Japanese Studies Program

  • Department Information

    Japanese Program

    Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

    Director of the Japanese Language Program Suzuki
     Affiliated Faculty: Jane Geaney (Religion), Tze Loo (History)

    This section contains information specific to the degree program in Japanese. For full information regarding departmental policies relevant to all the LLC degree programs, study abroad and course sequencing, see the main page of the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

  • Minor

    The Japanese Minor

    Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

    Five units, including an approved study abroad experience and

    Four courses in Japanese at the 300 level or above

    For the last course of the Japanese minor, students are strongly encouraged to take a 400-level course in Japanese. They may also elect to take one elective from the list below with a C-LAC in Japanese:

    HIST 250 Modern East Asia 1600-1960

    HIST 255 Meiji Japan: An Emperor and the World Named for Him

    HIST 341 History and Memory: WWII in East Asia

    PLSC 343 Politics of Asia

    PLSC 357 International Relations of East Asia

    RELG 355 Selected Asian Religions

    Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the minor. Prerequisites do not count toward the minor unless otherwise noted.

  • Study Abroad

    Study Abroad

    For students of Japanese, the department offers a summer study program in Japan. In addition, there are study abroad opportunities during the academic year in Japan. For a complete list, contact the Office of International Education.

Courses

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  • JAPN 101 Elementary Japanese

    Units: 1

    Description

    Basic speaking, reading, and writing (hiragana, katakana, and simple kanji) with emphasis on oral performance in class.

  • JAPN 102 Elementary Japanese

    Units: 1

    Description

    Basic speaking, reading, and writing (hiragana, katakana, and simple kanji) with emphasis on oral performance in class.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 101.

  • JAPN 201 Intermediate Japanese

    Units: 1

    Description

    Further development of skills in speaking, reading, and writing (appr. 250 kanji), continued emphasis on oral performance.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 102 or permission of department.

  • JAPN 202 Intermediate Japanese

    Units: 1

    Fulfills General Education Requirement (COM2)

    Description

    Further development of skills in speaking, reading, and writing (appr. 250 kanji), continued emphasis on oral performance.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 201.

  • JAPN 301 Japanese Conversation

    Units: 1

    Description

    Continued development of speaking, including use of idiomatic phrases and more conjunctions. Debating, presentation, and summarizing skills are taught.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202 or permission of department.

  • JAPN 302 Japanese Reading

    Units: 1

    Description

    Continued development of reading (with concentration of Joyo Kanji list) using short stories, essays, and simple reading materials.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202 or permission of department.

  • JAPN 311 Japanese in Cultural Context

    Units: 1

    Description

    Further development of communicative language skills, reading, and writing. Emphasis on cultural scenes in Japan.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202

  • JAPN 312 Japanese in Cultural Context

    Units: 1

    Description

    Further development of communicative language skills, reading, and writing. Emphasis on cultural scenes in Japan.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202

  • JAPN 388 Individual Internship

    Units: .25-1

    Description

    Internship experience outside of the department in fields related to Japanese studies. No more than 1.5 unit of internship in any one department and 3.5 units of internship overall may be counted toward required degree units.

    Prerequisites

    Department approval.

  • JAPN 401 Advanced Japanese Language, Literature and Culture

    Units: 1

    Description

    Prepares for more advanced study of Japanese through rigorous vocabulary expansion, more sophisticated language usage patterns, and expanded work in kanji. Materials are designed to advance the student's fluency for everyday communicative tasks as well as reading skills.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202.

  • JAPN 402 Advanced Japanese Language, Literature and Culture

    Units: 1

    Description

    Prepares for more advanced study of Japanese through rigorous vocabulary expansion, more sophisticated language usage patterns, and expanded work in kanji. Materials are designed to advance the student's fluency for everyday communicative tasks as well as reading skills.

    Prerequisites

    Japanese 202.

  • JAPN 406 Summer Undergraduate Research

    Units: 0

    Description

    Documentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 8 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at least 40 hours per week) during this period, and the student must be the recipient of a fellowship through the university. Graded S/U.

    Prerequisites

    Approval for summer Arts and Sciences fellowship by faculty mentor

  • JAPN 495 Independent Study

    Units: .5-1

    Description

    Special projects individually pursued under supervision of faculty member.

    Prerequisites

    Departmental Approval Required

  • JAPN 497 Selected Topics

    Units: 1

    Description

    Special interest topics offered at department's discretion.

    Prerequisites

    Permission of department.