College Schools, Departments & Programs

East Asian Languages and Cultures

Introduction

The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) is a multidisciplinary and multicultural department that aims to provide students with an understanding of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages and cultures. The department offers a wide range of culture courses, open to nonmajors, that deal with virtually every facet of the cultures of East Asia. Language courses in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are offered from beginning to advanced levels.

Two majors and two minors are offered. The majors differ in the amount of language required and in the specificity and range of culture courses allowed. There is a language minor in Japanese, Chinese, or Korean, and a minor in East Asian studies that requires no language training.

As part of the baccalaureate training, students are encouraged to study abroad in China, Japan, or Korea on one of IU's overseas study programs. Students who are returning from East Asia or who have any background in an East Asian language prior to enrolling at IU are required to take a placement exam before enrolling in a language course.

EALC is affiliated with the new School of Global and International Studies (SGIS), which prepares students for opportunities in any international field they choose, whether they plan to work in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. The School has a dual focus that sets it apart. On the one hand, it teaches the languages and histories of strategically important regions of the world. IU has long been a leading university for studying the cultures of communities around the world, and SGIS seeks to maintain and build upon this proud tradition. At the same time, SGIS also examines crucial contemporary issues that transcend borders. Areas of focus include security, trade and development, global governance, and human rights. SGIS prioritizes a pragmatic, nonpartisan understanding of some of the most challenging issues of our times. Perhaps no one exemplifies the approach and impact that SGIS hopes that its alumni will have better than two of its distinguished faculty members, former Representative Lee Hamilton and former Senator Richard Lugar.

SGIS provides its students with unmatched opportunities. Students have the opportunity to study in a state-of-the-art building at the center of campus. The ratio of faculty to undergraduate majors is seven-to-one, and virtually all SGIS faculty teach undergraduates. Over 60 percent of SGIS students study abroad, for which SGIS offers a wide range of scholarships. Finally, SGIS has top-notch academic and career advisors who develop close relationships with the students.

Majors, Minors, and Programs
Contact Information

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Indiana University
GA 2050 (GISB East)
355 North Jordan Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405-1105

(812) 855-1992
ealc [at] indiana [dot] edu

http://www.indiana.edu/~ealc