Asian Studies at Bates

Visit the full Asian Studies site

The Program in Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed to encourage students to deepen their understanding of Asian cultures through coursework and senior theses, along with rigorous training and expertise in Chinese or Japanese language. We offer majors in Chinese, Japanese, and Asian studies, as well as minors in each of these subjects.

Contact Us

Indya Childs, Academic Administrative Assistant
9 Andrews Road
Roger Williams
ichilds@bates.edu

What You Will Learn

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To develop knowledge, context, and inter-cultural competency about Asia
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Asia’s complex experiences with local, regional, and global flows of culture, history, and power
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The languages, histories, philosophies, politics, economies, literatures, arts, religions, and cultures of the many peoples of Asia and its diasporas
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To hone oral and written communication skills by presenting at student conferences
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To develop conversational skills through roundtables where you’ll connect with native speakers of your target language
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How to apply and integrate your knowledge during semester-long or full-year study abroad programs in China or Japan or “Short Term” trips to India or Vietnam

Life After Bates

Students leave the Program in Asian Studies with a deep cultural understanding and analytical skills that help them excel in a variety of fields, including finance, medicine, law, business, the arts, teaching, and beyond. Recent graduates have gone on to successful careers as public humanities and research fellows and financial managers.

94%

of 2020-2024 Bates graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school — settled into their next opportunity within 6 months of graduation.

Selected Places of Employment/Service
  • Fulbright Program
  • Bank of America
  • PayPal
  • Japan Exchange and Teaching Program
  • EY
  • Economists Incorporated
  • Pointe Bello
  • Cheng & Tsui
  • SOAR Immigration Legal Services
  • Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
Selected Graduate Schools
  • University of Oxford
  • Tufts University
  • Columbia University
  • George Washington University
  • MGH Institute of Health Professions
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Boston University
  • University of Chicago
A student speaks to their peers during an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
Two students have a discussion during an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
A group of students have a discussion during an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
A professor speaks to a small group of students during an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
A student reacts to a discussion during an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
Two students gather around a table in Roger Williams hall, painting traditional faces of Peking Opera masks.
A professor stands at the front of the classroom teaching an Asian Studies Samurai class in Hedge Hall.
A professor stands in front of a projector teaching the basics of written Japanese during a Beginning Japanese I class.
Students launch boats built during an Apprentice Learning: Building the Japanese Boat short term course in a traditional Japanese boat launching ceremony on Lake Andrews.
A student stands in front of her peers presenting a slide titled “Accessibility of Chinese Pop Culture” during the Mount David Summit in Pettengill Hall.
Why Study Asian Studies at Bates?

Our program creates opportunities to learn from important voices and perspectives from Asia, giving students a necessary and timely alternative to U.S.-centric world views. We invite those in our classes to examine Asia from all angles, looking beyond the popular music, cinema, and literature from the region that have become mainstays on the world stage to consider how truly interconnected the U.S. and Asia are on every level.

Featured Courses

Meet the Faculty

The Asian studies faculty comes from all over the world and brings a wealth of knowledge about language study and acquisition, ancient and modern culture, and a range of methods for studying Asian societies and cultures. Faculty members have expertise in a wide range of subjects, including Chinese history, political science, Japanese digital storytelling, and more. We regularly engage with students beyond the classroom through hosting campus-wide Asian cultural events.

Photo of Shreya Arora

Shreya Arora

Assistant Professor of Earth and Climate Science

Earth and Climate Sciences, Asian Studies
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Wesley B. Chaney

Associate Professor of History

History Chair, Asian Studies
Photo of Nathan C. Faries

Nathan C. Faries

Associate Professor of Asian Studies

Asian Studies, Chinese
Photo of Gina A. Fatone

Gina A. Fatone

Associate Professor of Music

Music Chair, Asian Studies
Photo of Mayumi Fukushima

Mayumi Fukushima

Assistant Professor of Politics

Politics, Asian Studies
Photo of David R. George Jr.

David R. George Jr.

Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies and European Studies

Hispanic Studies, European Studies, Asian Studies
Photo of Leshui He

Leshui He

Associate Professor of Economics

Economics, Asian Studies
Photo of Keiko Konoeda

Keiko Konoeda

Lecturer in Japanese

Japanese, Asian Studies
Photo of Yunkyoung Loh

Yunkyoung Loh

Associate Professor of Psychology

Psychology, Asian Studies, American Studies
Photo of Zhenzhen Lu

Zhenzhen Lu

Associate Professor of Chinese

Chinese, Asian Studies
Photo of Hanna S. McGaughey

Hanna S. McGaughey

Assistant Professor of Japanese Language and Asian Studies

Asian Studies, Japanese, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Photo of Alison Melnick

Alison Melnick

Associate Professor of Religious Studies

Religious Studies Chair, Asian Studies
Photo of Li-Ping Miao

Li-Ping Miao

Lecturer in Chinese

Chinese, Asian Studies
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Trian Nguyen

Associate Professor of Art and Visual Culture

Art and Visual Culture, Asian Studies
Photo of Ayumi Nobuki

Ayumi Nobuki

Visiting Assistant Professor of Japanese

Japanese, Asian Studies
Photo of Justine K. Wiesinger

Justine K. Wiesinger

Associate Professor of Japanese

Asian Studies Chair, Japanese

News & Events

Moments from around Bates College campus captured on August 12, 2026. (Theophil Syslo | Bates College)
September 17, 2026

Reentry Sisters join Bates courses

This fall, in addition to the 552 first-year students and 13 transfer students, an additional five students enrolled in a few courses across campus: previously incarcerated women joined first-year seminars through  the Reentry Sisters Alumni Scholar Program.

Ian del Rio Viera ‘29, of Bolivia, leads a tour around campus on July 21, 2026.(Theophil Syslo | Bates College)
September 17, 2026

Bates welcomes the last of this year’s new faculty

Bates welcomed 11 new tenured or tenure-track faculty for the 2026-2027 academic year, and Bates News is highlighting these faculty in three installments. Read about our new faculty here and here, and read below for the final group of new faculty this year.

Natalie Gersen ’28, Belmont, Mass., poses for a portrait on campus September 15, 2026. (Theophil Syslo | Bates College)
September 17, 2026

Bates student honored as Newman Civic Fellow

Natalie Gersen ‘28 of Belmont, Mass., has been named a Newman Civic Fellow through Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education.