
Dedicated to the languages, literatures, linguistics, and cultures of East Asia
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures prepares students for B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Chinese and Japanese, and has a thriving program in Korean language and literature.

In the Spotlight
Researchers have found evidence of ancient beer production from different kinds of crops all over the world.
From our modern point of view, beer might just be a mind-altering beverage. But in fact, it has played a significant part in human life since near the dawn of civilization.
Professor Li Liu was recently featured on the topic in a video titled "The ancient drink serving the world for 13,000 years" produced by the BBC.
“My graduate school years in EALC were truly magical. Having the resources to pursue my research wherever it might lead allowed me to ask questions and learn more than I ever thought possible before joining the department. Throughout my studies, the talent of the people around me inspired me to push myself beyond my comfort zone. But EALC stands out for its culture of cooperation and teamwork. Everyone in the department, from faculty to staff to students, is genuinely interested in the success of everyone else. My fellow grad students were not competing with each other—we were all pulling in the same direction. There are many other departments in well-funded institutions filled with talented individuals. What I found so uniquely special about EALC is how focused it is on building and maintaining that rare dynamic of the whole being greater than the sum of its individual parts.”
- Aragorn Quinn, Ph.D. in Japanese ‘15
Associate Professor of Japanese and Japanese Program Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee