Japanese Studies Major | Japanese Studies Minor | Faculty
The Japanese Studies program fosters detailed, nuanced knowledge and understanding of various aspects of premodern, modern and contemporary Japanese culture, including history, language, literature, visual culture, society, politics and economics. It provides a solid foundation of Japanese language skills, including reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension. The courses offered are ideal for students wishing to gain practical communicative skills, those planning to further specialize in Japanese Studies and those pursuing careers in areas such as education, business, government and NGOs. In addition, the major in Asian and Asian American Studies offers a Japanese Studies track (Note: This track will no longer be available beginning in the fall of 2011).
Students are required to successfully complete the following four language courses: JPN 203 Intermediate Japanese I; JPN 204 Intermediate Japanese II; JPN 305 Advanced Reading and Comprehension I; JPN 306 Advanced Reading and Comprehension II. (Note: JPN 101 Elementary Japanese I and JPN 102 Elementary Japanese II provide the basic linguistic knowledge and skills required to begin the major, but do not count towards the major. After consultation and proficiency test assessment administered by Japanese Program faculty, students who already demonstrate competence at any of the required levels of the Japanese language may waive part or all of the language requirements. Waived Japanese language courses will not count toward the major and must be replaced with other Japanese Studies courses to bring the total number of courses (excluding the Majors Seminar), up to ten.
Students choose five of the courses listed below (or other approved Japanese Studies courses as they become available). Students are also required to successfully one course designated as Asian American and Diasporic studies.
AAAS 210 Introduction to Japanese Culture
AAAS 219 Structure of Japanese
AAAS 250 Japanese Cinema
AAAS 271 Japan to 1600
AAAS 251 Classical Japanese Literature and Culture
AAAS 252 Medieval/Early Modern Japanese Literature and Culture
AAAS 350 Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
AAAS 351 Pacific War Experience in Japanese Literature and Film
AAAS 371 Tokugawa Japan, 1600-1868
AAAS 372 20th Century Japan
AAAS 414 Economic Development in East Asia
AAAS 430 War Crimes Trials and Justice
AAAS 452 Sōseki/Modernization of Japan
AAAS 450 Women in Premodern Japanese Literature and Culture
AAAS 451 Fictions of the Samurai
DAAAS Majors Seminar
In addition:
The minor in Japanese Studies allows students to supplement their major through participation in a language and culture-based program.
In order to qualify for the minor, students must complete at least six courses distributed as follows:
Students who already have competence at any of the required levels of the Japanese language may, after assessment by Japanese Studies faculty, waive part or all of the language requirement based on the results of their proficiency testing. They may then enroll in higher-level language courses and/or other Japan-focused courses to bring the total up to six (6). Waived language courses will not count toward the minor.
In addition:
