The Institute of Asian Studies was established in 1959, and currently is an academic entity within the St. John's College of Arts and Sciences. The main goal for all programs at the Institute of Asian Studies is to foster, facilitate and enhance a global, multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual education at St John's University. The general objectives for all programs at the Institute are not only to offer programs leading to a B.A. degree, M.A. degree or certificate, but more importantly to foster, facilitate and enhance a comprehensive and critical study of the development of the Asian World, both as a whole and as individual societies, culturally and linguistically. Courses in humanity and social sciences, such as history, literature, philosophy, religion, society, politics, etc., are offered. Language courses in Chinese, Japanese and Korean are offered in various levels. The M.A. programs ( M.A. in Chinese Studies and M.A. in East Asian Studies) also seek to provide intensive knowledge of the field and experience in the critical use of sources and in the presentation of research

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