Honors & Prizes
Distinction in the East Asian Studies Major
Distinction may be won by seniors who, in the judgment of the Council on East Asian Studies, and with the concurrence of the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing, merit such an award for the quality of their work in the major, including the senior-year requirement. Specifically, Distinction may be awarded to East Asian Studies Majors who meet the following qualifications:
- Grade of A or A- on the senior-year requirement; and
- Grades of A or A- in three-quarters of the courses taken for credit toward the degree in East Asian Studies.
The Williams Prize in East Asian Studies
The Williams Prize in East Asian Studies was established in 1961 by Elizabeth Williams Garstin, B.F.A. 1925, and Professor Kenneth Scott Latourette, B.A. 1906, in honor of Professor Samuel Wells Williams, M.A. Hon. 1877, and Professor Frederick Wells Williams, B.A. 1879, M.A. Hon. 1924.
This prize is awarded by faculty nomination only to a senior in any department at Yale University for an outstanding paper completed during the current academic year on a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean subject. Papers are nominated and must be signed by an East Asian Studies faculty member as an endorsement of quality.
Papers will be judged on use of primary sources, quality of writing, and depth and originality of scholarship. It is expected that essays nominated for the Williams Prize will make substantial use of materials in East Asian language(s) in any medium, including transcriptions of interviews. Essays that focus exclusively on Asian American topics normally will not be considered eligible for consideration.
Course papers may be included.
Williams Prize Nomination Submission Instructions
A nomination for the Williams Prize must include the following items and be submitted to the East Asian Studies Registrar:
- COVER PAGE
- ONE ELECTRONIC COPY OF YOUR PAPER
- WRITTEN ENDORSEMENT FROM A FACULTY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL ON EAST ASIAN STUDIES
Please note that you are REQUIRED to have a written endorsement of your submission. This endorsement need not be from the advisor for whom you originally wrote the paper or senior essay, but it must be made by a faculty member of the Council on East Asian Studies. In either case, please allow time for the faculty to submit their written endorsement to the Council on East Asian Studies before the deadline.
Deadline for Senior Essays written in AY 2024-2025
5:00 PM, Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
Information for additional prizes and awards for which undergraduate students are eligible can be found at the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for Student Life.