The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) has been connecting East Asia to the University of Wisconsin–Madison since its founding in 1962. Located within the Institute for Regional and International Studies – a unit of the International Division – their interdisciplinary approach extends beyond the classroom. As one of UW–Madison’s Title VI National Resource Centers, CEAS is dedicated to all aspects of research, education, and outreach related to China, Japan, and Korea.
Academic opportunities
With over 60 years of research and teaching on China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, and Taiwan at UW-Madison, CEAS offers several academic opportunities. In addition to their undergraduate certificate and PhD minor in East Asian Studies, they are working with Asian Languages and Cultures to create a new Korean major in 2025. These programs immerse students in the region through a variety of academic tracks, enabling them to tailor their education to their goals:
- Undergraduate certificate: The undergraduate certificate in East Asian studies is available to students working toward a bachelor’s degree in any of University of Wisconsin–Madison schools and colleges. This elective-driven, interdisciplinary certificate allows students to engage their own interests in the region.
- PhD minor: Students who are candidates for the Ph.D. degree in another department or program may obtain an interdisciplinary minor in East Asian studies by earning a minimum of 12 credits in East Asian area studies. The credits must be earned in at least three departments other than the major department.
CEAS offers several courses, including but not limited to:
- HISTORY/ASIAN/POLI SCI 255: Intro to East Asian Civilizations
- ASIALANG 105: First Semester Korean
- HISTORY 332: East Asia and the United States since 1898
Signature events and activities
The Center for East Asian Studies puts the Wisconsin Idea into action by offering programs and events that bring East Asia to the Wisconsin community, including:
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Outreach activities
The diverse outreach activities offered by the Center for East Asian Studies ignite a passion for global learning in K-12 students, empower educators to globalize their curriculum, and forge international collaborations with universities. Below are just a few of the ways CEAS provides outreach:
- Local: CEAS provides general outreach to primary and secondary school teachers, supports East Asian language teacher certification, and has begun a special teacher training program. CEAS also frequently offers a workshop for grade 5-12 teachers called “East Asia in the Upper Midwest,” providing professional development and content training to integrate East Asia into the classroom.
- Statewide: CEAS has a variety of statewide outreach activities, including the popular annual Wisconsin Sijo (WiSiJo) Competition, which highlights Korea’s cultural heritage by giving Wisconsinites an opportunity to learn a traditional Korean poetic form. CEAS also hosts the East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program, an initiative offering grants to Wisconsin libraries for collection development and programming that will enrich the understanding of East Asia in local communities.
- International: Committed to fostering a strong international environment, CEAS recently helped launch a new study abroad program in Kyoto, Japan. Additionally, CEAS supports the Sinica Podcast, a Beijing-based platform that sparks uncensored conversations on Chinese politics and economics. This podcast has garnered an average of one million listeners annually over the past six years. CEAS also organizes the Big Ten KOR-US Fellows Program, providing students with the unique opportunity to engage with former ambassadors and Korean leaders.
Fellowships and grants
CEAS also provides a wide range of reputable fellowships, scholarships, and grants:
- Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS): FLAS fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the UW’s National Resource Centers to assist students in acquiring foreign language and either area or international studies competencies.
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program (FUSP): This UW-Madison program is designed to give soon-to-be & recent B.S./B.A. graduates, master’s, and doctoral candidates, as well as young professionals, artists, and others, opportunities for personal development and international experience.
- Ichiro & Toyoko Matsudaira Memorial Fund Scholarship: Each year, an equal number of students from the US and Japan are competitively selected to spend one summer month together in the host country, which alternates every year between Japan and the US. This scholarship program covers the cost of international airfare and attending the summer program.
Research
Over the years, CEAS has grown from fewer than a dozen faculty members teaching 30 graduate-level courses to more than 70 faculty members teaching nearly 300 courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. CEAS actively supports their work through conference travel awards, lecture and conference event funding, and course development grants.
Interested in learning more? Contact CEAS below and follow them on their social media to stay up to date on the latest news and events!
Center for East Asian Studies
333 Ingraham Hall
Email: eas@eastasia.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-3643
Address: 1155 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706
Web: eastasia.wisc.edu
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