for this exciting event - refreshments will follow the presentation! For more information, visit the myUMBC events page. 

Spring 2024 Advising and Registration are Here!

The Spring 2024 schedule is available online, and advising is happening now! Undergraduate students can begin registering for classes as early as tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct 31). 

Have you had your advising appointment yet? Check out our Advising Guide for Asian Studies students to make sure you're ready to register as soon as possible - signing up for classes early is the best way to make sure you have a seat in popular offerings, or to get a spot in that one class you might still need before you graduate! 

Winter Session 2024 registration is ongoing, too - visit https://winter.umbc.edu/ for more information! 

Upcoming Dates, Deadlines, and Events

• Spring 2024 Advising and Registration - ongoing; see above
• This week: The Major Event 
• Dr. Yunwoo Song Lecture "Why Be Moral?" - Weds, Nov 1, 1pm
• Deadline to withdraw from individual courses with a "W" - Weds, Nov 8
• Thanksgiving and American Indian Heritage Day - Nov 23 and Nov 24 - campus closed, no classes

It's that time again - Spring 2024 Registration starts next week, Oct 31! Are you ready to sign up for your classes? Here's a checklist of things you can do to prepare! 

Online Schedule Available Now

Students who are logged into their myUMBC accounts can review the entire Spring 2024 schedule online by visiting https://umbc.edu/go/schedule 

Additionally, a list of classes that count towards an Asian Studies major, minor, and certificate is available on our website. 

New Courses - ASIA 333 and ASIA 353

Looking for something different this spring? Check out Dr. Kim's two new course offerings! 

ASIA 333 - International Relations in East Asia - In Person, Thursdays, 4:30-7
The course aims for a comprehensive exploration of pressing issues in Asia, facilitating an understanding of the political, social, and economic dimensions of the region in the contemporary era. It places particular emphasis on regional and international relations. Throughout the course, students will acquire valuable insights into the political structures, ideologies, and movements shaping Asian nations. Additionally, the course will delve into the intricate dynamics of societal transformations, economic realities, and pressing issues, encompassing domestic challenges and regional conflicts, along with an added emphasis on U.S. engagement with Asian nations. 

ASIA 353 - Contemporary Society in Two Koreas - In Person, Tues/Thurs 10-11:15
This course is designed to help students develop a comprehensive background of contemporary history, politics, society, economy and security of two Koreas and their impact on the broader context of Asia. The course explores key historical processes that have shaped the contemporary societies of two Koreas through multidisciplinary lenses. The course will help students understand the origins of, and influences stemming from, the stark political, economic, and social differences between the two Koreas, amidst their underlying core cultural similarities. Themes to be covered in this course include modernization, colonialism, nationalism, authoritarianism, democratization, industrialization, reunification, and gender relations.

Advising Information - Sign Up Early!

You must have registration clearance from their advisor before you can add classes to their schedule. Asian Studies students work with Dr. Oyen for advising. 

To receive registration clearance, complete this Google form for Dr. Oyen to review. If you would like an appointment to go over any questions or concerns about your Spring 2024 schedule or other details about your Asian Studies plans, you can schedule a meeting with Dr. Oyen via her Calendly. 

Account Holds - Check with Student Business Services

Account holds can prevent you from registering or graduating. Holds can be placed for several reasons, from overdue library books to parking fines to everything in between. Check with Student Business Services for help with resolving any account holds early, so that you can register on time! 

Winter Session Registration Ongoing

Thinking about the Winter session to stay busy during January? Consider signing up for one of these Asian Studies classes today - Winter registration is available now through the start of the session! Learn more about Winter 2024 at the session's website

ASIA 300 - Modern East Asia - Prof. Kim - Online, asynchronous
HIST 381 - From Samurai to Salariman - Prof. Vaporis - Online, asynchronous
MUSC 230 - Musics of the World - Prof. Beck - Online, T/W/TH 9-12:10

Advising Questions or Concerns? Let us know! 

Send us an email any time, or stop by Mon-Thurs 8:30-1:30 in person, with any questions you might have about Spring 2024 advising.