Finals are Here!

Classes have ended for Fall 2021 - you made it! This was a very challenging semester as we all adjusted to being around people again in a not-quite-normal way. We are proud of you and everything you accomplished! As you study, don't forget to rub True Grit's nose for a little luck. If you aren't on campus, we've got a picture of him attached to this message so that you can boop his nose from home, too.

Need a Study Break?

Today (right now!) from 11-2, visit the AOK library for yoga, snacks, a visit from local celebrity Officer Chip, crafts, and giveaways. 

The Office of Health Promotion is hosting Snack Breaks this week - today 12-3, and tomorrow and Thursday 10-3 - at their space in the Center for Wellbeing. Drop in to say hello, and grab some good food and a hot drink between study sessions. 

OCAMocha is doubling their regular student discount this week. Visit them in downtown Arbutus and enjoy a whopping 20% off from now through December 21. Plus, today (Dec 14) only, they're running a BOGO special if you show your campus card and their instagram flyer. Enjoy a delicious coffee or the best hot chocolate in town, and relax in their cheerful space. 
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[thumbnail image ID: A close-up photograph, taken on a sunny day, of the True Grit statue, showing his head. Someone is reaching their hand out from the lower left of the image to pat his nose with their fingers.] 

[banner image ID: A gray banner with gold top and bottom borders each featuring five black paw print outlines arranged in a row. In the central part of the banner, cheerful gold all-caps text reads "Good luck with finals!" The text is between two illustrations of a happy, running retriever-type dog.]

It's the last week of classes for Fall 2021. There's still a lot happening on and around campus, though, so if you're feeling overwhelmed with studying and classes, take a minute and check out some of these events! 

COVID Booster and Flu Shot Clinic - Wednesday, Dec 8

Retriever Integrated Health is hosting a COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot clinic at the RAC on Wednesday, December 8 (tomorrow!). Registration only takes a minute. Get your booster now, and help to fight the spread of COVID-19 on campus and in your community at home! 

Gamelan Concert - Friday, Dec 10

UMBC's Gamelan Ensemble will hold its concert this Friday, December 10, from 5-6pm in the PAHB's Music Box Theatre. Admission is free - due to COVID-19 restrictions, space may be limited, so don't miss your chance to see these unique and beautiful orchestras! 

UMBC Anime Society Presents: Fall 2021 24 Hours of Anime Marathon - Friday, Dec 10

Join the UMBC Anime Society for this semester's edition of their popular anime marathon, beginning on Friday, December 10, at 7pmand running straight through until Saturday evening! For more information about this hybrid online and in-person event, visit their myUMBC page. 

Finals Stressbuster Tips and Events

• Let out some creative energy with (seb) at their final Paint Night of the semester, tonight (Dec 7) at 7pm in the Commons. Hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes, and a winter craft with friends - don't miss it! 
• Looking for someplace quiet to study, and all your usual haunts in the library are packed? SGA has shared some additional options that will be available for students over the next few weeks. 
• UMBC's First-Gen Network is hosting a De-Stress Zone in the Commons Sports Zone on Monday, December 13, at 2pm. Stop by for snacks, games, and study tips! More information is available on myUMBC, here. 
• If you live on campus, don't miss RSA's famous Midnight Breakfast event at True Grit's on Monday, Dec 13, at 11pm! 

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Thank You!

Thank you to those who joined us for last week's conversation with Mary Popeo! We'll have more invited speakers throughout the semester - keep an eye on our calendar here on myUMBC, or on our website, for more information! 

Thank you, too, to those who entered our t-shirt design contest! Our celebrity judge, Dr. Jacob, will review the entries and we'll announce the winner soon. 

Princeton University Graduate Programs Info Session

Are you thinking about grad school? ...not sure if you're thinking about grad school? Together with the Asian Studies Council of Majors, we'll welcome Dr. Anna Shields, Professor of Chinese Studies and Chair of Princeton's East Asian Studies Department, to campus at noon on Friday, October 1, to learn about available graduate opportunities. 

Princeton offers a variety of options, including their graduate program and the Princeton in Asia fellowships - the session will be an excellent opportunity to ask Dr. Shields for insight and information. We'll have refreshments and other giveaways for those joining us in person, and will also stream the event online for those who can't make it to campus. For more info, check out the myUMBC post!

Gilman Scholarship Applications Open

Interested in study abroad? The Benjamin A. Gilman Foundation awards up to $8,000 to support students pursuing study abroad opportunities. The deadline to apply is October 5! For more information, see the news item on Study Abroad's myUMBC page.

Shirt Design Contest

The Asian Studies program celebrates its 10th anniversary this academic year, and we're marking the occasion with a shirt design contest! The contest is open to all UMBC students; the top three designs, as chosen by our celebrity judge Dr. Jacob (Associate Dean, CAHSS, and ASIA affiliate faculty), will win fabulous prizes, and the first-place design will become our new shirt! See the attached flier for more information. The deadline to submit your entry is Sunday, Sept 26. 

Asian Studies Welcome Week Reception - Sept 2

Join us for our 2021 Welcome Week Reception this Thursday, in the Fine Arts Amphitheatre and Recital Hall Lobby! We'll have sushi, drinks, snacks, and other giveaways. We can't wait to see you! For more information, check out the event page on our myUMBC.

Involvement Fest - September 9

Stop by involvement fest, in person or virtually, to meet and learn about the more than 200 student organizations who are active on campus. From honor societies to ultimate frisbee, there's something for everyone! For more information about who will be there and when, visit the Involvement Fest page!

On-Campus Job Opportunities

Are you looking for a way to earn some extra cash this academic year? The Career Center's UMBCworks webpage has listings of jobs available on and near campus - visit their website and set up a profile to get started!

Approaching Events and Deadlines

• Sept 2 - Welcome Week Reception (see above)
  
• Sept 9 - Involvement Fest
• Sept 14 - last day to drop a class without a "W"
• Sept 15 - last day to sign up for graduation for Fall 2021

In an effort to highlight courses which are accessible for students who may not be planning to return to campus in-person this fall, we are providing this list of classes which are being offered wholly online. For more information about any of these options, please check the Course Catalog, our website, or email our office. 

CORE COURSES

ASIA 100-01 Introduction to Asian Studies – Lecture – 3 Credits
Instructor: Oyen, Meredith
All Online, Asynchronous

ELECTIVES

ASIA 300-01 Topics in Asian Studies: Music in the Two Koreas – Lecture – 3 Credits
Dates TBA
Instructor: Moody, Peter
Online

ASIA 399-01 Internship in Asian Studies – Independent Study – 1–3 Credits
Dates TBA
Instructor: Oyen, Meredith
Online

ASIA 400-01 Special Projects in Asian Studies – Lecture – 1–3 Credits
Dates TBA
Instructor: Oyen, Meredith
Online

CHIN 300-01 Special Projects in the Chinese Language and Culture – Independent Study – 1–3 Credits
Dates TBA
Instructor: Brown, William
Online

HIST 383-01 Japan in the Shogun Age – Lecture –  3 Credits
TuTh 10:00am – 11:15am
Instructor: Vaporis, Constantine
Online
Attributes: Culture (GEP), Culture (GFR)

HIST 459-01 The Rise of Modern Japan: From the “Black Ships” to Hatsune Miku – Lecture –  3 Credits
Date: TBA
Instructor: Vaporis, Constantine
Online
Attributes: Culture (GEP), Social Sciences (GEP), Culture (GFR), Social Sciences (GFR)
Recommended Preparation: HIST 100 or HIST 110 or HIST 111, junior/senior status.

HIST 480-01 Mao and After: History of Contemporary China – Lecture –  3 Credits
We 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Instructor: He, Gaochao
Online

JPNS 300-01 Special Projects in the Japanese Language and Culture – Lecture –  1–3 Credits
Date: TBA
Instructor: Hoogenboom, Tomoko
Online

JPNS 309-01 Business Japanese – Lecture –  1–3 Credits
TuTh 11:30am – 12:45pm
Instructor: Hoogenboom, Tomoko
Online
You must complete JPNS 301 or JPNS 302 with a grade of C or better

MLL 311-01 Introduction to Korean Culture – Lecture – 3 Credits
TuTh 4:00pm – 5:15pm
Instructor: Yoon, Kyung-Eun
Online
Attributes: Culture (GEP)
Knowledge of Korean is not required. Recommended Preparation: MLL 190, 191, 230, or 301.

MLL 316-01 Japanese Language in Society – Lecture – 3 Credits
TuTh 1:00pm – 2:15pm
Instructor: Hoogenboom, Tomoko
Online
Recommended preparation: ASIA 100 or any 100- or 200-level GEP Culture course.

LANGUAGES

HIND 101-01 Elementary Hindi I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Instructor: Datla, Radhi
Online
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

HIND 201-01 Intermediate Hindi I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 4:00pm – 5:15pm
Instructor: Datla, Radhi
Online
You must complete HIND 102 with a C or better

JPNS 101-01 Elementary Japanese I – Lecture – 4 Credits
MoWeFr 10:00am – 10:50am
Instructor: Perry, Michiko
Online
Attributes: Language (GFR)
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

JPNS 101-04 Elementary Japanese I – Lecture – 4 Credits
MoWeFr 1:00pm – 1:50pm
Instructor: Perry, Michiko
Online
Attributes: Language (GFR)
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

JPNS 101-05 Elementary Japanese I – Lecture – 4 Credits
MoWeFr 9:00am – 9:50am
Instructor: Perry, Michiko
Online
Attributes: Language (GFR)
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

JPNS 201-03 Intermediate Japanese I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Instructor: Seat, Mina
Online
Attributes: 201 Level Language Requirement (GEP), 201-Level Foreign Language (GFR)
You must have completed JPNS 102 with a C or better before taking this class or have completed 3 years of high school Japanese.

JPNS 201-04 Intermediate Japanese I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 4:00pm – 5:15pm
Instructor: Seat, Mina
Online
Attributes: 201 Level Language Requirement (GEP), 201-Level Foreign Language (GFR)
You must have completed JPNS 102 with a C or better before taking this class or have completed 3 years of high school Japanese.

JPNS 301-01 Advanced Japanese I – Lecture – 3 Credits
TuTh 10:00am – 11:15am
Instructor: Hoogenboom, Tomoko
Online
You must either have completed JPNS 202 with a grade of C or better or the equivalent as indicated by placement before taking this class.

KORE 101-01 Elementary Korean I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 8:30am – 9:45am
Instructor: Krippes, Yeon
Online
Attributes: Language (GFR)
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

KORE 101-02 Elementary Korean I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 11:30am – 12:45 pm
Instructor: Krippes, Yeon
Online
Attributes: Language (GFR)
A reminder that students planning to continue to the next language level must register for this course as “graded” rather than “P/NP,” since subsequent levels require a grade of “C” or better.

KORE 201-01 Intermediate Korean I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 10:00am – 11:15am
Instructor: Krippes, Yeon
Online
Attributes: 201 Level Language Requirement (GEP), 201-Level Foreign Language (GFR)
You must complete KORE 102 with C or better before taking this class or have completed 3 years of high school Korean.

KORE 201-02 Intermediate Korean I – Lecture – 4 Credits
TuTh 1:00pm – 2:15pm
Instructor: Krippes, Yeon
Online
Attributes: 201 Level Language Requirement (GEP), 201-Level Foreign Language (GFR)
You must complete KORE 102 with C or better before taking this class or have completed 3 years of high school Korean.

Save the date for our Welcome Week Reception, Thursday, September 2, from 12:30-1:30pm. Stop by for snacks, music, or just to say hello! If you're new, you'll have a chance to learn more about the Asian Studies program. If you're a returning student, we look forward to catching up with you! Keep an eye out for the myUMBC event notice soon!