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East Asian Languages & Culture

Occupational Possibilities

Study in East Asian languages and cultures enhances the ability to understand and communicate with people of other nations and cultures, in addition to developing proficiency in reading, writing, and oral expression. Graduates of the program are prepared for graduate or professional study in business, law, or liberal arts disciplines.

East Asian studies majors also pursue a wide range of career paths, some of which are listed below. For some of the occupations listed below, such as film critic, additional skills and/or related training may be desirable. Additional graduate study is generally expected for those occupations marked with a * on the following list.

Visual and Data Analysis

  • Considering historical perspectives
  • Defining quality
  • Recognizing cultural differences/similarities
  • Thinking critically
  • Weighing values
  • Recognizing the school/period/designer of a work
  • Comparing interpretations
  • Analzying the artistic qualities of everyday objects







Business

  • Economist
  • Insurance adjuster
  • Technical writer, corporate publications
  • International marketing analyst
  • District sales manager
  • Staff human relations training coordinator
  • Management consultant
  • Customer support specialist
  • *Patent attorney
  • Technical translator
  • Overseas representative
  • Travel planner
  • Bank administrator
  • Hotel manager

Government and Public Sector

  • Volunteer recruiter, Peace Corps
  • *Social science analyst
  • International education specialist,Agency for International Development
  • *Securities examiner
  • Criminologist
  • Mediator trainee
  • Translator/interpreter
  • Customs inspector
  • Import specialist
  • International relations officer, Commerce Department
  • National Security Agency linguist/analyst
  • Foreign Service Officer, Department of State


Health and Human Services

  • Director, health and human resources
  • *International health care systems analyst
  • *Counseling psychologist
  • *Psychiatrist
  • *Physician
  • Cataloger
  • Laboratory technician
  • *Science information and research specialist
  • *Social worker
  • Director, international airport visitors center
  • Youth program leader
  • *Bioengineer

Education and Communication

  • Exchange student program coordinator
  • Conservator
  • Teacher
  • *Professor
  • *Librarian
  • *Guidance counselor
  • *Intellectual properties attorney
  • Coordinator, cultural arts center
  • Publisher, foreign language books
  • *Foreign film distributor
  • Guidebook writer
  • Abstractor
  • Editor of foreign publications




 

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Skills and Abilities

Study of East Asian languages and cultures enhances the ability to understand and communicate with people of other nations and cultures through development of language fluency and the knowledge of the practices and customs of the east Asian countries. Abilities such as communicating in another language, adapting to cultural diversity, and reading critically prepare graduates for numerous careers in our expanding global society. For example, the ability to communicate ideas and adapt to cultural diversity may be useful to a market analyst interpreting international strategies, or to a travel consultant arranging a tour for a professional organization. A sampling of representative skills and abilities follows.

Communication

  • Speaking to groups
  • Reading/writing another language
  • Reporting and editing
  • Clarifying ideas
  • Writing clearly
  • Reading for content and structure
  • Understanding historical language change
  • Explaining complex concepts
  • Communicating between cultures

Analysis

  • Reading critically
  • Interpreting data
  • Assessing needs
  • Evaluating information
  • Comparing translations/interpretations
  • Weighing values
  • Evaluating evidence

Research

  • Working with original sources in many fields(e.g., philosophy, history, art, music, natural sciences)
  • Gathering information
  • Designing instruments
  • Organizing materials/information
  • Establishing hypotheses
  • Summarizing ideas
  • Compiling/recording data
  • Working with research subjects
  • Evaluating results

Interpersonal Relations

  • Collaborating as part of a team
  • Understanding cultural diversity
  • Determining the needs of others
  • Acknowledging value systems
  • Adapting to other cultures
  • Listening to other cultures
  • Listening carefully
  • Interviewing non-judgementally

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Career Planning and Resources

Internships

Job Search

Professional Associations

  • The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) - a scholarly, non-political, non-profit professional association open to all persons interested in Asia.
  • The Asia Society - national nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization that provides a forum for building awareness of the more than thirty countries broadly defined as the Asia-Pacific region.
  • The International Institute of Asian Studies - with a main objective of encouraging the study of Asia and of promoting national and international cooperation in this field.

For More Information

...about careers, graduate and professional schools, internships, professional associations, or job descriptions contact:

University Career Center
110 Burge Union
(785) 864-3624

For information about majors and concentrations in East Asian languages and cultures:

East Asian Languages and Cultures Department
2118 Wescoe Hall
(785) 864-3100

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