The undergraduate degree in Japanese emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- The outlines of the history of Japanese literature from the earliest periods to the present.
- The outlines of Japanese historical and cultural development.
- Appropriate research strategies for Japanese language, literature and culture.
With a Japanese major, students will have skills, information and concepts that are relevant to careers in virtually every area. Competency in a foreign language is a highly desirable skill in all fields. A knowledge of Japanese is particularly beneficial and useful in business, engineering, industry, commerce, the civil or foreign service, law, library science, natural and social sciences, the media, economics, public administration, journalism, government and teaching at all levels. In addition, Japan is an increasing source of a wide variety of excellent careers, as it is among the world’s largest economies and trading partners with the U.S. and Colorado.
Students are encouraged to consider combining their Japanese language training with courses in these or other fields. Additional career opportunities can be found on the Career Services website.
Requirements
Program Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. JPNS 1010, JPNS 1020 and JPNS 2110 do not count toward the maximum of 45 credit hours in the major department.
The major program for the BA degree in Japanese requires successful completion of 30 credit hours, of which at least 18 credit hours must be at the upper-division level.
All required major courses must be passed with a C- or better and cannot be taken pass/fail. Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate, and no more than 45 credits in JPNS may be applied to overall graduation requirements.
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| JPNS 2120 | Intermediate Japanese 2 | 5 |
| JPNS 3110 | Advanced Japanese 1 | 5 |
| JPNS 3120 | Advanced Japanese 2 | 5 |
| Electives | ||
| The remaining 15 credit hours should be chosen from the courses listed below; 6 of these credit hours may be satisfied by courses focusing wholly or substantially on Japan offered in other departments, subject to approval by the Japanese undergraduate faculty advisor; and 9 of these credit hours must be at the upper-division level. 1 | 15 | |
| Introduction to Japanese Civilization | ||
| Portals to Japanese Literature | ||
| Japanese Culture through Film and Anime | ||
| Heroes and the Supernatural: Word and Image in Old Japan | ||
| Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization (recommended) | ||
| Japanese Minority and Transnational Literature | ||
| Japanese Sci-Fi and Speculative Fiction | ||
| Business Japanese | ||
| Paper Worlds, Screen Worlds: Contemporary Japanese Literature | ||
| The World of the Shining Prince: The Tale of Genji and Heian Literature | ||
| Monsters, Monks, and Mayhem: Medieval Japanese Literature in Translation | ||
| The Floating World in the Literature of Early Modern Japan | ||
| Transforming Worlds: Japanese Literature in Modernity | ||
| Japanese Popular Culture | ||
| Horror and the Macabre in Japanese Literature, Film, Culture | ||
| Environment, Nature and Disaster in Japanese Literature and Culture | ||
| Travel/Travel Writing in Japanese Literature and Culture | ||
| Japanese Sociolinguistics | ||
| Advanced Readings in Modern Japanese 1 1 | ||
| Advanced Readings in Modern Japanese 2 1 | ||
| Japanese to English Translation: Theory and Practice | ||
| Contemporary Japanese 1: Current Issues | ||
| Open Topics: Readings in Japanese | ||
| Classical Japanese 1 2 | ||
| Classical Japanese 2 2 | ||
| Critical Theory and Japanese Literature and Culture | ||
| Independent Study 3 | ||
| Honors Thesis | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| 1 | The following courses from other departments may satisfy up to 6 credits of the elective requirements, subject to approval by the Japanese undergraduate faculty advisor: ANTH 1110, ARTH 3629, ARTH 4929, EMUS 3467, HIST 1708, HIST 3718, HIST 4718, HIST 4728, HIST 4758, HIST 4808, RLST 2620 or RLST 3400. |
| 2 | Transfer credit for these courses, whether from universities in the U.S. or abroad, will be considered only in exceptional cases; normally, no credit toward the major will be given for these courses unless taken in residence. |
| 3 | Independent Study will be considered only in exceptional cases. Please consult with the Japanese Undergraduate Faculty Advisor. |
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of “adequate progress” as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in Japanese, students should meet the following requirements:
- Declare the major by the first semester of sophomore year.
- Students wishing to major in Japanese and who have no prior knowledge of the language should begin the required major courses no later than the sophomore year.
- Students must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor to determine adequate progress toward completion of the major. An example four-year plan is available on the department website.
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will fulfill all 12 credits of the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement, and potentially, the Upper-division Written Communication component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement and the Global Perspective category of the Gen Ed Diversity Requirement.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| JPNS 1010 | Beginning Japanese 1 (does not fulfill JPNS major credit requirement) | 5 |
| JPNS 1051 or JPNS 1012 | Portals to Japanese Literature 1 or Introduction to Japanese Civilization | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| JPNS 1020 | Beginning Japanese 2 (language prerequisite, does not fulfill JPNS major credit requirement) | 5 |
| HIST 1708 | Japan from Clay Pots to Robots (optional: fulfills 3 credit hour non-JPNS elective) | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| JPNS 2110 | Intermediate Japanese 1 (language prerequisite, does not fulfill JPNS major credit requirement) | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences and Lab) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| JPNS 2120 | Intermediate Japanese 2 | 5 |
| JPNS 3200 | Adv Wrtg Topics on Chinese & Japanese Literature and Civilization (optional: fulfills upper division JPNS elective as well as Gen. Ed. Skills course: Upper-division Writing Communication) or any upper division writing course such as WRTG 3020) | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| JPNS 3110 | Advanced Japanese 1 | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| JPNS Upper-division Major Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| JPNS 3120 | Advanced Japanese 2 | 5 |
| JPNS Upper-division Major Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) - Upper-division | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
| 1 | JPNS 1012 recommended; fulfills both JPNS major requirement and the Global Perspective category in the Gen. Ed. Diversity Requirement. |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements for the Japanese major, students will be able to:
- Draw upon a foundation in Japanese in the four linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, at a level of proficiency adequate for basic practical applications in academic and professional fields.
- Comprehend the contents and cultural context of a variety of aural and written materials in Japanese.
- Convey thoughts and opinions in Japanese in a culturally appropriate manner in both speaking and writing.
- Recognize and discuss, in English, major works of Japanese literature, thought and other representational media from the earliest eras to the present.
- Analyze, interpret and write in English about Japanese literature and culture according to contemporary academic conventions.
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)
The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).
Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.
BA in Japanese, MA in Asian Languages and Civilizations
The BAM degree program in Japanese recognizes the need for master's-level training upon entering the job market in a variety of sectors that call for highly advanced proficiency in the Japanese language, knowledge of the culture of Japan and its literature and the skills acquired by BA and MA graduates in the humanities: research, analysis, interpretation, translation and communication.
This degree offers a challenging and focused academic experience for exceptional students (particularly those who enter the university with significant preparation in Japanese studies from high school or with other backgrounds, or those who participate in study abroad opportunities at CU) who demonstrate the ability to express their ideas clearly, both orally and in written form, using standard English.
Admissions Requirements
Students interested in applying for this option must consult with the department's undergraduate academic advisor early in their career at CU to establish their program of study. In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current CU Boulder undergraduate student.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher for all courses taken at CU Boulder.
- If a transfer student, have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours at CU Boulder.
Students must submit the following materials by Sept. 1 of their junior year (or, in exceptional circumstances, during the student's senior year) to the director of graduate studies in Japanese:
- Intent application
- Statement of purpose
- Writing sample
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one from a full-time member of the Japanese faculty)
Applications will be reviewed by the Japanese graduate faculty.
Program Requirements
Students are required to fulfill separately all requirements for the BA in Japanese and MA in Japanese, with the exception that 6 credits of coursework can satisfy requirements for both the BA and the MA. Selection of the overlap courses should be made in consultation with the director of graduate studies in Japanese.
Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.
Specific information about the BAM requirements and curriculum can be found on the department website.