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.

Are you a leader? The Australian National University is a leader too, especially in the fields of philosophy, politics and economics. This progressive and well-regarded degree will arm you with the moral, economic and political perspectives you need to make a real impact.

You will develop exceptional problem solving skills and critical and conceptual thinking, all while gaining a passport to some of the world’s most promising careers.

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. major philosophical theories and approaches to the evaluation of social institutions;

2. the methods of economics to the study of political institutions and processes;

3. the methods of economics to questions within political philosophy;

4. the assumptions, ‘tools’ and limitations of political economy; and

5. the core arguments and principles of public choice and rational choice theory.

Further Information

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

There are no formal program prerequisites. But assumed knowledge is: ACT: Mathematical Methods (Major)/Further Mathematics/Specialist Mathematics (major)/Specialist Methods or NSW: HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent. More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here [https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria]

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are additional points added to an applicant's Selection Rank (for example an applicant's ATAR). ANU offers adjustment factors based on performance and equity principles, such as for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Selection Rank adjustments are granted in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustment factors and maximum 10 equity-based adjustment factors) can be awarded. 

You may be considered for adjustment factors if you have:

• applied for an eligible ANU Bachelor degree program
• undertaken Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate
• achieved an ATAR or equivalent at or above 70
• not previously attempted tertiary study.

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 completion of courses in the following list:

ASIA2001 Language in Asia and the Pacific

ASIA2018 Maps and Mapping in Asia and the Pacific

ASIA2065 Asian Politics: From Concepts to Causes

ASIA2067 Asian Economies

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 Security Concepts in the Asia-Pacific

24 units from completion of language courses listed in one of the following majors and minors: 

Burmese (BURM)

Chinese (CHIN)

Hindi (HIND)

Indonesian (INDN)

Japanese (JPNS)

Korean (KORE)

Literary Chinese (CHIN)

Mongolian (MNGL)

Sanskrit (SKRT)

Tetum (TETM)

Thai (THAI)

Tibetan (TIBN)

Tok Pisin (TOKP)

Vietnamese (VIET)

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.  A maximum of 6 units may be taken from the experiential course list or from VCUG Vice Chancellor’s Undergraduate Courses.

Area Studies 

Asian and Pacific Anthropology minor 

Asian and Pacific Archaeology minor 

Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender major 

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 

Chinese Studies major 

Indian and South Asian Studies major 

Indonesian Studies major 

Japanese Linguistics major 

Japanese Studies major 

Korean Studies major 

Northeast Asian Studies major 

Pacific Studies major 

Russian and Central Asian Studies minor 

Southeast Asian Studies major 

Languages 

Arabic Language major 

Burmese Language minor 

Chinese Language major 

French Language and Culture major 

Hindi Language major 

Indonesian Language major 

Japanese Language major 

Korean Language major 

Literary Chinese minor 

Mongolian Language minor 

Portuguese Language (PORT)

Sanskrit Language major 

Spanish Language major 

Tetum Language minor 

Thai Language major 

Tibetan Language minor

Tok Pisin Language minor 

Vietnamese Language major 

Disciplines  

Anthropology major 

Archaeology major 

Linguistics major 

Peace and Conflict 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 A 

ASIA2098 Asian and Pacific Studies Internship 

ASIA2110 International Affairs Internship 

ASIA3023 Asia Pacific Week Internship 

LING2107 Advanced Academic English 

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

48 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1 (6 units)

ECON2101 Microeconomics 2 (6 units)

ECON3056 PPE Integration 3: Classic Literature in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (6 units)

PHIL1005 Logic and Critical Thinking (6 units)

PHIL2116 PPE Integration 2 (6 units)

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics (6 units)

POLS1008 PPE Integration 1 (6 units)

POLS1009 Research and Writing in Political Science (6 units)

6 units from completion of one of the following courses:

PHIL1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction (6 units)

PHIL1008 Introduction to Ethics (6 units)

6 units from completion of one of the following courses:

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1 (6 units)

ECON1100 Economics I (H) (6 units)

12 units from the completion of any 2000 or 3000 level POLS course of which at least 6 units must come from one of the courses on the following list:

POLS2043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying (6 units)

POLS2044 Contemporary Political Analysis (6 units)

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy (6 units)

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia (6 units)

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions (6 units)

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences (6 units)

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics (6 units)

POLS3029 Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective (6 units)

POLS3039 Political Leadership and Executive Government (6 units)

12 units from the completion of any 2000 or 3000 level PHIL course of which at least 6 units must come from one of the courses on the following list:

PHIL2020 Theories of Social Justice (6 units)

PHIL2057 Philosophy of Science (6 units)

PHIL2122 Philosophy and Public Policy (6 units)

PHIL2125 Rationality and Social Cooperation (6 units)

PHIL2126 Science in Society: Ethics, Public Policy and Scientific Practice (6 units)

PHIL2290 Philosophy, AI and Society (6 units)

PHIL3073 Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL3075 The Philosophy of Gender: Knowledge, Power, Bodies (6 units)

6 units from the completion of any 2000 or 3000 level ECON or ECHI or EMET course, or from the list:

EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models (6 units)

CRIM2000 The Illicit Economy (6 units)

INDG3003 The Indigenous Economy (6 units)

6 units from the completion of any 2000 and 3000-level courses from the following subject areas and courses:

ECON Economics

PHIL Philosophy

POLS Political Science

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program A (6 units)

Majors

Bachelor of Asian Studies Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Asian Studies Minors

Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics Minors