Australia is increasingly looking to Asia - strategically, economically, politically, and culturally - and all eyes are on the graduates of tomorrow to take us there. Watch our video to find out how this degree will prepare you for a successful career in the Asian Century.

With a Bachelor of Asian Studies you will master an Asian language, acquire in-depth contextual and regional knowledge, and graduate with the kind of Asian literacy that gets you noticed by employers.

And if you love adventure, we offer you a variety of study opportunities in the region so you can experience Asia first hand. Plus we’ll provide you with funding to help get you there.

Our community of scholars, policymakers, researchers and students is proudly interdisciplinary and interregional. Our teaching and research drives Australia’s engagement and understanding of its neighbouring regions. Majors and minors in the Bachelor of Asian Studies can be based on a language, a region or a discipline – for example, Modern Chinese Language, Asia-Pacific Politics, Japanese Studies and many others. We encourage students who begin the study of an Asian language at university to complete a full language major in order to graduate with the proficiency required to function as an Asia specialist in the increasingly competitive job market. Placement testing allows students with existing expertise in a language to enter at their current proficiency level.

Do you see yourself shaping Australia's foreign policy decisions? Or working with elite international organisations like the United Nations or our top spy agencies? The Bachelor of International Security Studies can help you make your dream career a reality.

When you study the Bachelor of International Security Studies you will delve deeply into the contemporary security threats facing nations, international organisations and businesses around the world – including the threat of military power, civil war, terrorism, cybercrime, environmental degradation and food security to name just a few. Read more about this degree on our website.

Employment Opportunities

In today's globalised world success for business, government and international organisations depends heavily on strong relationships with Asia. This means that employers across the globe now actively recruit graduates who can demonstrate a deep understanding of the region.

From the Kitchen Ninja on TV to Human Rights Lawyer, the global skills our students develop mean our graduates are found all over the world in exciting and challenging jobs across many fields including international relations or trade, development, government and policy, banking and finance, tourism, media, education, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, marketing and many other fields.

In today's globalised world success for business, government and international organisations depends heavily on strong relationships with Asia. This means that employers across the globe now actively recruit graduates who can demonstrate a deep understanding of the region.

From the Kitchen Ninja on TV to Human Rights Lawyer, the global skills our students develop mean our graduates are found all over the world in exciting and challenging jobs across many fields including international relations or trade, development, government and policy, banking and finance, tourism, media, education, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, marketing and many other fields.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understand the global significance of Asia as a region and as a composite of diverse societies and cultures;

2. Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the regional diversity of the societies and cultures that make up Asia;

3. Exercise critical thinking and judgment in identifying and solving problems, individually and in groups.

1. Identify and explain the key concepts, ideas and principal actors in international security.

2. Evaluate the major theoretical frameworks for understanding the complexities of contemporary international security challenges.

3. • Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the historical and contemporary dimensions of international, internal and transnational security, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

4. Analyse the key challenges facing Australian security and defence policy in the ‘Asian Century’.

5. Reflect critically on the principal factors that determine the security policies of Australia and the major Asia-Pacific powers

6. Employ communication and presentation skills (oral, written and electronic)

7. Demonstrate teamwork and interpersonal skills

8. Exhibit the ability to write for both academic and professional audience

Further Information

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

Domestic applicants

→ School leavers will be assessed on:
• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,
• the co-curricular or service requirement, and
• any program specific requirements that are listed below.

→ Non school leavers:
a) will be assessed on:
• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,
b) Non school leavers who:
• complete a recognised Australian (or equivalent) post-secondary qualification, or
• complete one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) of an Australian (or equivalent) degree qualification, or
• complete an approved tertiary preparation course/program without undertaking any further study,
will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. Non school leavers must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

International applicants

Applicants who complete a recognised secondary/senior secondary/post-secondary/tertiary sequence of study will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. A list of commonly observed international qualifications and corresponding admission requirements can be found here. Applicants must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

Diversity factors & English language proficiency  
As Australia's national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. If required, competitive ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Please note that Adjustment Factors vary and do not apply to a select few programs,  please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Asian Studies flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

12 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

ASIA1025 Asia and the Pacific: Power, diversity and change

ASIA1030 Asia and the Pacific in Motion

12 units from the completion of discipline courses from the following list:

ASIA2001 Language in Asia and the Pacific

ASIA2065 Asian Politics: From Concepts to Causes

ASIA2067 Economies of Emerging Asia

ASIA2120 Colonialism and the Rule of Law

ASIA2301 Human Migration and Expansion in the Rise of the Asia-Pacific

ASIA2302 Culture and Modernity in Asia: Anthropological Perspectives

ASIA2304 What is Literature? Asian Perspectives

ASIA2307 History of Empire in Asia

ASIA2311 Gender and Cultural Studies in Asia and the Pacific

INTR2010 International Relations in the Asia-Pacific

STST2001 International Security issues in the Asia Pacific

24 units from completion of language courses from one of the following lists :

Burmese Language

BURM1002 Burmese 1

BURM1003 Burmese 2

BURM2001 Burmese 3

BURM2002 Burmese 4

Chinese Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

CHIN1012 Modern Chinese 1: Spoken

CHIN1013 Modern Chinese 1: Written

CHIN2022 Modern Chinese 2: Spoken 

CHIN2023 Modern Chinese 2: Written 

CHIN2014 Modern Chinese 3

CHIN2017 Modern Chinese 4

CHIN3022 Modern Chinese 5

CHIN3023 Modern Chinese 6

CHIN2525 Learning Language Locally: China

CHIN3024 Advanced Modern Chinese A

CHIN3025 Advanced Modern Chinese B

CHIN3041 Chinese-English Translation 

CHIN3216 Chinese-English Interpreting

Hindi Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

ASIA3083 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A

ASIA3108 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B

HIND1100 Hindi 1

HIND1200 Hindi 2

HIND2300 Hindi 3

HIND2400 Hindi 4

HIND3500 Hindi 5

HIND3600 Hindi 6

HIND2525 Learning Language Locally: India

Indonesian Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

ASIA3083 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A

ASIA3108 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B

INDN1002 Indonesian 1

INDN1003 Indonesian 2

INDN2002 Indonesian 3

INDN2003 Indonesian 4

INDN3002 Indonesian 5

INDN3003 Indonesian 6

INDN2525 Learning Language Locally: Indonesia

INDN3104 Advanced Indonesian: History and Development of the Language

INDN3015 Advanced Indonesian: Translation into English

Japanese Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

JPNS1012 Japanese 1: Spoken

JPNS1014 Japanese 1: Written

JPNS2003 Japanese 2: Spoken

JPNS2005 Japanese 2: Written

JPNS2012 Japanese 3

JPNS2013 Japanese 4

JPNS3001 Japanese 5

JPNS3002 Japanese 6

JPNS2024 Japanese Grammar and Expressions 

JPNS2525 Learning Language Locally: Japan

JPNS3005 Advanced Japanese: Issues in Contemporary Japan

JPNS3006 Advanced Japanese: Language in Context

JPNS3007 Advanced Japanese: Readings in Culture and Society

JPNS3008 Advanced Japanese: Readings in Literature

JPNS3012 Teaching Japanese: Content

JPNS3014 Teaching Japanese: Method

JPNS3013 Japanese - English Translation

JPNS3102 Debating Japan: Contemporary Intellectual Debates

JPNS3023 Research Topics in Japanese A

JPNS3024 Research Topics in Japanese B

Korean Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

KORE1020 Korean 1

KORE1021 Korean 2

KORE2521 Korean 3

KORE2522 Korean 4

KORE3012 Korean 5

KORE3013 Korean 6

KORE3015 Advanced Korean: Film and Society

KORE3018 Advanced Korean: Literature and Media

Literary Chinese Language

CHIN2019 Literary Chinese 1

CHIN2021 Literary Chinese 2

CHIN3015 Advanced Literary Chinese*

Mongolian Language

MNGL1002 Mongolian 1

MNGL1003 Mongolian 2

MNGL2002 Mongolian 3

MNGL2003 Mongolian 4

Sanskrit Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

ASIA3083 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A

ASIA3108 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B

SKRT1002 Sanskrit 1

SKRT1003 Sanskrit 2

SKRT2103 Sanskrit 3

SKRT2104 Sanskrit 4

SKRT3004 Sanskrit 5

SKRT3005 Sanskrit 6

SKRT3002 Advanced Sanskrit Literature A

SKRT3003 Advanced Sanskrit Literature B

Tetum Language

TETM1002 Tetum 1

TETM1003 Tetum 2

TETM2004 Tetum 3

TETM2005 Tetum 4

 Thai Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

ASIA3083 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A

ASIA3108 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B

THAI1002 Thai 1

THAI1003 Thai 2

THAI2002 Thai 3

THAI2003 Thai 4

THAI3002 Thai 5

THAI3008 Thai 6

THAI2525 Learning Language Locally: Thailand

Vietnamese Language

ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L)

ASIA3083 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A

ASIA3108 Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B

VIET1002 Vietnamese 1

VIET1003 Vietnamese 2

VIET2002 Vietnamese 3

VIET2003 Vietnamese 4

VIET3002 Vietnamese 5

VIET3003 Vietnamese 6 

VIET2525 Learning Language Locally: Vietnam

VIET3015 Vietnamese–English Translation

 *CHIN3015 Advanced Literary Chinese may be completed up to 4 times in a different topic in each instance with permission of the Course Convenor.

48 units from completion of courses from the following contextual and language subject areas, majors and minors, of which a minimum of 6 units must come from completion of 3000-level non-language courses.    

Languages

Arabic major

Burmese Language minor

Chinese Language major

Chinese Studies major

French Language and Culture major

Hindi Language major

Indonesian Language major

Japanese Language major

Japanese Studies major

Korean Language major

Literary Chinese minor

Mongolian Language minor

Sanskrit Language major

Spanish major

Tetum Language minor

Thai Language major

Tok Pisin Language minor

Vietnamese Language major

Portuguese Language (PORT)

Tibetan Language (TIBN)

Disciplines

Anthropology major

Archaeology major

Linguistics major

Peace and Conflict Studies major

Area Studies

Asian and Pacific Anthropology minor

Asian and Pacific Archaeology minor

Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender minor

Asian and Pacific Linguistics minor

Asian and Pacific Literature and Film minor

Asian History major

Asia-Pacific International Relations major

Asia-Pacific Politics major

Asia-Pacific Security Studies major

India Studies major

Indonesian Studies major

Japanese Linguistics major

Korean Studies major

Northeast Asian Studies major

Pacific Studies major

Southeast Asian Studies major

A maximum of 6 units of experiential courses may come from the completion of courses from VCUG Vice Chancellor’s Undergraduate Courses, or the following list:

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program Internship A

ASIA2098 Asian and Pacific Studies Internship

ASIA2110 International Affairs Internship

ASIA3023 Asia Pacific Week Internship

ASIA3024 Editor’s practicum: online public engagement, academic blogging and digital disruption

ESEN1101 Essential University English

HIST1250 Big History

LING2107 Advanced Academic English

The Bachelor of International Security Studies flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

24 units from completion of the following compulsory course list:

STST1001 Introduction to International Security Studies

STST1003 Coping with Crisis: The Practice of International Security

STST2001 Concepts of Security in the Asia-Pacific

STST3002 Australia's Security in the Asian Century

Minimum of 6 units from completion of a course from the following concepts and methods course list:

HIST2110 Approaches to History

POLS2123 Peace and Conflict Studies

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

SOCY2043 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

POLS2044 Contemporary Political Analysis

WARS2001 Theories of War: An historical and global perspective

POLS3001 Foreign Policy Analysis

POLS3017 International Relations Theory

Minimum of 36 units from completion of courses from the following list of Security Studies courses:

Asia-Pacific Security

ASIA2060 Southeast Asian Security

ASIA2111 Indonesian Foreign and Security Policy

INTR2012 Chinese Foreign and Security Policy

INTR2014 Indian Foreign and Security Policy

INTR2016 US Foreign and Security Policy in Asia

INTR2018 Japanese Foreign and Security Policy

INTR2020 (In)Stability on the Korean Peninsula

INTR2024 Nuclear Politics in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities

STST2020 Study tour: Southeast Asia's Security Choices

Global Security

MEAS2001 New States of Eurasia: Emerging Issues in Politics and Security

HIST2240 Democracy and Dissent: Europe Since 1945

POLS2132 Current Issues in International Security

STST2124 Politics of Nuclear Weapons

Australian Security

STST2003 Australia and Security in the Pacific Islands

STST3003 Honeypots and Overcoats: Australian Intelligence in the World

Non-traditional Security

ASIA2093 Natural Resource Conflicts in Asia and the Pacific

DIPL2000 Leadership and Diplomacy

INTR2047 Human Security: Conflict, Displacement and Peace Building

POLS3004 Emotions in International Politics

POLS3033 Environment, Human Security and Conflict

POLS3036 International Terrorism

History and Security after 1945

HIST2141 The Cold War: 1945-1989

STST2004 Special Topic in International Security

STST3003 Honeypots and Overcoats: Australian Intelligence in the World

WARS2002 Vietnam Wars: 1941-1989

WARS2003 The Korean War

A maximum of 30 units from the completion of courses within the following Language, Security and Area Studies minors:

Language

Advanced Arabic

Advanced Chinese Language

Advanced French Studies

Advanced German Studies

Advanced Italian Studies

Advanced Japanese Language

Advanced Korean Language

Advanced Sanskrit Language

Advanced Spanish Studies

Arabic Language

Burmese Language

Chinese Language

French Language and Culture

German Language and Culture

Hindi Language

Indonesian Language

Italian Language and Culture

Japanese Language

Korean Language

Mongolian Language

Persian

Russian

Spanish

Tetum Language

Thai Language

Tok Pisin Language

Vietnamese Language

Area Studies and Methods

Asian Studies

Asia-Pacific International Relations

Contemporary Europe

Gender and Sexuality

International Communication

International Relations

Latin American Studies

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

Northeast Asian Studies

Pacific Studies

Philosophy

Social Research Methods

Southeast Asian Studies

Sustainable Development

Security

Criminology

Historical International Security

Peace and Conflict Studies

Technology, Networks and Society

War Studies

A maximum of 6 units from the completion of courses from VCUG Vice Chancellor’s Undergraduate Courses or the following list:

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program Internship A

ASIA2110 International Affairs Internship

ASIA2098 Asian and Pacific Studies Internship

ASIA3023 Asia Pacific Week Internship

ASIA3024 Editor’s practicum: online public engagement, academic blogging and digital disruption

ESEN1101 Essential University English

LING2107 Advanced Academic English

HIST1250 Big History

Majors

Bachelor of Asian Studies Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Asian Studies Minors

Bachelor of International Security Studies Minors