The Master of Arts (MA) in Asian Studies (AST) provides a comparative understanding of the cultural, economic, and socio-political significance of Asia in the 21st century. It requires competency in one or more Asian languages. To achieve this, MA students are encouraged to study abroad for part of their course work. For students interested in teaching Asian languages, this degree also offers the Chinese Studies option in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, or the Asian Studies option Japanese Language and Pedagogy. Graduates from the MA program in Asian Studies can expect to be much more competitive for positions in the Foreign Service, State Department, K-12 and community college education and administration, international finance and industry, non-governmental organizations, academic publishing, professional translation work, and Ph.D. programs in Chinese, Japanese, or Asian Studies. Chinese Studies option (30-42 units, including 12 units of core courses) This option includes a choice between two tracks: 1) Chinese Language and Culture and 2) Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.