Undergraduate Programs

The undergraduate community served by DEALL is large and diverse. Students can major or minor in Chinese or Japanese or Korean. In any given semester, there are approximately 77 majors and 40 minors in Japanese, 41 majors and 51 minors in Chinese, and 64 majors and 38 minors in Korean. Students who enter the program are highly motivated. Their average GPA is 3.2 and 20% are honors students. The proportion of male to female students is roughly one to one. This indicates a positive change as more women are entering the traditionally male-dominated field of East Asian studies. Many of our students are dual or double majors, with the other major typically being Business or International Studies.

Some of our students are also interested in Translation and Interpreting; for their inspirational projects and accomplishments, see WordWise's "Student Voices" segment featuring Chinese, Japanese and Korean majors.

The excellence of DEALL's undergraduate programs shows up in the success of its students. One recently received first prize in the Regional Japanese Speech Contest in Chicago and second prize in the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Several have received Fulbright and Mombusho scholarships to conduct research in Asia. Undergraduates, Daniel Katz, founder of the Rainforest Alliance, was recipient of a 1996 OSU Alumni Award; Jared Psigoda, double majored in Chinese and Japanese at DEALL, co-founder and CEO of R2Games, was one of the 2014 Forbes China 30 Under 30. In the past several years, undergraduate majors have gone on to distinguished careers both in the US and abroad. Some have found employment in a variety of companies and agencies, including: the Washington law firm of Baker and McKenzie (Beijing and Hong Kong), General Electric, Honda, and Nissan. Others have gone on to graduate programs, either continuing their education at The Ohio State University, or at institutions such as MIT, Princeton, Yale, and the University of Sydney.

Students interested in a major or minor in our Department should consult with our Undergraduate Director, Zhiguo Xie. General questions concerning our Undergraduate Programs may also be directed to the Undergraduate Student Advisor, Tommy Beyl. For information on financial aid, the work-study program, and government loans, visit the Office of Financial Aid. The East Asian Studies Center offers scholarships to undergraduates studying East Asian languages.