Bachelor Programme
Asian Area Studies
Asian Area Studies at UBC Vancouver is a four-year Bachelor of Arts major from the Department of Asian Studies on the history, literary and religious traditions, cultures and languages of East Asia (China, Japan and Korea) and South and West Asia. The 48-credit major combines ASIA courses with 12 credits of one Asian language, such as Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Hindi-Urdu, Sanskrit or Persian, and Honours and co-op are available. This is not a direct-entry program: students are admitted to the Bachelor of Arts and self-declare the major after completing 27 credits, with no prerequisite courses.
University
University of British Columbia
Country
Canada
Level
Bachelor
Field
Area Studies
Duration
4 years
Language
English
Campus
Vancouver
Degree
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Major in Asian Area Studies
Intake
September
Application Deadline
January 15, 2027 (international scholars: November 15, 2026)
Tuition Information
2026/27 first-year tuition: CAD 51,530.40 per year for international students (Arts rate, CAD 1,717.68 per credit x 30 credits) and CAD 6,200.70 for Canadian students (CAD 206.69 per credit x 30 credits). Fees for students starting in 2027/28 have not yet been published. Tuition only; student fees, health insurance and housing are extra.
Admission Requirements
- No application for the major: self-declare it after completing 27 credits, with no prerequisites; it requires 27 ASIA credits, 12 credits of one Asian language and a research-intensive course
- Honours is by department permission based on strong performance in recent Asian Studies courses, and adds a 6-credit Honours thesis (ASIA 499)
- BC high school: English Studies 12 (or English First Peoples 12)
- IB: no specific courses beyond UBC's general admission requirements (Faculty of Arts)
- English language proof, if required, is due February 15, 2027 (see English Language Requirements below)
English Language Requirements
International applicants must satisfy UBC's English Language Admission Standard.
IELTS Academic
6.5 overall, no band below 6.0
TOEFL iBT
90 overall
PTE Academic
65 overall
Duolingo English Test
125 overall
CAEL
70 overall
Cambridge English
180