Courses in Japanese
Note: This page contains all of the regular courses taught by this department. Not all courses are offered every year. Check the searchable schedule to see which courses are being offered in the upcoming semester.
JAPN 111Y Intensive Introductory Modern Japanese
Credit: 0.75
JAPN 111Y-112Y constitute the first two sequences of the five-semester Japanese program. The course will introduce basic Modern Standard Japanese that is based on the Tokyo dialect. The class work will focus on developing basic skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will learn polite and plain speech styles. They will also study three types of Japanese orthography: hiragana, katakana, and approximately 150 kanji (Chinese characters). Class meetings range from nine hours per week in the first semester to eight hours per week in the second, with a fifty minute evening session each day of class. Offered every year.
Instructor: Staff
JAPN 112Y Intensive Introductory Modern Japanese
Credit: 0.75
This course is a continuation of the JAPN 111Y. Class meetings are conducted for eight hours per week during this sequence, with a fifty minute evening session each day of class. Offered every year.
Instructor: Staff
JAPN 213Y Intermediate Modern Japanese
Credit: 0.5
This course and JAPN 214Y constitute the third and fourth sequences of the five-semester Japanese program. By the end of the year, students will learn all the basic grammar of Modern Standard Japanese and the cumulative total of 300 kanji, with an additional 150 to be introduced. The course will provide extensive oral and written assignments, and it requires two evening review sessions per week.
Instructor: Tomita
JAPN 214Y Intermediate Modern Japanese
Credit: 0.5
This course is a continuation of the first semester of Intermediate Modern Japanese. Please see the description of JAPN 213Y.
Instructor: Tomita
JAPN 321 Advanced Japanese
Credit: 0.5
This is the final sequence of the five-semester Japanese program. This course is designed to develop students' ability to understand authentic Modern Standard Japanese, i.e. the language used in visual and print media in contemporary Japan. By the end of the year, students will learn 200 new kanji, completing their study of the most frequent 500 kanji. They will also practice utilizing electronic resources for their study. This course is required for students who plan to minor in Japanese.
Instructor: Tomita
JAPN 322 Advanced Japanese: Language and Culture
Credit: 0.5
This course introduces concepts essential for understanding contemporary Japanese culture and society. Students will learn key words and expressions through extensive reading of original texts followed by in-class discussion. Students will also have ample opportunities to use the learned vocabulary both in oral interviews and compositions on a weekly basis. The course will be taught in Japanese. Prerequisite: JAPN 321 or permission of instructor.
Instructor: Tomita
JAPN 323 Advanced Reading and Composition
Credit: 0.5
The main goal of this course is to help students develop skills of expository and argumentative writing in Japanese. Students will read authentic Japanese texts, including short essays and a complete book of nonfiction, from which they will develop their own essays. Writing practice will focus on developing a clear thesis and focused paragraphs, and providing relevant support. As a final project students will write a research paper on a contemporary topic of interest. Prerequisites: Japanese 322 or permission of instructor. Offered every other year.
Instructor: Tomita
JAPN 325 Japanese Linguistics
Credit: 0.5
This course surveys the characteristics of the Japanese language. Students will first review formal aspects of the language, including sound patterns, word formation rules, and sentence patterns, in order to understand how they are combined to generate meaning in Japanese. Students will next examine actual uses of the language as influenced by cultural concepts and social contexts. The course is taught in English. Prerequisite: JAPN 111Y-112Y or permission of instructor. Normally offered every third year.