Japanese Minor

Studying Japanese:

The Japanese program offers a strong foundation in the Japanese language and a thorough knowledge of Japanese culture. The primary objective of the Japanese language program at AU is to provide students with command of the language suitable to both academic and culturally authentic settings. Students will develop a capacity to express themselves in a culturally coherent manner and to understand the Japanese language as it is utilized in actual communication. Studying Japanese and learning about Japan and Asia is of increasing importance in the 21st century. A minor in Japanese at American University becomes an official part of your university transcript and complements your major field.

Starting with elementary level courses, students are exposed to all four necessary skills for learning the Japanese language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Through the intermediate and advanced levels these skills are refined for fluency and accuracy, with the advanced level focusing on the development of communicative skills through reading and discussion.

Requirements:

  • 24 credit hours of Japanese with grades of C or better
  • 6 of the 24 credit hours must be at the 300 level or above
  • At least 12 credit hours must be unique to the minor
  • Transfer and study abroad credits are acceptable, although 9 of the credits must be earned at AU

Typical Program:

A typical program for students without previous training in Japanese would be:

  • JAPN-114 & JAPN-115: Elementary Japanese I & II      (10 credits)
  • JAPN-214 & JAPN-215: Intermediate Japanese I & II    (10 credits)
  • JAPN-314 & JAPN-315: Advanced Japanese I & II        (6 credits)

TOTAL:   26 credits

Acceptable replacements for coursework will be approved by the Program Advisor on a case-by-case basis.

Students in the minor have previously studied abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo and Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, among other universities.  Several AU students have won scholarships given by the Japanese government and by the Japan America Society of Washington DC.

DECLARE A JAPANESE MINOR HERE

For More Information:

Minor in Japanese Language                         

Ryan Cassidy, WLC Advisor     202-885-1452     wlcprogramadvisor@american.edu

General Japanese Program Info                     

Ken Knight, Japanese Program Director     202-885-6337     knight@american.edu