This semester, students have the opportunity to take a unique interdisciplinary Asian studies course. “Asia: Business, Energy, Technology, and Healthcare” (INS 365) emerged from a collaboration with the Asian Studies Center (ASC) at the University of Pittsburgh and the International Studies Consortium of Georgia and was cultivated by JSU’s Dr. Helen Kaibara and Dr. Lance Ingwersen over the past thirteen months. The ASC applied for – and won – a federal, four-year Title VI National Resource Center grant in 2022. Among other items, the grant funds the ASC to provide interdisciplinary online courses to students enrolled at partner institutions, and JSU is one of the few participating partner institutions. 

The course is being team-taught by Cathy Fratto, Dr. Jim Cook, and Dr. Emily Rook-Koepsel of the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Students can take the class live on Tuesday or Thursday from 12:00pm-1:20pm, or recordings can be accessed through the Google Classroom Learning Management System. 

This course covers business, energy, technology, and healthcare in Asia – an important hub for these industries – through readings, discussions, documentaries, and opportunities to hear from guest scholars and industry professionals. Students will first gain a foundational understanding of the geography and modern history of East and South Asia followed by learning about various aspects of the business, education, technology, and healthcare industries of East and South Asia. 

There are currently ten JSU students enrolled in the course this semester. According to Dr. Ingwersen, plans are in place for future courses as well. In Fall 2023, interested students will be able to select from Introduction to Asian Studies (ASN 151) and one of two upper-division courses: Asia Now or Asia Pop. 

JSU students who complete at least two of these Asian Studies courses will earn a letter of distinction from the University of Pittsburgh. Moreover, the classes taken in this series count toward the new Asian Studies minor at JSU. For this minor, students must take eighteen credit hours of classes focusing on Asia, of which World History I (HY 111) and World History II (HY112) are required. Beyond these classes, students may take a combination of courses in disciplines such as history, political science, and art.  

More information about this newly-created Asian Studies minor can be found by visiting the following link.

18-credit-hour minor in Asian Studies