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The Five College Asian/Pacific/American Studies Certificate Program enables students to pursue concentrated study of the experiences of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Americas. Through courses chosen in consultation with their campus program advisers, students can learn to appreciate Asian/Pacific/American (A/P/A) cultural and artistic expressions, understand and critique the racial formation of Asian/Pacific/Americans, and investigate how international conflicts, global economic systems, and ongoing migration affect A/P/A communities and individuals and their intersections with others.

The Certificate Program is overseen by a committee of faculty representing several disciplines from all of the Five College institutions:

• Amherst College
• Hampshire College
• Mount Holyoke College
• Smith College
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

The requirements include a minimum of seven courses, distributed as follows:

One Foundation Course
During your first or second year, students should take one foundation course that offers an interdisciplinary perspective and survey of the historical and contemporary experiences of Asian/Pacific/Americans.

Five Elective Courses
Students then take five elective courses, at least one from each of the following categories:

• Expressions: Courses devoted to the study of A/P/A expression in its many forms.
• U.S. Intersections: Courses dedicated to the study of intersections between A/P/A and non-A/P/A experiences within the United States.
• Global Intersections: Courses that offer perspectives on Asian/Pacific/Americans from outside the United States.

Independent Capstone Project
The final requirement is a capstone project based on intensive study of an A/P/A community through research, service learning or creative work such as an internship, action-research or a fine arts project. This is often done by students enrolled in an upper-level or independent study course and supervised by a faculty member, chosen by the student.

Other Notes:  Students must receive the equivalent of a "B" grade or better in all courses counted toward the Certificate. (In the case of Hampshire students taking courses at Hampshire, "B" equivalence will be determined by the Hampshire program advisor based on written evaluations supplied by course instructors).