Building an Institution

Courses on Chinese language, history, religion, and society were included in the curriculum of the University of Hawai'i from its founding in 1920. Including Asian languages and Asia-related courses in liberal arts and social science disciplines made the university one of only a handful of US higher education institutions to offer this kind of content in its undergraduate curriculum. Seeing successful courses and departments at UH encouraged other US universities to develop their own programs in Asian language, history, and related subjects.