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BAM (4+1 Bachelors And Masters)

What is the BAM 4+1 Pathway?

The BAM pathway is a program that allows Asian Studies undergraduate students in good standing to apply to one of our two Master’s degree programs early, and complete both degrees in 5 years. Asian Studies has two BAM pathways that correspond to its two Master’s degree programs: the Master of Arts in Asian Studies and the Master of Asian International Affairs.

Asian Studies BA students who meet the criteria can apply to the master’s program during the second semester of their junior year. To be eligible to apply for the program, students must pass one of two gateway classes with a grade of B or better, and maintain an overall GPA of 3.0.

The two possible gateway classes for both the BA-MA and BA-MAIA pathways are ASAN 310 (Studying Asia Culturally) and ASAN 312 (Contemporary Asia). Both of these courses are required for the BA.

Once a student has successfully passed the gateway course and accumulated enough credits, they may choose to apply to either the MA or MAIA program. Once accepted, they can double-count three courses (nine credits) of required graduate core courses for the BA and Master’s degrees, and pay the undergraduate tuition rate for these courses.

BAM-MA: Combined Bachelor of Arts / Master of Arts in Asian Studies pathway

The BAM-MA (Master of Arts in Asian Studies) is intended for students who wish to deepen their interdisciplinary understanding of Asia or a particular region of Asia (by specializing in China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, or South Asia). The MA program requires completion of 30 credits, including 15 credits of required courses and three years of Asian language instruction or the equivalent.  Graduates of this program have succeeded in PhD programs and a wide range of careers, especially those located in Asia or that require a degree of language proficiency.

The MA program requires completion two ASAN 600 courses, depending on the student’s area of concentration (ASAN 600C, J, K, I, S or Z), as well as ASAN 601 Advanced Research and Writing in Asian Studies. BAM-MA students may double-count these courses for both the BA and MA degrees, and would normally start taking them in the spring semester of their fourth year. For all three double-counted courses, BAM-MA students must earn grades of B or better.

If you’re interested in the BAM-MA pathway, please meet with your advisor to plan out your coursework. A sample course plan is available on the OVPAE website  (toggle to Tab 2 on the spreadsheet)

More information about BAM pathways is available on the BAM Pathways website.

 BAM-MAIA: Combined Bachelor of Arts / Master of Asian International Affairs pathway

The MAIA (Master of Asian International Affairs) was established in 2019 as an interdisciplinary professional degree program, with a focus on regional geopolitics and international affairs, which prepares students to pursue careers that would be enhanced by a deeper understanding of contemporary Asia and the multi-faceted (cultural, historical, social, and political) determinants and impacts of Asian nations’ engagement with their neighbors and the world. There is no language requirement.

The program requires completion of 30 credits, including a 3-credit capstone, 12 credits of required courses, and another 15 credits of electives. Any three of the courses that may be taken to fulfill the core MAIA requirements (ASAN 626, 629, 630, 651, 654, 687 or 689), may be double-counted for the BA and MAIA. For all three double-counted courses, students must earn grades of “B” or better.

 For more information, please contact the Asian studies department at asianst@hawaii.edu

 If you’re interested in the BAM-MAIA pathway, please meet with your advisor to plan out your coursework. A sample course plan is available on the OVPAE website https://manoa.hawaii.edu/ovpae/programsheets/

More information about BAM pathways is available on the BAM Pathways website.