Hongwei Lu
Department Chair; Professor
Department of Asian Studies
About the Department of Asian Studies
The Asian Studies department aims to foster an understanding and appreciation of Asia's diverse cultures and contemporary social, political, economic, and business issues. We emphasize an interdisciplinary approach by combining the study of languages, humanities, and the social sciences. Such studies not only provide students with knowledge of Asia and Asian language skills but also help them critically examine the values of their own societies and cultures.
Gain experience from day one
Gain experience from day one
University of Redlands offers short- and long-term study-away programs to help students gain experiential learning and global perspectives. We have connections to many overseas universities, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Waseda University, and Nanzan University, among others.
Many students pursue double majors or minors in complementary fields such as English, History, GIS, Global Business, Johnston, Media and Communication, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Sociology & Anthropology, supported by faculty who collaborate across programs.
Each year, we showcase AST senior thesis projects, faculty research projects, global service efforts, and international conference presentations.
Our alumni are making an impact across Asia, with recent achievements including Fulbright and Hayes Scholarships in Taiwan, Fulbright Scholarships in Mongolia, Critical Language Scholarships in Indonesia, and service as Cultural Ambassadors through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.
Explore our degree programs
Major
Gain a comprehensive understanding of Asia's rich cultural diversity and contemporary issues.
Minor
Develop critical thinking skills, language proficiency, and in-depth knowledge to analyze and appreciate Asian cultures.
Complementary programs
A wide range of complementary fields can be paired as a double major. The most common combination is History and Global Business, while GIS and SOAN are also popular choices.
Fulbright awardee’s journey continues in Mongolia
Erin Robles ’22, an Asian Studies and History double major, describes her decision to transfer to Redlands as life-changing. Inspired by courses like Dr. Patrick Wing’s Mongol World Empire class and supported by dedicated faculty, she found both direction and purpose. “[My professors] showed me how I could turn my interests into tangible goals. Redlands gave me the opportunity to explore my interests, which led me to my two majors, which then led me to take some great classes," she said.
Redlands alumni win Fulbright awards
Kenai Class ’18 (right), an Asian Studies major, is a Fulbright recipient teaching English in Taiwan through the Teaching Flagship Program, sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange. She is one of several Redlands Asian Studies alumni to earn Fulbright placements in recent years.
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Our community
Local resources
ASIANetwork
University of Redlands is a member college of ASIANetwork, a consortium of over 140 North American colleges that promotes education about Asia within the liberal arts.
Asian Student Association
The Department of Asian Studies supports the Asian Student Association (ASA) in events such as ASA Market Night and Multicultural Festival.
Asian Studies faculty
Our faculty combine academic expertise with real-world experience, mentoring students through coursework, research, and career development.
