Through our Japanese language program, we aim for the simultaneous development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. From the start, students will learn hiragana, katakana, and kanji. In the classroom, we focus on enhancing students’ oral proficiency through an extensive use of the spoken language, allowing for the development of accurate grammar and culturally-appropriate communication skills.

The Department of Languages and Cultures offers a Japanese minor (20 credits). For students who have achieved an intermediate level of proficiency (three semesters or more), the Japanese minor can provide a more rigorous study of Japanese language, literature, and culture, positioned in a larger Asian picture.

This includes the following classes:

• JAPN 212 (4)
• JAPN 311 (or 315 abroad) (4)
• JAPN 312 (or 316 abroad) (4)
• JAPN 320, 321 or 330 (4)
• One course (4) from the Asian Studies course list with a focus on Japan.

Total: 20 credits

Note: Some of the study abroad courses taken at the Bunkyo Gakuin University can count towards the minor. For questions on credit transfer, please contact Jeff DuBois.

Courses in the JAPN 321 category (Topics in Japanese Literature):

• JAPN 321A Japanese Women Writers
• JAPN 321B Love in Japanese Literature & Film
• JAPN 321C Introduction to Japanese Film
• JAPN 321D Anime: Studies in Movement and Transformation

Courses in the JAPN 330 category (Topics in Japanese Culture):

• JAPN 330A Transnational Japan
• JAPN 330B Japanese Folklore
• JAPN 330C Nuclear Japan: Atomic Bombs, Atomic Energy, Atomic Art
• JAPN 330D Nuclear Japan: Atomic Bombs, Atomic Energy, Atomic Art (embedded study abroad course)

Advanced language study beyond JAPN 312: 

• JAPN 341 Business and Professional Japanese
• JAPN 371 Individual Learning Project (directed readings in Japanese, reading groups, research in Japanese for capstone projects, translation work)

Asian Studies Program courses that can count toward the Japanese minor:

• HIST 319 Monsters and Modernity
• HIST 314 Missionary Positions: Christianity in East Asia
• ART 309D East Asian Gardens

Courses taught abroad in English:

• COLG 385 Study Abroad Seminar
• COLG 110 Japanese Animation/Manga/Fashion
• HIST 300D Japanese Culture/Life
• SA 375I Japanese Politics/Economics & Society

Japanese Major

While a Japanese major is not officially part of the curriculum, students who pursue advanced study of the language beyond the 3-year sequence (beyond JAPN 312) and take additional literature/culture classes may discuss creating an Individualized Major in Japanese (40 credits) with the Japanese program head.