The Philippine Studies program of the Asian Center leading to an MA degree is designed to produce specialists with a broad and integrated comprehension of Philippine society, culture, political and socio-economic development, and external relations. Students can specialize in any of three areas: (1) Philippine Socio-Cultural Studies, (2) Philippine Foreign Relations, and (3) Philippine Development Studies. The Philippine Studies Program (PSP) continues to uphold Philippine Studies (Araling Filipino) as a distinct discipline. Philippine Studies include the study of Filipino society and culture and its constituent ethnolinguistic groups. It also problematizes the distinct identity of Filipinos, helps produce specialists capable of identifying and studying Filipino or Philippine problems using multi and/or interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies, exposes students to different disciplinal perspectives and imparts a holistic approach to Philippine problems.