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About

EALC is a diverse, welcoming community of deeply committed scholars, teachers, and students. In our department, you can study Chinese or Japanese language (or both) and explore the exciting literature, film, drama, popular culture, religion, folklore and other forms of cultural expression associated with Northeast Asia. By acquiring practical language and cultural skills, our students not only equip themselves for a wide range of careers in the global economy but they also develop critical analytical and interpretive abilities that enrich their lives and experiences beyond the classroom and the workplace.

Welcome to UC Davis, from your EALC peer advisors!

What is EALC? What makes our department special?

  • EALC has a Chinese Program and a Japanese Program; each one attracts nearly two thousand students every year from all over the university.
  • In EALC we teach dozens of language and culture courses each year, mostly in small- and medium-sized classes.
  • EALC only offers undergraduate courses—so our students have close contact and easy access to faculty.
  • Our faculty are award-winning scholars who have published in multiple languages. They have also received grants from organizations including the Fulbright Foundation, American Council of Learned Societies, Rockefeller Foundation, Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, Japan Foundation, and Harvard-Yenching Institute.
  • Our language lecturers are highly trained professional instructors; all of them have Masters or Doctorate degrees in relevant fields.
  • Our students consistently win prizes in Chinese and Japanese language speech contests.
  • EALC offers study abroad opportunities and internships in Japan, China, and Taiwan.
  • We encourage students to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including conversation hours, movie nights, and other events dedicated to Chinese and Japanese language and culture.
  • We have over 200 majors and minors.
  • Many of our students pursue double majors with other departments.
  • You don’t have to be a major or minor to enjoy our classes; many of our students major in sciences, engineering, arts, and other fields.
  • Our graduates go on to successful careers in law, business, education, international relations, the arts and other fields in the United States and Asia. The language skills and cultural literacy they acquire through EALC are essential to their success in local and global spheres.