Japanese Degree Programs and Colleges

<h3 id="section---WhatYouNeedToKnow">What You Need to Know</h3> <p>Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available in Japanese studies, Japanese language and literature, and similar fields. These programs typically cover not only speaking and writing in the Japanese language, but also the history of Japan and Japanese customs, among other topics. Completion of a bachelor's or master's program in Japanese could qualify an individual to work as an English-Japanese translator. Completion of a doctoral program is usually required in order to work as a university professor and researcher. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Programs</b></td><td> Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs available</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Classes</b></td><td> Language, culture, literature, history, business</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Colleges</b></td><td> Students may consider schools with study abroad opportunities in Japan or dual-degree options</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatJapaneseDegreeProgramsAreThere">What Japanese Degree Programs Are There?</h3> <p>Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in Japanese are available. Prerequisites vary for bachelor's programs - some require previous knowledge of the language, while others accept students with an interest in Japanese and demonstrated academic ability. </p> <p>A dual-degree program might also be available as a Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in Japanese/Asian Languages. A Master of Arts in Japanese or a Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Civilizations might be two additional options for your degree program. </p> <h3 id="section---HowShouldIPickACollege">How Should I Pick a College?</h3> <p>You might consider what kinds of courses or cultural immersion experiences are available through a particular school. For example, some Japanese departments offer courses in everything from East Asian politics to Japanese social customs and medieval Japanese art. Many departments also offer study abroad opportunities, which could expand your understanding of Japanese language and culture. </p> <p>You may want to select a school based on your career goals. For example, if you'd like to teach abroad, you could double major in Japanese language and education. Some colleges offer a combined bachelor's and master's degree program in Japanese language and literature that can be completed in five years. </p> <p>The following list of schools may help you get started in your search: </p> <ul><li>University of Massachusetts at Amherst </li><li>Connecticut College (New London) </li><li>University of Colorado Boulder </li><li>University of Washington (Seattle) </li><li>University of Indiana (Bloomington) </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatWillILearn">What Will I Learn?</h3> <p>As an undergraduate student, you can expect to focus primarily on reading, writing, and speaking Japanese. Elementary and intermediate Japanese courses might be required as prerequisites to more advanced studies. You might also take elective courses in subjects like: </p> <ul><li>Classic Japanese film </li><li>Literature in translations </li><li>Popular culture in Japan </li><li>Contemporary Japanese literature </li><li>Modern Japanese history </li><li>Kanji in Japanese orthography </li><li>Business Japanese </li><li>Japanese syntax </li><li>Japanese popular culture </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatAboutCoursesInAGraduateProgram">What About Courses in a Graduate Program?</h3> <p>In a master's degree program, you may be expected to write a thesis paper based on your study of Japanese language and culture. Students enrolled in a doctoral program usually select a degree specialization. Most doctoral programs require completion of a dissertation on the research topic of your choice. The following course topics might be included in your graduate program: </p> <ul><li>Japanese linguistics </li><li>Teaching methods for Japanese teachers </li><li>Sociolinguistics </li><li>Literature </li><li>Religion</li></ul>