Asian Language and Culture

Asian Language and Culture introduces you to the history and culture of a variety of Asian societies. You can explore literary and religious traditions, as well as gender relations in Asian cultures. Language instruction courses are offered in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Persian, and Indonesian.

In the current “Asia-Pacific Century” it is essential for responsible global citizens to understand and navigate with confidence the complex historical, cultural, and linguistic dynamics that both help and hinder productive cross-cultural work and engagement. Graduates will value diversity and command a valuable and rare combination of Asia-relevant linguistic and inter-cultural competencies. Graduates become able to contribute to Canada’s evolving relationship with Asia in informed, original, and culturally appropriate ways.|Asian Studies majors are strongly urged to broaden and deepen their engagement with Asia by participating in a Go Global-sponsored study abroad experience, taking Asia-related courses in other Faculty of Arts departments, enrolling in the Arts Co-op and Internship Programs, as well as taking advantage of the many alumni, lecture, and other events sponsored by the department.|The Asian Library has the largest collection of Asian materials in Canada. Its holdings include the Puban collection of over 45,000 books and unpublished manuscripts and a serial collection of nearly 1,000 Chinese periodicals and newspapers. Among the library’s treasures is the oldest book in the UBC Library system, published in China in 986 AD. The collection also includes a 50,000-volume Indic languages collection with materials in Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, and Gujarati.