Five College Asian/Pacific/American Studies : Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Beginning and Completing
Program Goals
Program Requirements

A. Requirements

A minimum of seven courses, distributed among the following categories. (As always, to be counted toward graduation, courses taken at another campus must be approved by your academic advisor.) Here is a list of ongoing Courses Offered, grouped according to certificate program distribution categories. To see the currrent courses being offered in the Five Colleges, please view Fall 2008 Courses.

1. One foundation course. Normally taken during the first or second year, this course offers an interdisciplinary perspective on historical and contemporary experiences of Asian/Pacific/Americans. Attention will be paid to interrogating the term Asian/Pacific/American and to comparing different A/P/A populations distinguished, for example, by virtue of their different geographical or cultural derivations, their distribution within the Americas, and their historical experience of migration.

2. At least five elective courses. Students must take at least one course from each of the following categories. (Three of these five courses should be chosen from among courses designated as core courses

a) Expressions. These courses are devoted to the study of APA cultural expression in its many forms.

b) U.S. Intersections. These courses are dedicated substantially to the study of Asian/Pacific/Americans but are further devoted to examining intersections between APA experiences and non-APA experiences within the United States.

c) Global Intersections. These courses have their focus outside the United States but offer special perspectives on the experiences of Asian/Pacific/Americans.

3. Special Project. Normally fulfilled in the third or fourth year, this requirement involves the completion of a special project based on intensive study of an Asian/Pacific/American community, historical or contemporary, either through research, service-learning, or creative work (e.g. community-based learning project, action-research, internship, performing or fine arts project, etc.). Normally the requirement will be fulfilled while enrolled in an upper-level, special topics, or independent study course, although other courses may be used subject to approval of the campus program advisor. Projects should include both self-reflective and analytic components. Students fulfilling this requirement will meet as a group at least once during the semester to discuss their ongoing projects, and at the end of the semester to present their completed projects at a student symposium or other public presentation. StudentsÕ plans for completing the requirement should be approved by a campus program advisor in the previous semester.

B. Further Stipulations

Grades: Students must receive the equivalent of a "B" grade or better in all courses counted toward the Certificate. (In the case of Hampshire students taking courses at Hampshire, "B" equivalence will be determined by the Hampshire program advisor based on written evalualtions supplied by course instructors.)

Courses counted toward satisfaction of campus-based major requirements may also be counted toward the Five College Certificate.

No course can be counted as satisfying more than one Certificate distribution requirement.

Courses taken abroad may be used to fulfill the distribution requirement with the approval of the campus program advisor.

C. Recommendation

Students are encouraged to attain some proficiency in at least one language other than English, especially if such proficiency facilitates the completion of the Special Project component of the Certificate Program. While English is sufficient and appropriate for the completion of many projects involving Asian/Pacific/American communities, many sources and communities can be consulted only through other languages.

Back to Five College Certificate in Asian/Pacific/American Studies

		Home \| Certificate \| Curriculum \| Faculty \| Events \| Courses


	Program Requirements Beginning and Completing Program Goals Program Requirements A. Requirements A minimum of seven courses, distributed among the following categories. (As always, to be counted toward graduation, courses taken at another campus must be approved by your academic advisor.) Here is a list of ongoing Courses Offered, grouped according to certificate program distribution categories. To see the currrent courses being offered in the Five Colleges, please view Fall 2008 Courses. 1. One foundation course. Normally taken during the first or second year, this course offers an interdisciplinary perspective on historical and contemporary experiences of Asian/Pacific/Americans. Attention will be paid to interrogating the term Asian/Pacific/American and to comparing different A/P/A populations distinguished, for example, by virtue of their different geographical or cultural derivations, their distribution within the Americas, and their historical experience of migration. 2. At least five elective courses. Students must take at least one course from each of the following categories. (Three of these five courses should be chosen from among courses designated as core courses a) Expressions. These courses are devoted to the study of APA cultural expression in its many forms. b) U.S. Intersections. These courses are dedicated substantially to the study of Asian/Pacific/Americans but are further devoted to examining intersections between APA experiences and non-APA experiences within the United States. c) Global Intersections. These courses have their focus outside the United States but offer special perspectives on the experiences of Asian/Pacific/Americans. 3. Special Project. Normally fulfilled in the third or fourth year, this requirement involves the completion of a special project based on intensive study of an Asian/Pacific/American community, historical or contemporary, either through research, service-learning, or creative work (e.g. community-based learning project, action-research, internship, performing or fine arts project, etc.). Normally the requirement will be fulfilled while enrolled in an upper-level, special topics, or independent study course, although other courses may be used subject to approval of the campus program advisor. Projects should include both self-reflective and analytic components. Students fulfilling this requirement will meet as a group at least once during the semester to discuss their ongoing projects, and at the end of the semester to present their completed projects at a student symposium or other public presentation. StudentsÕ plans for completing the requirement should be approved by a campus program advisor in the previous semester. B. Further Stipulations Grades: Students must receive the equivalent of a "B" grade or better in all courses counted toward the Certificate. (In the case of Hampshire students taking courses at Hampshire, "B" equivalence will be determined by the Hampshire program advisor based on written evalualtions supplied by course instructors.) Courses counted toward satisfaction of campus-based major requirements may also be counted toward the Five College Certificate. No course can be counted as satisfying more than one Certificate distribution requirement. Courses taken abroad may be used to fulfill the distribution requirement with the approval of the campus program advisor. C. Recommendation Students are encouraged to attain some proficiency in at least one language other than English, especially if such proficiency facilitates the completion of the Special Project component of the Certificate Program. While English is sufficient and appropriate for the completion of many projects involving Asian/Pacific/American communities, many sources and communities can be consulted only through other languages. Back to Five College Certificate in Asian/Pacific/American Studies