South and Southeast Asian Studies

Explore Your Major

• Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.

• Familiarize yourself with major and college requirements

• Enroll in L&S 1 and an Arts & Humanities Gateway Course

• Take the placement exam for your chosen language of study.

Connect and Build Community

• Get 1:1 mentoring from graduate students with Berkeley Connect and L&S Mentors Program

• Find study groups, tutoring, and academic support at the Student Learning Center

• Explore the Berkeley Language Center.

Discover Your Passions

• Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar or student-run DeCal course

• Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships

• Visit the South/Southeast Asia Library collection at the Doe Library.

Engage Locally and Globally

• Attend the Calapalooza student activities fair and get involved with a student organization.

• Find service opportunities through the Public Service Center

• Explore study, internship, and research abroad options in Asia with Berkeley Study Abroad.

Reflect and Plan Your Future

• Visit Berkeley Career Engagement and the Career Counseling Library

• Develop a plan for getting career ready.

• Set up a Handshake account and sign up for CareerMail

• Explore career fields in the Career Connections Networking Series.

Explore Your Major

• Complete the lower division prerequisites in South or Southeast Asian language and Introduction to the Civilizations of India or Southeast Asia, and declare the major.
• Review major guidelines. Explore study abroad and schedule an appointment with the UG Faculty Advisor about using specific abroad courses toward the major.

Connect and Build Community

• Check out the Southeast Asian Student Coalition

• Get to know professors and graduate student instructors during their office hours.

• Start attending South & Southeast Asian Studies  department events.

Discover Your Passions

• Continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar, Big Ideas Course or Discovery Course

• Assist faculty in their research through URAP.

Engage Locally and Globally

• Contribute to a community organization with an American Cultures Engaged Scholarship course.
• Go on a service-learning trip with the Alternative  Breaks Program.

• Apply to the Boren, Freeman-ASIA, or Critical Language Scholarship.

Reflect and Plan Your Future

• Discuss career options and goals with a Career Educator

• Shadow alumni during a winter externship

• Learn about graduate and professional school. See Step-by-Step for planning help.

• Think about doing an internship and attend an internship fair

Explore Your Major

• Focus on upper division requirements in intermediate language, religion and history, literature courses, and electives.
• Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.

• Ask your major advisor about the South and Southeast Asian Studies honors program.

Connect and Build Community

• Explore resources from the Center for Southeast Asia Studies and Institute of South Asian Studies

• Work with peers and graduate students in HUM 196: Mentored-Research and Discovery Groups.

• Consider joining the Association of Asian Studies.

Discover Your Passions

• Apply for a FLAS award to support your language study.

• Planning a senior thesis or project? Apply to the Haas Scholars Program or SURF

• Curious about entrepreneurship? Enroll in HUM120: Entrepreneurship for All.

Engage Locally and Globally

• Experience life at another UC or college on a visitor and exchange program

• Study and intern in Washington D.C. with UCDC or Cal in the Capital

• Get international work experience with a Berkeley Global Internship in Mumbai or Singapore.

Reflect and Plan Your Future

• Learn about career fields and conduct informational interviews with people in those fields.

• Discuss post-graduate options with advisors and professors.

• Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.

• Attend career and graduate school fairs.

Explore Your Major

• Do a degree check to ensure you are on track to graduate.

• Complete any “bucket list” courses.

• Finish remaining major, college, and campus requirements

• Complement your major with a certificate, course thread, or summer minor.

Connect and Build Community

• Practice your language skills while helping others learn in the SLC Language Exchange Program

• Get support for your thesis project in the Townsend Honors Thesis Workshop

• Connect with alumni groups and build your network as you prepare to graduate.

Discover Your Passions

• Teach your own DeCal course

• Undertake an optional honors thesis or independent study.

• Consider submitting your work to the Student Journal of Asian Studies

• Keep pursuing your interests through a fellowship or gap year after graduation.

Engage Locally and Globally

• Hone your leadership skills with the Peter E. Haas Public Service Leaders program

• Explore service opportunities after graduation, such as Peace Corps, Teach for America, or U.S. Department of State

• Apply to the Fulbright ETA Program to teach English in Asia.

Reflect and Plan Your Future

• Utilize job board tools in your job search. 

• Ask professors and graduate student instructors for recommendation letters.

• Attend Employer Info Sessions and On-Campus Recruiting

• Apply to jobs, graduate school, and other opportunities.