The University of Arkansas Asian Studies Program draws on the strength of the Fulbright College of Arts and Science’s faculty, as well as faculty from other colleges. The program helps to provide resources and training in Asian related studies relating to language, economics, politics, history, and culture. The Asian Studies department helps to support research initiatives, study abroad, and other extra-curricular activities to its students and local community. It also promotes well-rounded and interdisciplinary research related to Asia and the Pacific region to its students. The University of Arkansas started offering a concentration of Asian Studies in the fall of 1978. With growing popularity throughout the years, the university implemented a minor in Asian Studies in the fall of 2001. In the year of 2009, the University of Arkansas started giving its students the opportunity of combining a major with Asian Studies.