Lower Division

Lower Division Courses

Asian American Studies – ASAM Courses

Lower Division

1. Writing Skills (3)
Prerequisite: Students who score 147 or below on the English Placement Test and who have not taken equivalent courses in another department are eligible for enrollment in this course. Basic course in writing, offering intensive practice in every stage of the writing process. Writing strategies at the level of word, sentence, and paragraph. Methods for developing and organizing ideas in coherent essays. Conventional mechanics, spelling, and grammar. Also for bidialectical and ESL students. Does not count toward graduation, but does count toward course load. Credit/No Credit grading only.

100. Composition (3)
Prerequisites: A recorded total score of 151 or above on the English Placement test, or credit in ASAM 1 (or its equivalent) or consent of the instructor. Writing, revising, and editing non-fiction prose, with emphasis on exposition and argument. Critical reading strategies for research. Satisfies the baccalaureate degree requirement for one course in written composition in English. Also for bidialectical and ESL students. Not open for credit to students with credit in ENGL 100W, ENGL 100, B/ST 100, CHLS 104.

120. Asian American History (3)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: One G.E. Foundation course. Overview of experiences of people of Asian ancestry in the United States. Major themes include: immigration (labor migration and refugee resettlement), racism and economic conflict, resistance to discrimination, and community building. Not open for credit to students with credit in ASAM 220.

121. Contemporary Issues in Asian America (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation requirements. Examination of contemporary issues, including immigration, labor, family, public policy, popular culture, the media, and political activism in Asian America. Focuses on the U.S. in the context of the global economy and Asian diasporas. Letter grade only (A-F).  Not open for credit to students with credit in ASAM 221.

200. Asian American Inter-Ethnic Relations (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.Introduction to a comparative survey of racial/ethnic experiences in the U.S., with a focus on Asian Americans. Not open for credit to students with credit in AIS 319, ASAM 319, B/ST 319, CHLS 319, C/LA 319, and W/ST 319. Letter grade only (A-F).

260. Introduction to Asian American Literature (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.Introduction to representative works by Asian Pacific American authors. Emphasizes interpretation of historical and contemporary Asian American experiences in various literary genres.?Letter grade only (A-F).

290. Special Topics in Asian American Studies (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Topics of current interest in Asian American Studies selected for intensive development. Topics will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units with different topics.

299. Directed Studies (1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.Directed studies to permit individual students to pursue topics of special research interest. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units. Letter grade only (A-F).

[Back to top]

Asian Studies – A/ST Courses

Lower Division

AAAS 100. Asian Eats (3)
Prerequisites:  GE Foundation Requirements.
A survey of Asian foodways that explores the politics, economics, religioius, social and the cultural context of food in Asia and its globalization.  This exploration also focuses on specific foods, such as rice and spices, in the context of ethnic and national identities.

AST 190. Asian Ways of Thinking (3)
Prerequisites/Corequisites: ENGL 100 or its equivalent
This is a course about clear, critical and creative thinking.  Special emphasis will be placed on the ways that Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism complement and enhance traditional western concepts of logic.

AST 200. Popular Culture in East Asia (3)
Prerequisites:  GE Foundation Requirements.
An introduction to popular culture in East Asia (such as television dramas, music, films, and comics) and how it is shaped by, reflects, and in turn shapes broader social, cultural, political and economic processes in Asia and the wider world.

[Back to top]

Chinese Studies – CHIN Courses

Lower Division

101. Fundamentals of Chinese (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for CHIN 101.
Introduction to pronunciation, reading, writing, conversation, and grammar.
Students with previous training or native speakers of Chinese may not enroll.

102. Fundamentals of Chinese (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Chinese.
Introduction to pronunciation, reading, writing, conversation, and grammar.
Students with previous training or native speakers of Chinese may not enroll.

111. Accelerated Chinese for Heritage Students I (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course (may be taken concurrently), and speaking ability of Mandarin Chinese or any of the Chinese dialects. Students who had formal studies of Chinese in China or other Chinese speaking areas may not enroll.
Focus on Chinese literacy and culture and developing reading and writing skills in context for heritage students.
Equivalent to combination of CHIN 101 and 102. Letter grade only (A-F).

201. Intermediate Chinese (4)

Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Chinese.
Continuation of first year Chinese. Further development of syntax, grammar and sentence patterns, reading, writing and conversation.
Students with previous training or native speakers of Chinese may not enroll.

202. Intermediate Chinese (4)

Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Chinese.
Continuation of first year Chinese. Further development of syntax, grammar and sentence patterns, reading, writing and conversation.
Students with previous training or native speakers of Chinese may not enroll.

211. Accelerated Chinese for Heritage Students II (4)

Prerequisites: CHIN 111 or speaking ability of Mandarin Chinese (or at least one of the Chinese dialects) and the ability to recognize approximately 500 Chinese characters. Students who have formal studies of Chinese in China or other Chinese speaking areas may not enroll.
The focus of the course is on Chinese literacy and culture, and further development of reading and writing skills in context for heritage students.
Equivalent to the combination of CHIN 201 and 202. Students completing this course may take the third year Chinese courses. Letter grade only (A-F).

250. Introduction to the I-ching (3)

Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.
Focuses on central position of the I-ching in Chinese philosophical and spiritual life, and provide a system of knowledge to analyze and reason the pattern of changes governed by the immutable Law of Change.
Lecture in English, no knowledge of Chinese required. Letter grade only (A-F).

260. Introduction to Chinese Civilization (3)

Thematic survey of various aspects of Chinese civilization from its beginning to the present. Emphasizes not only the understanding of China’s history but also the salient cultural elements that made China a great and distinctive country.

[Back to top]

Japanese – JAPN Courses

Lower Division

101. Fundamentals of Japanese (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for JAPN 101.
Introduction to pronunciation, reading, writing, conversation, and structure of the Japanese language.
Native speakers of Japanese who have completed compulsory education in Japan may not enroll.

102. Fundamentals of Japanese (4)

Prerequisites: JAPN 101; One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Japanese.
Introduction to pronunciation, reading, writing, conversation, and structure of the Japanese language.
Native speakers of Japanese who have completed compulsory education in Japan may not enroll.

201. Intermediate Japanese (4)

Prerequisites: JAPN 102; Completion of GE Foundation requirements, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Japanese.
Continuation of first year Japanese. Further development of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communication.
Native speakers of Japanese who have completed compulsory education in Japan may not enroll.

202. Intermediate Japanese (4)

Prerequisites: JAPN 201; Completion of GE Foundation requirements, or formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study in Japanese.
Continuation of first year Japanese. Further development of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communication.
Native speakers of Japanese who have completed compulsory education in Japan may not enroll.

250. Japanese Anime and Manga (3)

Students examine, analyze, and discuss selected topics in Japanese culture and modern society by analyzing Japanese animation (anime) and printed cartoons (manga). Familiarity with Japanese language is desirable but not required.

[Back to top]

Cambodian – KHMR Courses

Lower Division

101. Fundamentals of Khmer (4)

Prerequisites: Linguistic competency equivalent of a beginning Khmer speaker; one GE Foundation course that may be taken concurrently.
Linguistic and cultural aspects of Khmer language for heritage speakers. Oral and written communication skills in Khmer. Intensive study of literary, historical, social, and aesthetic traditions of Cambodia as seen through Khmer language and literary texts.
Letter grade only (A-F).

201. Fundamentals of Khmer (4)

Prerequisites: KHMR 101 linguistic competency or equivalent.
Intermediate level linguistic study and cultural aspects of Khmer for heritage speakers. Oral and written communication skills and intensive study of literary, historical, social, and aesthetic traditions of Cambodia through the Khmer language and literary texts.
Letter grade only (A-F).

[Back to top]

Korean – KOR Courses

Lower Division

101. Fundamentals of Korean (4)

Prerequisite/Corequisite: One GE Foundation course.
Introduction to the writing system, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar of the Korean language and Korean culture.
Students with previous training or native speakers of Korean may not enroll.

102. Fundamentals of Korean (4)

Prerequisites/Corequisites: One GE Foundation course. Completion of KOR 101 or competency equivalent to KOR 101.
Introduction to the Korean grammar, reading, writing, and conversation and Korean culture. Students with previous training or native speakers of Korean may not enroll.

201. Intermediate Korean (4)

Prerequisite: Completion of KOR 102.  Continuation of fundamentals of Korean.  Further development of the grammar, reading, writing and conversation skills.  Exploration of Korean culture and contemporary society.  Not open to native speakers of Korean.  Letter grade only (A-F).

202. Intermediate Korean (4)

Prerequisite: KOR 201 or competency equivalent to KOR 201.  Continuation of fundamentals of Intermediate Korean.  Further development of grammar, reading, writing and converstation skills.  Exploration of Korean culture and contemporary society.  Not open to native speakers of Korean.  Letter grade only (A-F).

[Back to top]

Tagalog – TGLG Courses

Lower Division

101. Fundamentals of Tagalog (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently.
Introduction to the pronunciation, grammar, essential vocabulary, reading, and conversation of modern standard Tagalog (Filipino).

102. Fundamentals of Tagalog (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course which may be taken concurrently, and competency equivalent for TGLG 101.
Introduction to the pronunciation, grammar, essential vocabulary, reading, and conversation of modern standard Tagalog (Filipino).

[Back to top]

Vietnamese – VIET Courses

Lower Division

111. Accelerated Vietnamese for Heritage Students I (4)

Prerequisites: One GE Foundation course that may be taken concurrently. Conversational ability of Vietnamese.
Designed for students who have listening and speaking ability of Vietnamese. Focuses on Vietnamese literacy and culture, including developing reading and writing skills in context.
Letter grade only (A-F).

211. Accelerated Vietnamese for Heritage Students II (4)

Prerequisites: VIET 111. Ability to speak and comprehend Vietnamese oral and written language at the interpersonal communicative level.
Designed for students who have intermediate listening and speaking ability of Vietnamese and the ability to comprehend simple written Vietnamese texts. Focuses on Vietnamese literacy and culture, including developing reading and writing skills in context.
Letter grade only (A-F).

[Back to top]