Established in 2002, the Department of Asian & Asian American Studies is one of the few departments in the U.S. that integrates the study and teaching of both Asian and Asian American studies. It offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that highlights the history of New York as the home of Asian immigrants since the 19th century and recognizes the importance of the Asia-Pacific in this present century.

Using textual studies and discourse analysis as our primary analytic tools, we focus on the study of Asian and Asian American languages, cultures, and intellectual histories over time and in contact with other global cultures. Among our faculty are internationally-recognized scholars in linguistics, cultural studies, history,  philosophy, and religious studies.

Our global curriculum ranges from studies of classical Asian civilizations to studies of modern Asian diasporic cultures. We offer:

• a B.A. in Asian & Asian American Studies
• a B.A. in Asian & Asian American Studies with Teacher Certification (in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean).

We also offer the following minors:

• Asian & Asian American Studies
• China Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Korean Studies
• South Asian Studies
• Religious Studies

We  launched the new MA in Contemporary Asian and Asian American Studies (CAAAS) in the fall of 2016.  

Our innovative joint MA program in partnership with Stony Brook’s Philosophy Department, “History of Philosophies East and West” (HPEW), began in the fall of 2019. 

In addition, we offer study-abroad programs that provide unique opportunities for immersion in the languages and cultures of China, India, Japan and Korea.

AAAS FAST FACTS 

• Established in 2002
  • Integrates Asian studies and Asian American studies
  • Focuses on Asian and Asian American languages, cultures, and intellectual histories over time and in contact with other global cultures
• 14 tenured and tenure-track faculty members 
• 8 full-time lecturers including 1 Advanced Senior Lecturer and 2 Senior Lecturers
• 1 SUNY Distinguished Professor
• 1 SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
• 1 Endowed Chair Professor
• 2 NEH Fellows
• 3 Guggenheim Fellows
• 1 AAUW Fellow
• 3 recipients of SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Offers 1 graduate degree,1 joint graduate degree (with Philosophy), 1 undergraduate majors and 6 undergraduate minors
• Enrolls a total of 253 majors and minors (Fall 2024 data)
• Offers 113 undergraduate courses per AY, most of which satisfy SBC (2022-2023 data)
• Offers faculty-led study abroad programs in China, India, Japan, and Korea

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• Home of 4 vibrant research and cultural Centers (Mattoo Center for India Studies; Japan Center at Stony Brook; Center for Korean Studies, Center for Multilingual and Intercultural Communication)
• Received external research funding from NSF, NEH, Guggenheim Foundation, US Ed. Department, and the Academy of Korean Studies in the past five years