Welcome

Building on the tradition of Asian Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in response to the national growth of Asian American Studies and enrollment trends on campus, a new joint undergraduate Program in Asian and Asian American Studies was introduced in the spring of 2000.

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As American society becomes more 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 about the interconnections between two similar but unique sets of histories, cultures, and issues -- Asia and Asian America.

With course offerings and faculty specializing in numerous academic disciplines, the Certificate is designed to give students (1) an understanding of different racial/ethnic groups & international issues and (2) interdisciplinary and multi-method research and learning skills. 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 more information about the Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate Program, including requirements of the certificate, frequently asked questions, and an updted listing of courses that count toward the certificate.

For additional information regarding the Asian and Asian American Studies Program, please contact:

C.N. Le, Director
Department of Sociology
Thompson Hall 508
Tel: 413-545-4074
Email:


What's New

The Asian & Asian American Studies (AAAS) Certificate Program has again completed another productive 2008-2009 academic year and I would like to once again update you on our activities this past academic year:

  • We had three students complete the Certificate this year, which is slightly lower than our usual number. However, several students are poised to complete their requirements for the Certificate and are scheduled to do so by the end of the next academic year. Further, in emphasizing quality over quantity, the three Certificate students completed very interesting and relevant projects analyzing complex issues such as the relationship between religion and politics in acts of violence within Asian countries, parenting styles of Asian American parents, and changing media images of Asian/Asian American women.

  • Continuing our tradition of contributing to the rich and vibrant academic community of UMass Amherst and the Five Colleges, the Certificate program again participated in the third annual 5-Pan Asian Pacific American Conference, hosted by Mount Holyoke College and attended by over 120 undergraduate students from UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and Mount Holyoke College. I conducted a session on emerging political, economic, and cultural connections between Asians and Asian Americans in 21st century American society and several other UMass Amherst faculty and graduate students also presented and led workshops on a wide variety of Asian- and Asian American-related issues. The 5-Pan student organization continues to become stronger and more cohesive each year and we look forward to seeing what they have planned for next year.

  • Speaking of developing professional networks, we had an extremely successful set of activities organized around the Mellon Mutual Mentoring Team Grant Program, administered by the UMass Amherst Office for Faculty Development. Having been awarded a $3,500 grant, we conducted a series of five "Dinner and Discussion" workshops at each of the five campuses and that included topically-driven and facilitated group discussions on issues of research, teaching, and tenure, all designed to build a mutually-supportive academic and social support community across traditional disciplinary and institutional boundaries.

  • As team leader of this grant, I am very pleased that the grant was a big success in so many ways -- introducing faculty and graduate students at UMass Amherst and the other campuses to each other and to learn from each other’s experiences, directly supporting their professionalization and career trajectories around concrete issues, and strengthening and raising the profile of Asian Pacific American Studies in the area. The Office of Faculty Development staff reported to us on several occasions that our team consistently had the largest numbers of participants throughout the course, included the widest inclusion of participants across departments and institutions, and that she was very pleased with our grant activities.

  • In fact, building upon the success of this grant, we applied for a second grant and were delighted to be awarded $6,100 to continue our mutual mentoring project, although our activities will change so that instead of five large dinners, we will form several working groups organized around specific mutual mentoring needs and issues and each group will determine the activities that will be most beneficial for them. All in all, the Certificate program is thrilled to be an active and central part of this Five College Mutual Mentoring grant and we look forward to another successful project this upcoming academic year.

  • We also directly facilitate the professionalization of our grad students and junior faculty by using program funds to assist a total of four grad students and faculty to present papers or conduct research around the country relating to Asians or Asian Americans. All four had very successful trips and were very thankful to the AAAS Certificate Program for assisting them in their research.

  • Finally, I am very pleased to report that I was awarded Senior Lecturer status. Throughout the process, I received very positive encouragement and updates from those involved and an excited about continuing my career development with my colleagues here at UMass Amherst.