<p>Hi everyone, I'm an alumni class '09. I randomly checked college confidential for the first time in years the other day and was so pleased to see the amount of interest in East Asian studies that I opened an account to answer your questions. Whether you are interested in IR major with an East Asia concentration, you want to study East Asian Studies, or you want to pick up the three asian languages taught at JHU or any other questions concerning the program come over and ask. While I was at JHU I became involved with the program and even after graduating I still am a proud alum of the JHU EAS program. So fire away if you guys have an questions. I look forward to answering them =)</p>
<p>Great - thanks. Can you talk in general about your experience?</p>
<p>Sure I’d be more than happy to. I was very focused on the language aspects of the EAS program, at the time the Japanese textbook was HORRIBLE, I mean god awful, it was all in romaji and it was painful but since I left I was told they switched to genki which is a much better one. The Chinese language programs professors were a mixed bag you had 4 in total 3 were amazing one was horrible, but since last year there was a turn over the one bad one left and so did one of the good ones. Luckily the best Chinese prof Liman Lievens is still there and she is a great teacher. If you are more into history Dr. Rowe is considered one of the greatest scholars of Qing dynasty history in the world. I took his class 20th century China and it was intense and really interesting. THe one thing that sucked when I was there was because EAS classes are so popular among everyone is that they got snatched up really fast. One thing I regret is not being able to take a class with Dr. Kellee Tsai, my friends that took her class loved it, she teaches modern chinese politics. The truth is guys the EAS program of my days and whats going on is totally different. For example we have a campus in nanjing but didn’t really have anything to do with it, now we have a grant for intensive language programs for freshman to go there. I really believe its gonna be the same calibre as IUP thats run by Berkeley and is said to be the best intensive chinese language program in the world. Also the president of JHU recently came to Beijing and was talking about in the near future putting in a dual BA/MA program with nanjing which if true would really make me jealous of you guys haha. The people I know in the program say its just getting better and better each year but the one thing we really need is an endowed center, we used to joke how African Studies has over “20” professors in an endowed center with 16 kids majoring in it while EAS has over 100 kids. BUt EAS is going to be a top priority. FOr all of you guys that get into JHU and decide to major in EAS I say get involved, because the program is in its development stages there is no reason for you guys to feel you can’t make a difference in it. JHU is strong in nearly every discipline of the humanities and slowly but surely EAS will be represented as well</p>
<p>Stupid question: What is an “endowed center”?</p>
<p>Its basically a self funded home base for a program for example Columbia’s endowed east center is called weatherhead</p>
<p>I just came across this the other day - might be helpful: [Academics</a> Blog East Asian Studies](<a href=“http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/academics/category/east-asian-studies/]Academics”>http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/academics/category/east-asian-studies/)</p>
<p>Honestly that blog isn’t helpful it doesn’t give any students details about the program. I suggest all you kids to check jhu.edu/registrar to look at the eas program classes.</p>
<p>bluejay13 - love that academic blog! I found the entire site to be useful… thanks for the link!</p>
<p>Hi there,
I applied early decision to JHU and if admitted, I plan to major in IR and East Asian Studies.</p>
<p>I actually got a chance to speak with Professor Rowe when i visited, who was really helpful and nice. There was one thing he said that I was not so happy about, though…he told me that while Hopkins is strong in Chinese, it is seriously lacking in Korean and Japanese. As someone who has studied Japanese for 6 years, I was really discouraged by this. On top of that, i really want to study Korean, and Chinese is only my third priority.
Would you agree with what he said, that they’re much stronger in Chinese?</p>
<p>Also the course listings show only 3 courses in Korean language, which is nothing in comparison to Chinese and Japanese. Is the professor good, and are those courses worth taking?</p>
<p>Rowe is both correct and incorrect, professor wise yes most tenured professor teach about China, but if you guys look at spring 2012 semester courses I don’t think you would call it China heavy, here is the list of courses being taught in the spring.
S.010.313 (01) The Image in Japanese Visual Culture: Muromachi Painting to Manga and Anime [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM Staff Waitlist Only
AS.070.256 (01) Monsters, Beasts & Aliens: Cosmology in Asian Religious Traditions [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM C. Hatchell Waitlist Only
AS.100.203 (01) Modern Japan [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus W 1:30PM - 3:50PM T. Steen Closed
AS.100.329 (01) Chinese Thought [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM B. Lievens Waitlist Only
AS.100.407 (01) The History of Science Policy and Diplomacy in Japan [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus W 4:30PM - 7:00PM T. Steen Open
AS.140.346 (01) History of Chinese Medicine [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus MWF 9:00AM - 9:50AM M. Hanson Waitlist Only
AS.190.330 (01) Japanese Politics [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus T 1:30PM - 3:50PM E. Chung Waitlist Only
AS.191.215 (01) Modern Tibet: Politics, Religion, and Culture [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM C. Hatchell Waitlist Only
AS.191.305 (01) Southeast Asia and US Security Strategy [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus M 1:30PM - 3:50PM M. Ott Waitlist Only
AS.230.145 (01) Social Problems in Contemporary China [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM L. Zhang Waitlist Only
AS.300.358 (01) Modern Korean Culture and Film [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM S. Rhee Waitlist Only
AS.360.432 (01) Senior Thesis Seminar: East Asian Studies [+] Spring 2011 Homewood Campus K. Tsai Open Language wise also incorrect, I would say actually JHU has more courses on Japanese teaching than Chinese as of right now. Now with Korean, I hope everyone understands this, Korean studies is a relatively new field as in most universities until recently barely had anything, I audited a course in Korean and was dismayed to find that 99% of the students were korean speakers looking for that easy A but I’ve heard its changed. Professor Kang, the korean professor, is marvelous. She is very patient and her classes are really intensive so kids learn fast… If someone really is die hard into korean and korean linguistics the best school to look at is GWU the head of the east asian languages and literature department is a korean linguistics specialist and the program has a slight korean lean to it. To be honest guys the one thing we are “really” lacking at JHU is 600-700 level language classes but thats because there isn’t a Chinese or Japanese major. Like I’ve stated multiple times, every year the program gets better and better, we should be getting a new tenured professor soon do to an endowed professorship in east asian history of science and technology and now being looked for and it will definitely be either a Japanese or Korean specialist. Professor Tsai who is now dean of the social sciences is still involved with th eprogram and I know that she will make sure the program is on an upward trajectory. I bet by Fall 2012 we should see at least 2-3 new professors in the East Asia program who specialize in Korean and/or Japan. So for all you non sinologist at hopkins EAS don’t be discouraged. Erin Chung is one of the best professors in her field and the one thing you will learn about JHU is quality over quantity. A lot of the departments are small and there are no “filler” professors, each one is either a rising star in his or her field or a behemoth who loves their topic and wants to teach students so doesn’t go to Harvard to be put out to stud.</p>
<p>Thank you for your detailed answer 
I guess you’re right. Sometimes I look at JHU and I’m think “Eh, this isn’t quite what I want,” but then I look at other schools I’m applying to and realize their EAS program is MUCH more diverse than the others. </p>
<p>So about Korean, I guess you’ve never taken it, but you really feel like it’s only Korean kids who already speak the language that take it? Because I really, really want to take Korean, but if it’s going to move at a pace more for native speakers I definitely couldn’t handle it…Also, I did an overnight at JHU, and I had a (very judgmental and sort of unfriendly) sorority host who basically told me that although there is a huge Korean population at JHU, the don’t talk to anyone who’s not Korean. I don’t think I really believe that. But would you say that is the case? Because I’d think that would make taking Korean very uncomfortable…</p>
<p>Also, do you think it’s possible for someone doing IR/EAS to take Japanese, Chinese, and Korean? I think I would probably (hopefully) start at a somewhat advanced level of Japanese because I studied abroad there and have taken it for 6 years…But I don’t know, everyone tells me this is not doable. What do you think?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your help, and sorry for all my questions!</p>
<p>Haha I like you Kbott you sound just like me, I tried to take all 3 languages and I realized its not doable. I suggest that to you take the JLPT to find your level in Japanese, when I came to JHU I had already been studying CHinese for 4 years but still had a lot to learn. About Koreans, unfortunately it is a very cliquey culture, its not all but many of them do not hang out with non koreans. The KSA is not very welcoming to non Koreans, I’m in Beijing right now and the Koreans here have the same attitude so I really do believe its some kind of cultural thing. Sorry you had a sorority host, that must have sucked. If I were you I’d take either Japanese/Korean or Japanese/Chinese, I’ll tell you why, even though you’ve taken Japanese 6 years (I’m guessing you went to private school or self studied?) There is a different pace to it, I’d suggest going diehard on Japanese (You can now do independent study in the language and I’d really suggest trying to write a 10,000 word thesis in it senior year on an IR topic for independent study in Japanese) taking all 3 language would make it hard to complete your requirements and you would not be able to develop them since there is not enough time in the day to practice them. What other schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>BlueJayBJ thank you again for your reply :)</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve been leaning more towards Japanese and Korean. I know Chinese would be useful because its widely spoken, but it’s important to learn the less popular languages too, right? I’m just really scared that I’m going to be kind of miserable in Korean…But I love the language and want to learn it so I guess its worth a shot!
And there’s no doubt I’m sticking with Japanese (and actually, I don’t go to a private school, they offered it at my public high school and middle school, I’m very lucky ) I also made a 5 on the AP so I don’t know, hopefully that would help me test into a slightly higher level, and give me some time for two languages.
But you would say taking two languages is doable?</p>
<p>I am also applying to American, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, Haverford, Macalester, Tufts, Soka University of America, and various schools in TX (my home state)</p>
<p>2 Languages are totally doable I studied CHinese and Japanese in HS and continued them at Johns Hopkins, if I were you I’d email Yuki Johnson and ask about plans for advanced level coursework in Japanese and Korean, if enough students show interest, it will occur.</p>