Overview

The mission of the department is to produce “global citizens” who will be able to make contributions in different sectors of society in a globalized and diverse world with multilingual abilities, intercultural communicative competence, and multicultural leadership skills. Graduates of our department will not only achieve proficiency in at least one Asian language but also become competent in intercultural communication. They will develop interpretive and analytical skills using both primary texts and secondary sources and become familiar with the textual and cultural traditions in Asia.

Learning Objectives for the East Asian Languages and Cultures Major

Students who complete the requirements for a major in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Williams College will be able to:

Attain a minimum of Intermediate High level in speaking, listening and reading of either Chinese or Japanese, and Intermediate Low level in writing in the language based on the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
Acquire research, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills by engaging in linguistic or literary analysis in the field of Chinese studies or Japanese studies.
Obtain basic intercultural communicative skills to navigate some social and cultural contexts in Chinese- or Japanese-speaking environments.
Continue their engagement with an Asian language and culture as lifelong learners and users of the target language.
Students who choose the dual-language option will attain the Advanced level in speaking, listening, and reading in either Chinese or Japanese, and the intermediate level in a second Asian language based on the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

East Asian Languages
Chinese
Japanese
Cultural Studies
Literature
Linguistics

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-04 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-01-08 00:00:00

Language

English

Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Asian studies View 518 other Bachelors in Asian studies in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

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Other requirements

General requirements

School Report
Counselor Recommendation
Two Teacher Recommendations
Mid-Year Report (Due February 8* or for schools on a trimester, when 2nd trimester grades are available)
$65 Application Fee or Fee Waiver
Early Decision Agreement Form (Early Decision applicants only)
Williams Writing Question: As a residential learning community, Williams believes that some of the most important experiences happen while living and learning alongside those different from oneself. Please describe a time when you learned or grew through the process of interacting with someone whose background, identity, lived experience, or perspective differs from your own. (150-300 words; this question will automatically populate on the Common Application and QuestBridge Application Form)

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

64540 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 64540 USD per year during 48 months.
National

64540 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 64540 USD per year during 48 months.
In-State

64540 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 64540 USD per year during 48 months.

Living costs for North Adams

876 - 1815 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for East Asian Languages and Cultures.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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