Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Japanese is offered by the College of Liberal Arts' Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the Temple University, Japan Campus only.

The Japanese major is a unique undergraduate degree program designed to offer a comprehensive four-year Japanese language curriculum in a Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) setting. It aims to achieve advanced and well-balanced proficiency in Japanese so that students will, by using the Japanese language as a communication tool, be well-equipped and fully prepared to examine socio-cultural aspects of Japan and Japanese literature, and be active social agents to make contributions in the world of globalization.

The Bachelor of Arts in Japanese will be conferred upon the student after the completion of 123 credits across the following requirements:

  • 35-36 credit hours of General Education coursework;
  • 43 credit hours (14 courses) required for major; major courses must be passed with at least a C-; and
  • 44-45 elective credit hours.

Campus Location: Japan

Program Code: LA-JPNS-BA

A Japanese minor and certificate are also offered at both Main Campus and Temple Japan.

Contact Information

Temple Japan Campus

Kazuyo Kubo, PhD, Chair of the Division of Liberal Arts
kazuyo.kubo@tuj.temple.edu

Yuka Matsuhashi, MA, Faculty Advisor for the Japanese Major
yuka.matsuhashi@tuj.temple.edu

Main Campus

Department Office
332 Mazur Hall
215-204-8268

Barbara Thornbury, Chair
336 Mazur Hall
215-204-4492
bthor@temple.edu

Michelle Xu, Administrator
429 Mazur Hall
215-204-5628
xu.michelle@temple.edu

Stephen Walton, Academic Coordinator
330 Mazur Hall
215-204-8267
stephen.walton0002@temple.edu

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Requirements for the Degree

  1. University requirements
    • All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major.
    • Students must complete the General Education curriculum.
  2. General electives vary according to a student's individual program of study. Consult your academic advisor for more information.
  3. Prerequisites: JPNS 1001, JPNS 1002, and JPNS 2701/JPNS 2001 with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent placement. Course levels are incremental in skills and content. Courses must be taken sequentially or in some instances may be taken concurrently. Students who are exempted from JPNS 2701/JPNS 2001 may begin with JPNS 2702 or higher level, in accordance to the placement assessment.
  4. Major requirements (minimum 43 credits)
    Language Requirements
    JPNS 2702TUJ - Japanese Intermediate II4
    JPNS 3001Advanced Japanese I3
    JPNS 3002Advanced Japanese II3
    JPNS 4001Japanese Advanced III3
    JPNS 4002Japanese Advanced IV3
    Language Skills 1
    Select at least four of the following:12
    Note: Students who have placed out of JPNS 2702 must take ONE additional Language Skills course. Those who have placed out of JPNS 3001 must take TWO additional Language Skills courses. Those who have placed out of JPNS 3001 must take THREE additional Language Skills courses.
    Oral Intensive Japanese II
    Kanji II
    Structure of Japanese Language I
    Special Topics in Japanese I (Introduction to Consecutive Translation for Non-Native Speakers of Japanese I)
    Advanced Japanese Writing
    Special Topics in Japanese II (Introduction to Consecutive Translation for Non-Native Speakers of Japanese II)
    Intermediate Writing in Japanese
    Structure of Japanese Language II
    Advanced Oral Japanese
    Area Studies Electives 1
    Select 3 courses from the pre-approved courses list:9
    Visual Anthropology of Modern Japan
    Visual Anthropology of Modern Japan
    Japanese Culture
    Japanese Culture
    Japan in a Changing World
    Japan and the Changing World Order
    Introduction to East Asia: Japan
    Introduction to East Asia: Japan
    Japanese Art
    Pre-Modern Japanese Art up to the Edo Period
    Ideology and Social Change in Japan
    Ideology and Social Change in Japan
    Japan Today
    Japan Today
    Women and Society in Japan
    Women and Society in Japan
    Women and Society in Japan
    Metropolitan Tokyo
    Survey of Japanese Literature: Pre-Modern
    Survey of Japanese Literature Before 1868
    Modern and Contemporary Japanese Literature in Translation
    Modern and Contemporary Japanese Literature in Translation
    Tokyo in Literature and Film
    Tokyo in Literature and Film
    Mystery and Crime Fiction in Japan
    Mystery and Crime Fiction in Japan
    Japanese Literature in Film
    Japanese Literature in Film
    Special Topics in Japanese I (Japanese Communication and Culture I)
    Special Topics in Japanese II (Japanese Communication and Culture II)
    Japanese Religions
    Japanese Buddhism
    Japan Area Studies Writing Intensive (WI)
    Select one of the following:3
    This course must be taught in English.
    JPNS 2096
    Japanese Popular Culture and its Literature
    Seminar in Asian Studies (The course topic must focus on Japan exclusively.)
    Modern Japan: Empire, War, Society
    Modern Japan: Empire, War, Society
    Capstone
    Select one of the following:3
    Seminar in Japanese and Japan: Japanese Society and Culture through Newspaper
    Seminar in Japanese and Japan: Business
    JPNS 4396
    Total Credit Hours43
    1

    For a comprehensive list of courses that fulfill the Language Skills and Area Studies requirements, please refer to https://www.tuj.ac.jp/sites/japan/files/pre-approved-courses-for-japanese-major-area-studies-electives.pdf.

Proficiency Assessment: Students who are placed in JPNS 3001 or higher must consult with the academic advisor and the major coordinator to develop a plan to complete a sufficient number of courses and credits within the major.

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

Bachelor of Arts in Japanese

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
JPNS 1001 Japanese Elements I 4
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW]
4
GenEd Quantitative Literacy Course GQ 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
JPNS 1002 Japanese Elements II 4
IH 0851 Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] 3
One elective related to the major (JPNS 1301 Kanji I recommended) 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
JPNS 2701 TUJ - Japanese Intermediate I 4
IH 0852 Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] 3
One elective related to the major (JPNS 1003 Oral I recommended) 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
JPNS 2702 TUJ - Japanese Intermediate II 4
Japanese Language Skills requirement #1 3
CLA 2000+ Area Studies Elective 1 (Social Science) 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3-4
 Credit Hours16
Year 3
Fall
JPNS 3001 Advanced Japanese I 3
Japanese Language Skills requirement #2 3
CLA 2000+ Area Studies Elective 2 (Writing Intensive taught in English) 3
One CLA 2000+ Elective 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
JPNS 3002 Advanced Japanese II 3
Japanese Language Skills requirement #3 3
CLA 2000+ Area Studies Elective 3 (Social Science) 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall
JPNS 4001 Japanese Advanced III 3
Japanese Language Skills requirement #4 3
CLA 2000+ Area Studies Elective 4 (Social Science) 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
JPNS 4002 Japanese Advanced IV 3
One CLA 0800-4999 Elective 3
One Elective 0800-4999 in any School or College 3
One Elective 0800-4999 in any School or College 3
Select one of the following Capstone courses: 3
Seminar in Japanese and Japan: Japanese Society and Culture through Newspaper [WI]  
Seminar in Japanese and Japan: Business [WI]  
JPNS 4396
 
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours123