Resources for Graduate Students in Asian Studies

MSU has a sizable graduate student population pursuing research in Asian Studies. Over 50 Asia-focused Ph.D.s completed since 2002 include dissertations in fields ranging from Anthropology to Teacher Education to Fisheries and Wildlife.

While plans are being developed for a Master's in Asian Studies, ASN continues to offer support to MSU graduate students across all disciplines with:

support for nationally competitive awards
over 100 highly accomplished Asian Studies core and affiliated faculty members
professional skills development
a vibrant and diverse community of students including over 1500 from Asia
an outstanding Asia library collection
instruction in over 10 Asian languages
opportunities for collaborative graduate work at the University of Michigan
accomplished alumni working in the U.S. and abroad in higher education, government, international organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector.

Click here for current course offerings in Asian Studies at MSU.

Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Programs

The CIC is a consortium of 12 research universities, including the 11 members of the Big Ten Conference and the University of Chicago. With campuses in 8 states, CIC universities enroll more than 300,000 undergraduates and 76,000 graduate students, and employ some 33,000 full-time faculty and 139,000 full-time staff. The CIC is guided by the Provosts of the member universities.

The CIC universities collaborate in such activities as sharing access to study abroad offerings, coordinating large scale purchases and electronic licenses, creating programs for professional development, coordinating access to library materials, and building shared data networks. Its work is focused on three areas of dynamic, evolving collaboration: (1) national leadership for higher education; (2) combining, leveraging and expanding resources of member universities; and (3) expanding learning opportunities by sharing unique courses and programs.

MSU graduate students can make use of the CIC Traveling Scholar, CourseShare, and Foreign Language Enhancement (FLEP) programs. The Traveling Scholar Program makes it possible for students to spend up to one academic year taking courses at any CIC campus while paying MSU tuition. The CourseShare Program makes it possible for students to take courses from other CIC campuses via computer-based distance learning. Arrangements for CourseShare courses must be made at least one semester in advance with the instructor teaching the course of interest. The Foreign Language Enhancement Program provides scholarships to help graduate students take advantage of language offerings not available at their home university, but available at another CIC member university. Scholarships are intended to cover living expenses incurred while attending another CIC host institution during the summer session. Instituted by the CIC liberal arts and sciences deans in 1987, FLEP provides summer scholarships to graduate students to encourage them to take advantage of language offerings not available to them at their home universities. The program is an excellent example of maximizing the program offerings of individual universities for the benefit of everyone in the consortium. For more information on how to make use of CIC programs, visit the MSU Graduate School CIC information web page.

FLAS Fellowship

ASN supports student research with the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowhships. The FLAS are awarded to graduate students enrolled in programs combining the study of a modern foreign language with advanced training and research in an academic or professional area with an Asia focus. For more information, go to the Asian Studies FLAS fellowship information page.

Gu Wei Hui China Exchange Program

The MSU-Gu Wei Hui exchange program offers support of up to $10,000 per calendar year for MSU graduate students to do research in China. Funds may be used for living expenses and research costs but may not be used for transportation to/from China. If needed, the Asian Studies Center can provide assistance in finding a suitable host academic institution in China. Recipients must make their own visa arrangements.

Applications to this program may be made by submitting the following to Michael Lewis, Director, Asian Studies Center at the address below:

A brief description of the research to be undertaken
the time frame in which the research is to be done
an itemized project budget, indicating expenditures for living and research costs while in China.

Conference Travel Funding

ASN provides support for graduate students to attend and make presentations professional conferences and workshops. Funding is awarded on a case by case basis. For consideration, submit a letter of interest stating the name of the conference/workshop and reason for attending, along with an itemized budget, and current curriculum vitae to Michael Lewis, Director, Asian Studies Center at the address below.

Asian Studies Graduate Research Forum