The department offers introductory language programs for students just beginning the study of East Asian languages. The different writing systems, the complex characters and idioms, and the new sets of sounds and inflections present rewarding intellectual challenges. Upper-level courses also offer more advanced students the opportunity for in-depth analysis of Asian cultures. Through courses on Chinese, Japanese, and Korean civilization and literature, Rutgers students study the elements that formed these languages centuries ago and the forces that shape their modern expression.
Proficiency in an East Asian language opens doors to a wide range of opportunities for individual and academic growth, whether students seek the feeling of achievement that comes from mastering a different language, the practical skills that can lead to an exciting international career, or a new perspective on the world from a distant society.
Today, students of East Asian languages enjoy expanded job opportunities, enhanced by a growing world economy and new political relationships. An impressive number of corporations and agencies operate branches world-wide, as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea have become more and more important in international trade.