Minor in Southeast Asian Studies (19-21)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Coordinator: Ivan Small, director, Center for Southeast Asian Studies

The primary functions of the center are the coordination of undergraduate and graduate Southeast Asia courses offered by various departments; development of specialized library and research facilities; facilitation of research by graduate students and faculty; promotion of exchange programs with universities in Southeast Asia; administration of operational programs concerned with Southeast Asia; and promotion of outreach activities dealing with Southeast Asia.

The participating academic areas are anthropology; art history; family and consumer sciences; geography; geology; history; music; political science; public health; and world languages and cultures.

Knowledge of Southeast Asia is useful for students who anticipate careers in government (particularly the foreign service), in secondary school teaching, and in international business or academic institutions which offer programs dealing directly or peripherally with Southeast Asia.

Any student completing the requirements for a baccalaureate degree may elect to complete the requirements for an interdisciplinary minor focusing on Southeast Asia, as listed below. Students electing this interdisciplinary minor should declare the minor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

Check departmental information for additional requirements.

Requirements (19 or 21)

Students must include 10 semester hours of an intensively taught Southeast Asian language (Burmese, Indonesian, Khmer, Malay, Tagalog, or Thai) or 12 semester hours of Chinese language. An additional 9 semester hours, from at least two departments, of Southeast Asian language or nonlanguage credit must be selected from the following list of courses.

Demonstrated competence in an approved Southeast Asian language may be substituted for the required language courses, decided on a case-by-case basis by the director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the student’s primary advisor.

Six or more semester hours in the minor must be taken at NIU.

ANTH 302 - Asian American Cultures Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
ANTH 302 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
ANTH 328 - Anthropology of Religion Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
ANTH 407 - Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia Credits: 3
ANTH 421 - Social Organization Credits: 3
ANTH 422 - Gender in Southeast Asia Credits: 3
ANTH 422 is a writing infused course.
ANTH 426 - Political Anthropology Credits: 3
ANTH 426 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
ANTH 462 - Collections Management Credits: 3
ANTH 491 - Current Topics in Anthropology Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
ANTH 493 - Anthropology Field Study Credits: 1-6
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
ANTH 498 - Independent Study in Anthropology Credits: 1-6
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
ARTH 294 - Introduction to Arts of Asia Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
Available for General Education credit in the Creativity and Critical Analysis Domain.
ARTH 370 - Studies in Asian Art Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
ARTH 370 is a writing infused course.
ARTH 457 - Cultural Perspectives in Asian Art Credits: 3
ARTH 457 is a writing infused course.
FLBU 103 - Beginning Burmese I Credits: 5
FLBU 104 - Beginning Burmese II Credits: 5
FLBU 203 - Intermediate Burmese I Credits: 3
FLBU 204 - Intermediate Burmese II Credits: 3
FLBU 300 - Special Topics in Burmese Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLBU 400 - Special Topics in Burmese Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLCH 101 - Beginning Chinese I Credits: 3
FLCH 102 - Beginning Chinese II Credits: 3
FLCH 201 - Intermediate Chinese I Credits: 3
FLCH 202 - Intermediate Chinese II Credits: 3
FLIN 103 - Beginning Indonesian I Credits: 5
FLIN 104 - Beginning Indonesian II Credits: 5
FLIN 203 - Intermediate Indonesian I Credits: 3
FLIN 204 - Intermediate Indonesian II Credits: 3
FLIN 300 - Special Topics in Indonesian Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLIN 400 - Special Topics in Indonesian Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLIN 421 - Introduction to Indonesian Literature Credits: 3
FLIS 481 - Independent Study in a Foreign Language Credits: 1-6
Students must take 1-3 credit hours in this course
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
FLKH 103 - Beginning Khmer I Credits: 5
FLKH 104 - Beginning Khmer II Credits: 5
FLKH 203 - Intermediate Khmer I Credits: 3
FLKH 204 - Intermediate Khmer II Credits: 3
FLST 381 - Special Studies in Language I Credits: 1-9
Students must take 3 credit hours in this course
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
FLST 382 - Special Studies in Language II Credits: 1-9
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
Students must take 3 credit hours in this course
FLST 481 - Special Topics in Literature I Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
FLST 482 - Special Topics in Literature II Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
FLST 482 is a writing infused course.
FLST 482 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
FLST 483 - Special Topics in Linguistics Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
FLTA 103 - Beginning Tagalog I Credits: 5
FLTA 104 - Beginning Tagalog II Credits: 5
FLTA 203 - Intermediate Tagalog I Credits: 3
FLTA 204 - Intermediate Tagalog II Credits: 3
FLTA 300 - Special Topics in Tagalog Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLTA 400 - Special Topics in Tagalog Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLTH 103 - Beginning Thai I Credits: 5
FLTH 104 - Beginning Thai II Credits: 5
FLTH 203 - Intermediate Thai I Credits: 3
FLTH 204 - Intermediate Thai II Credits: 3
FLTH 300 - Special Topics in Thai Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
FLTH 400 - Special Topics in Thai Language, Literature, Linguistics or Culture Credits: 3
EAE 390 - Topics in Geography Credits: 1-3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
EAE 495 - Seminar in Current Problems Credits: 3
C. Seminar in Current Problems: Meteorology/Climatology (3)
Students must take 3 semester hours in this course.
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
HDFS 384 - Asian American Families Credits: 3
HDFS 384 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 342 - History of Southeast Asia to ca. 1800 Credits: 3
HIST 342 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 343 - History of Southeast Asia Since ca. 1800 Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
HIST 343 is a writing infused course.
HIST 346 - Women in Asian History Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
HIST 346 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 387 - History of Genocide Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
HIST 387 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 442 - History of Buddhist Southeast Asia Credits: 3
HIST 442 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 443 - History of Islamic Southeast Asia Credits: 3
HIST 447 - History of Burma Credits: 3
HIST 447 is a writing infused course.
HIST 447 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 449 - History of Malaysia and Singapore Credits: 3
HIST 469 - The Vietnam War Credits: 3
HIST 475 - The United States and Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent Credits: 3
HIST 475 is a writing infused course.
HIST 475 also fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
HIST 480 - Spies, Lies and Secret Wars: CIA in the World Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
HIST 491 - Special Topics in History Credits: 3
J. Asian
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
JOUR 482 - International News Communications Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
MUHL 430 - Seminar in Music History and Literature Credits: 3
MUHL 431 - Music of Southeast Asia Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
MUSE 370 - Gamelan Credits: 1
POLS 362 - Politics of Developing Areas Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 365 - Origins of Political Order Credits: 3
POLS 371 - Politics in Southeast Asia Credits: 3
POLS 376 - Political Violence Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 378 - Political Islam Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 384 - Contemporary Foreign Policy Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 395 - Contemporary Topics in Political Science Credits: 1-3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 495 - Seminar in Current Problems Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
POLS 496 - Independent Study in Political Science Credits: 1-6
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.
SEAS 225 - Southeast Asia: Crossroads of the World Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
SEAS 490 - Advanced Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies Credits: 3
May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate.