Penn Announces Wasian Studies Major

The University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences announced early this week that it would begin offering a Wasian Studies major, developed in collaboration between the Asian American Studies and the Judaic Studies programs. The major’s inaugural class would matriculate in Fall 2027, with students taking courses such as “MUSC 4673: Traditional Wasian Music from Laufey to Olivia Rodrigo” and “COMM 0180: How To Announce That You’re Wasian Without Being Annoying About It.” The new major follows the launch of similar programs at other higher education institutions, such as the Center for Genetic Infiltration at Peking University and the Yellow Fever Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

“Hearing about this new program really makes me feel represented,” commented Clara Kim Weisberg (C ‘26). “For years, I’ve been struggling with my identity as a not-quite-White, not-quite-Asian woman: am I White or am I Asian? This new major allows me to live as I authentically am: I’m a White-passing woman, but you can tell my mom’s Asian if you look really closely at my eyes.” “This major validates my lived experiences,” concurred Noah Smith (E ‘28). “Thanks to this initiative, I’ve learned about cultural appreciation through the lens of exclusively dating Asians.” 

At press time, University officials clarified that the major is not yet large enough to include Wasians with a White father and an Asian mother.