Graduate Certificate Programs in Asian-American Studies

The Asian American Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the scholarship and experiences of Americans, Pacific Islanders, and immigrants to the United States from Asian heritage groups. The Program sheds light on Asian American experiences and concerns, both historically and in contemporary society. The Certificate in Asian American Studies provides students with an opportunity to develop a sustained intellectual focus on Asian American racial formation, communities, and culture. The Program also serves as a teaching and resource center not only for Asian Americans but for the University and Madison community as a whole.

The Asian Asian American Studies Certificate is an interdisciplinary program consisting of eight courses that provides students with (1) a thorough understanding of both Asian and Asian American histories, experiences, and contemporary issues and (2) multi-disciplinary and multi-method research, analysis, and critical thinking skills, both of which prepare students for the increasingly diverse, globalized, and interconnected world of the 21st century.

By the mid-1990s, three significant trends became increasingly prominent across many colleges around the U.S. - (1) a recognition of the growing importance of globalized international affairs, particularly focused on Asia (2) the political, economic, and cultural growth of the Asian American population and (3) demographic trends and a large increase in the number of Asian and Asian American students enrolling in college. As a reflection of these developments, many students and scholars pushed for the expansion of Asian Studies and Asian American Studies at their campuses.

In the late 1990s, students at UMass Amherst engaged in numerous forms of activism, including protests and occupying the administration building, to demand the creation of an Asian American Studies program. Their efforts successfully culminated with the creation of a new joint program in Asian and Asian American Studies in the spring of 2000. Since then, the Asian Asian American Studies Certificate Program has graduated dozens of students from diverse personal and academic backgrounds who have gone on to their knowledge and skills in numerous careers and pursuits.

As U.S. society becomes diverse, multicultural, and globalized, and in the context of the cultural and economic emergence of Asian countries such as China and India, the Asian Asian American Studies Certificate gives students the opportunity to learn the interconnections between two similar but unique sets of histories, cultures, and issues - Asia and Asian America.

In turn, these skills will give the student a competitive advantage in both their studies at UMass and in whatever career they enter once they graduate.

Please refer to the menu on the right for links to information the Asian Asian American Studies Certificate Program, including requirements of the certificate, and an updated listing of courses that count toward the certificate. For additional information the Certificate, please contact:.

Cindy Le Concentrations in Asian American Studies.

All of them worked very hard throughout their courses and particularly with their Senior Seminar capstone projects. Completing the Certificate is an important accomplishment and one that they should definitely feel proud of. It is students like these who sustain the Certificate Program and help make it vibrant and dynamic. Best of luck to them all as they graduate, start their careers, and bring their knowledge and wisdom to their own communities.

The Asian Asian American Studies Certificate Program (AAASCP) has completed another productive and successful 2017-2018 year, with four students completing the Certificate. While this number is a little lower than in previous years, it still compares favorably to many larger and established Asian American Studies programs at various universities around the country. In recognizing that quality is just as important as quantity, the Certificate students completed some very interesting, insightful, and impressive capstone projects on the following topics:.

The AAASCP has worked very hard to promote the Certificate around campus, and students are seeing the value of the Certificate’s combination of providing them with a detailed understanding of the increasingly important political, economic, and cultural connections between Asia and Asian America, along with practical interdisciplinary and multi-methodological skills that they can use in their studies and their future careers.

As part of its mission to contribute to the rich and vibrant academic community of UMass Amherst and the Five Colleges, the AAASCP continues to forge strong collaborative relationships with the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS), the Asian Asian American Residential Community in Lewis Hall, the Yuri Kochiyama Cultural Center (YKCC), and the Asian Arts and Culture Program (AACP) and were very pleased to partner with them on several events and activities.

Perhaps the highlight of the academic year was the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Dinner Gala, held on April 26 in the Amherst Room of the Campus Center. Superbly organized by the Yuri Kochiyama Cultural Center (YKCC) this event was attended by close to 100 people and celebrated May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month for the UMass Amherst campus. In addition to delicious Indian and Thai food, the event featured a recognition of several Asian American student organizations and their contributions to the campus community, a lecture by me on the history of social justice activism among Asian Americans, and an amazing multimedia performance by the nationally-acclaimed No No Boys duo of Julian Saporiti and Erin Aoyama and their synthesis of film, music, and stories to commemorate the Asian American experience.

As just two examples, Prof. Miliann Kang (Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies) conducted a year-long ethnographic research project on women teachers in South Korea as part of a Fulbright Research Fellowship for the 2017-2018 year.

As we continually impress upon our Certificate students, as U.S. society becomes increasingly culturally diverse and globalized, those who have a detailed understanding of different racial ethnic groups, of international socioeconomic issues, and multi-methodological and interdisciplinary research and analytical skills - all of which the AAAS Certificate gives them - will have a competitive advantage in their studies at UMass, in whatever career they enter once they graduate, and in applying their knowledge as community leaders in 21st century U.S. society.

East Asian Languages Cultures ProgramFive College APA StudiesAsian Arts Culture ProgramInternational Programs OfficeCenter for Multicultural Advancement Student SuccessDiversity MattersYuri Kochiyama Cultural Center.

The Certificate compelled me to study subjects I would not have otherwise, mainly on the specific topic of Asian American issues. This resulted in an awareness of things I never knew I never knew. As the program director I hope you are aware of the ways you have single-handedly created awareness in a way that should be seen as a ripple effect. And I owe you my appreciation for providing such an opportunity and challenging me. The result was in a very substantial shift in perspective. [Completing this Certificate] is rewarding than graduation itself. - Justin Lockenwitz.

The Asian American Studies Certificate program inspired me to further my educational endeavors by strengthening my involvement with my major in Psychology, by influencing me to declare a minor in Sociology, and by convincing me to pursue a Masters degree in School Counseling with a concentration in Social Justice. - Chaeun Hwang.

The interdisciplinary nature of the program . enhanced my abilities as a researcher, educator, and activist. Dr. C.N. Le tireless efforts to improve the program and personal mentoring to me have been inspirational, motivational and priceless. I view my education in the Asian American Studies Certificate Program, as one of the most influential and transformational periods of my life. I cannot thank the professors who taught courses in the program enough for what they have done for myself and for others. - Nate Kupel.

I credit a lot of whom I am today and the work I do in Boston Asian Asian American community to Professor Le and Professor Kang. They truly opened my eyes and enlightened me, so thank you to them for imparting their knowledge!

[After graduating], I've been student teaching and have made meaningful strides in incorporating content that includes multiple voices and perspectives for students to be exposed to. The state frameworks unfortunately are hyper-focused on European history, but I've tinkered with the course so that students are receiving a fair amount of East Asian and Southeast Asian history. So I thank you for giving me the tools to help students find that powerful individual voice. - Ryan Walsh.

Completing the Asian Asian American Studies Certificate was one of my favorite experiences as an UMass student. I was always passionate advocating for the Asian American population and the Certificate provided me with the right tools to further my studies. I learned so much what it really means to be culturally diverse, intersectionality, and the issues that Asian Americans face today. I would encourage any student with even the slightest interest to complete the Certificate. What I have managed to learn from the program has significantly prepared me for my future career. - Shirley Zhen.

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Offered by the Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies, the 15-credit graduate certificate in Asia, pacific, and diaspora studies provides an understanding of Asia in a dynamic global context. In this program, you will engage in advanced study of political, economic, cultural, philosophical, and religious aspects of Asia, pacific, and diaspora societies, both past and present. The coursework includes a variety of interdisciplinary courses from the School of International Service and the departments of history, philosophy, and religion. The program culminates in an Asian studies research project.

The Graduate Certificate in Asian and Asian American Studies provides a means for graduate students who are already enrolled in existing graduate departments the opportunity to enhance their studies with a focus on topics related to Asian Studies and Asian American Studies. The AAAS Graduate Certificate seeks to produce research and scholarship that engages Asia Across the World in its many forms, including consideration of hybridity, trans-nationalism, and global local tensions.

Students will learn how Asian and Asian diasporic societies, cultures, histories, and migrations mutually engage with global processes of social and cultural change. They will become conversant in the comparative study of different Asian cultures and regions and learn how social, cultural and historical phenomena in Asia and Asian diasporic societies have appeared, developed, and interacted with the rest of the world.

Certificate students will be required to take a minimum of three graduate courses (12 credit hours). At least two (2) of the three courses must be chosen in consultation with the student graduate advisor, based upon the student primary interests and previous background. In addition, students concentrating on Asian Studies must take one Asian American Studies and Diasporic Studies course and students concentrating on Asian American and Diasporic Studies must take one Asian Studies course.

No transfer credit will certificate. In addition, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and all courses used to complete the certificate must be taken with a normal grading option.

Students choosing the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Studies field must reach proficiency in the relevant language equivalent through the fourth-year level of study by the time of completion of the MA. Students admitted to one of these fields will already have had at least two, and in many cases, three or even four years of language training.

It is expected that students enrolled in the South Asia Studies field will have third-year level proficiency in an Asian language relevant to their course of study by the completion of the MA. This requirement can be waived in some cases, based on the student particular course of study. The Asian American and Diaspora Studies, and Global Asia Studies fields have no explicit language requirement, but if a particular language is necessary for the student course of study, that student will be expected to develop competence in it by the time of completion of the MA.

Application Students for the AAAS Graduate Certificate through the Binghamton University Graduate School application process.

Enhance Student Learning with a Cultural Competency Certificate.

The K-12 Cultural Competency Certificate: Asian American Studies will enable educators to deliver quality multicultural instruction that is now required by multiple states and school districts.

The Asian American History Certificate is designed for K-12 educators who want to successfully incorporate Asian American history and perspectives into their classrooms and the consciousness of their students. Americans who identify as Asian are projected to become the largest minority group in the U.S. by mid-century, yet their unique experiences and many contributions to our country are largely overlooked.

The K-12 Cultural Competency Certificate: Asian American Studies is important because the rich and diverse history of Asian Americans is often left out of K-12 classroom textbooks and curriculum. During this course, students will explore the importance of teaching Asian American history, the various ways Asian Americans identify, and how their identity may be vastly different than their portrayal in the media. Students will also discover the larger structural forces behind Asian migration to the U.S. Further students will learn historical and current discriminatory experiences with racism and relatedly, the challenges Asian migrants have faced with citizenship status. Lastly, we leave students with the ways Asian Americans have participated in both activism and solidarity with other communities for a hopeful future.

Understanding the importance of teaching Asian American Studies.

Exploration of best practices for teaching citizenship, immigration, and civil rights through the lens of the Asian American experience.

Our course structure is built to make earning your certificate accessible and achievable so you can start sooner and finish faster.

Credit for Military and Work Experience with Academic Program Enrollment.

We know your life may not happen on a 9-5 schedule, so we offer courses online.

The K-12 Cultural Competency Certificate: Asian American Studies is available for $400 per individual learner. Tuition discounts are available for group enrollment.

Yes, successful completion of the Asian American History Certificate allows K-12 educators to receive 3.5 continuing education units (CEUs).

The certificate is a 35-hour online, interactive, continuing education course.

The Asian American History Certificate is designed for educators who want to expand their teaching skills and earning potential by learning to incorporate Asian American history and perspectives into their classrooms and the consciousness of their students. This certificate will also allow educators to deliver multicultural instruction that is now required by multiple states and school districts.

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