Asian American Studies is an interdisciplinary field that critically examines social issues and axes of power through the experiences and lenses of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian experiences.  

Many of our students choose to major or minor in Asian American Studies because they are passionate about it. It is a place to learn about and discuss critical issues in history and society that directly impact their lives and the communities they care about. They see it as a way to exercise a different part of their minds and beings that they often do not get to do in their other classes; and many describe that they "feel good going to their Asian American Studies classes." Critical and contemporary issues that students in our classes discuss include: the brutality of ICE, capitalist exploitation, fascism, the environmental impacts of data centers and technology, colonialism, the lingering impacts of war, imperialism,  workers rights, activism and social movements here and there, gentrification, and more.  

Our Asian American Studies students have gone on to pursue careers in health care, engineering, law, education, labor and community organizing, non-profit, government, urban planning, museums, the arts, and more.  You complete the major in 45 units (~15 courses, or two years), and the minor in 15 units (~5 courses, or one year). 

Our courses fulfill a number of general education requirements (including Area 3, Area 6, US123, and Upper Division Areas 2/5, 3, and 4). If you finish your GEs with us, you can pick up the minor with one or two additional classes! 

You can finish 3-5 GEs with us:

• complete Area D and US123 with us (AAS 33A and AAS 33B)

• complete Area 6 with us (AAS 001) 

• complete one or two of your upper division courses with us (AAS 163, AAS 175, or AAS 177)

• and then complete any additional upper division elective in AAS to finish the minor!

Interested in the major/minor? Want to learn more? Ready to declare? Or just want to check in on your progress? Contact any one of our advisors for an advising appointment.

Dr. Joanne Rondilla

Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Undergraduate Advisor

joanne.rondilla@sjsu.edu 

Dr. Yvonne Kwan

Associate Professor, Undergraduate Advisor

yvonne.y.kwan@sjsu.edu 

Dr. Trung PQ Nguyen

Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Advisor

trung.p.nguyen@sjsu.edu