Why Study Japanese?
Japanese is spoken around the world by Japanese nationals and other speakers of Japanese engaged in economic pursuits, government, the media, education, research, artistic fields, sports, tourism and studentship. In addition to the 127 million residents of Japan itself, expatriate Japanese and communities of Japanese emigrant heritage use the Japanese language in their daily lives in their local areas as well as in their global connections with other speakers of Japanese. In Australia there are many long and short term Japanese residents who are involved in local communities through their work and leisure.
Opportunities to use the Japanese language to engage with Japanese speakers both in and outside of Japan are therefore considerable, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, in the current and future environments in which global communication is so readily accessible, the possibilities for using Japanese to communicate are not limited by one’s ability to travel. Someone who learns Japanese as a foreign language therefore has many opportunities to engage with other users of the language in a diverse range of pursuits for many different reasons. Students who pursue the study and use of the Japanese language tend to have a deep appreciation of different ways of thinking, of history and traditions and are willing to challenge themselves, which also benefits their studies in other disciplines.
Japanese and the World of Work
A wide range of careers can be built using Japanese because it is spoken by so many people involved in diverse professions and economic activities. There are obvious professions in which speakers of Japanese who are based in Australia could be involved. These include, law, business management, teaching, diplomacy, journalism and finance. Japanese multinational companies employ Japanese speaking graduates to work in Australia and offer overseas postings. The tourism industry also offers opportunities for Japanese and English bilinguals in Australia, Japan and anywhere that is a destination of Japanese tourists.
Where students who have a specific professional aspiration, such as to become an engineer, have a basic level of proficiency in Japanese, they can begin to shape a career using Japanese by honing their Japanese language appropriately, perhaps aiming for a UQ exchange year with an engineering university in Japan, by making contacts with other students with similar interests or professionals working in the field and by doing some research on relevant companies with Japanese personnel and interests with whom future work could be possible. There is currently a large community of Australian expatriates working in government, semi-government and private companies in Japan. It is their linguistic proficiency and understanding of cultural issues that facilitates the longevity of careers with a Japanese flavour.
Many students who are passionate about learning Japanese and being involved with Japanese culture and society, however, do not have a particular career in mind when they study Japanese. Through experiences such as involvement in the UQ exchange program and mixing with Japanese and other students interested in Japan while at university, ideas develop and the opportunities to make connections that lead to unexpected pathways and working lives that involve contact with Japan, arise. Students of Japanese and students from Japan who are at UQ form a friendly community and friendships continue after graduation.
Learning to use Japanese broadens the scope of one’s personal, social and professional networks, potential to travel, live and work in Japan and to function within Japanese circles in other parts of the world. Once learners of Japanese taste this experience, they are keen to maintain their Japanese connections and the language skills that facilitate them.
Students may study Japanese courses as an elective in their degree, complete a major or double major in Japanese, or continue to postgraduate studies in Japanese.
Japanese majors and double majors can be undertaken from
- introductory level, that is no previous knowledge of Japanese (stream A),or
- by students who have studied Year 12 Japanese at school (stream B) or
- by advanced students of Japanese who have completed Year 12 Japanese and have also spent more than six months studying in Japan or equivalent (stream C).
Separate courses and pathways apply for students in each category. Students who do not know their starting point (course) and pathway should contact the school for advice. Native speakers of Japanese or those with considerable proficiency in the language may not enrol in Japanese courses unless prior approval has been obtained from the relevant course coordinator
Courses approved for study towards a major or double major in Japanese are listed in the University’s Programs and Courses database, and they include
Stream A
Year 1
Semester 1 JAPN1010 Japanese 1 - Part 1 #4
Semester 2 JAPN2010 Japanese 1 - Part 2 #4
Year 2
Semester 1 JAPN2100 Japanese 2 - Part 1 #4
Semester 2 JAPN3000 Japanese 2 - Part 2 #4
Stream B
Year 1
Semester 1 JAPN1020 Continuing Japanese 1 #4
Semester 2 JAPN2020 Continuing Japanese 2 #2
Stream C
Year 1
Semester 1 JAPN3101 Continuing Japanese 3 #2
Semester 2 JAPN3102 Continuing Japanese 4 #2
Japanese courses
JAPN1010 Japanese 1 - Part 1
Designed to achieve solid foundation in basic modern Japanese focusing equally on all four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
JAPN1020 Continuing Japanese 1
Development of language skills through active involvement in a range of activities.
JAPN2010 Japanese 1 - Part 2
Designed to expand knowledge of basic grammar and vocabulary learnt in JAPN1100 and further develop reading and writing skills.
JAPN2020 Continuing Japanese 2
Further development of general language skills with a focus on narrative expression, service language and developing an argument.
JAPN2030 Stories Japanese
Building on JAPN1020, this course will extend students' knowledge and skills in Japanese languages in all four macro skills, particularly using various forms of stories (narrative and written). The course complements JAPN2020 Continuing Japanese 2.
JAPN2100 Japanese 2 - Part 1
Modern Japanese at intermediate level focusing equally on four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
JAPN3000 Japanese 2 - Part 2
Continued development of four skills acquired during JAPN2100.
JAPN3101 Continuing Japanese 3
Develop formal linguistic knowledge and accuracy, communication and learning strategies and communicative use of Japanese.
JAPN3102 Continuing Japanese 4
Further develop communication skills, particularly those related to academic research and communication.
JAPN3110 Talking Japan 1
This course will introduce students to various aspects of Japanese culture through the material under study. The material used in this course is unconventional both in its cultural and linguistic content being a collection of interview accounts by people living in Japan who are from diverse backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, gender, age and religion. The material will not only enrich students' experience of the target culture, but also develop their understanding of informal spoken features and conventions.
JAPN3120 Business Japanese 1
In this course students learn to use business specific language, in the development of their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The course also includes a cultural component focussing on Japanese business culture.
JAPN3130 Anime Japanese
This course will offer intensive language practice using various Japanese TV/radio broadcast programs, and aims to develop students' understanding of a variety of spoken styles, both formal & informal, as well as their critical cultural & linguistic literacy.
JAPN3140 Japanese Reader Writer: Developing reading & writing skills in Japanese
This course will offer intensive language practice using various reading and writing materials in Japanese. It aims to develop students' understanding in a variety of written styles, both formal and informal, as well as their knowledge in writing, especially kanji.
JAPN3200 Newspaper Japanese
This course develops students' ability to read Japanese newspaper articles through intensive reading of articles and discussion of contemporary social, economic and political topics.
JAPN3210 Polite Japanese Written & Spoken Styles
In this course students study Japanese in its social context. In particular they learn to use situational formulae, formal and polite spoken and written Japanese, and forms associated with speech-making.
JAPN3220 Talking Japan 2
Aims to develop full functional oral-aural proficiency in discussing Japanese on sociocultural issues in contemporary Japanese society including gender roles, youth culture and social diversity. Places equal emphasis on studies of society and people.
JAPN3230 Advanced Written Japanese
Aims to develop students' overall writing skills to advanced levels so they are able to present ideas comprehensively. Introduces students to basic skills in academic writing in order to produce a mini research paper on their selected topic.
JAPN3240 Modern Literary Texts
Intensive study of advanced Japanese textual styles through contemporary literary material. Students will improve their ability to read Japanese literature.
JAPN3250 Japanese Through Performance
The course offers viewing of authentic Japanese audio-visual materials, through which students will become familiar with the colloquial spoken Japanese. Scripts of these materials will be used to study the content, language and styles used.
JAPN3260 Business Japanese 2
Equips students with Japanese likely to be encountered in an everyday business situation in both written and spoken form. Students become familiar with language of business and perform business-type negotiations. Concepts specific to Japanese business etiquette.
JAPN3280 Japanese Language Teaching
This course aims to develop students' linguistic and content knowledge as well as an understanding of curricula and methodology relevant to foreign language teaching. The course is primarily targeted at current and future language teachers of Japanese, including those who may take on a private tutor's role, the course is also relevant to Japanese learners who are interested in teaching English in Japan or other countries, or teaching other foreign languages (eg Korean, Chinese).
Other Courses
COMU1002 Crossing Bridges: Communicating between Cultures
How people negotiate meaning across cultural boundaries, with special reference to the differing expressions of politeness, cultural sensitivity, negotiation, explicit and covert language, and their relation to local and international cultures.
LTCS1000 Issues in Contemporary Asia
Introduces students to breadth and diversity of contemporary Asian cultures. Issues such as religious change, population control, environment, ethnic conflicts and changing gender roles discussed.
LTCS2001 Women in Asian Literatures
Examines literature written by or about women in Asia. Framed within context of position of women in Asian cultures, this course explores interaction between gender, class, text and culture.
LTCS2004 Environment and Asia: a cross-cultural approach
Focusing on environmental issues in Asia, this course explores cultural aspects of contemporary environmentalism that tend to be absent in current environmental discourse. Although the approaches of Asian nations to these issues are often central to many environmental debates particularly in Australia, they are not well understood and are more often misunderstood, hindering sound management and regional cooperation.
LTCS2005 Japan and the World
Surveys Japan's cultural, economic and diplomatic links with other countries, especially Australia. No knowledge of Japanese language required.
LTCS2006 Japanese Popular Culture
Study of post-war Japanese popular cultural genres and their antecedents. Focus on impact of popular literature, drama, art, film, media, sport etc.
LTCS2013 Tales of the City: Representations of the Metropolis in Modern Culture
Through a focus on representations of the modern city in film and text, the course will pursue comparative approaches to the semiotics of culture and the 'reading' of cultural phenomena.
LTCS2030 Modern Japanese Literature & Society
Manner in which modern Japanese literature reflects issues of concern in Japanese society: family life, ageing population, war and individualism.
LTCS3006 Language and Society in Japan
This course will deepen students' understanding of the intellectual and social context of language in Japan and will provide them with a Japanese studies course that will further develop the research and writing skills needed for Honours. Capstone course for student completing a Double Major in Japanese (Stream A & B/C).
LTCS3007 Asian Studies Individual Studies Project
Individual guided reading and writing project in a selected area of Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Indonesian studies suited to each stuent's interests and skills. The project topic can be from such areas as langauge, literature, culture, society, religion and politics.
MSTU2001 From Buddha to Bruce Lee: Asian Visual Cultures
This course examines the interaction of visual cultures (art and film) within Asia, and between Asia and the `West'. We will focus especially on East Asia (China, Japan, and to a lesser extent Korea) and also include South-East Asia, especially Indonesia. Lectures will introduce students to the cross-cultural nature of art and more recently film in these societies.
SLAT2001 Introduction to Second Language Learning and Teaching
This course intends to complement language courses by exploring the process of second language learning and issues surrounding language teaching methodologies.
WRIT1001 Academic English Writing for Asian Language Speakers
Examines the overarching issues that have been found to cause problems for speakers of Asian languages in academic writing.
Honours Courses
JAPN6340 Advanced Japanese Language Skills
Individualised guided reading project on research topic; advanced training in reading, decoding information and summarising skills in Japanese.
JAPN6350 Special Topics in Language Studies
Students work individually with the supervisor, building their research and language skills and resources necessary for the writing of the thesis in the second semester.
JAPN6360 Special Topics in Cultural Studies
Students work individually with the supervisor, building their research and language skills and resources necessary for the writing of the thesis in the second semester.
JAPN6115 Thesis (Honours)
Fourth-year Honours thesis of approximately 15,000-20,000 words building on research skills acquired in the first semester.
LTCS6000 General Research Methods
The fundamental aspects of a thesis/dissertation including the nature and types of research, research quality and planning, honesty and ethics in research, developing a research problem and literature review, preparing a research proposal, and beginning to understand the nature and use of argument in research. The students will also be introduced to research being completed by academic staff in the areas of applied linguistics, cultural studies, and languages here in the School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies.
LTCS6360 Special Topics in Cultural Studies
This courses goes with JAPN6360.
This course introduces basis generic concepts in comparative cultural studies, through consideration of how cultures are represented and experienced through paradigms created by other cultures. The areas covered by lecturers are quite diverse, ranging from the experience of Chinese and Japanese diaspora communities and the construction of Latin American identities to German-Australian relations and French constructions of the 'oriental' Other. However, the course aims to assert the unity existing amid such diversity by identifying generic issues of cross-cultural contact, transfer and (mis)representation.
SLAT7706 Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching
This course goes with JAPN6350.
Introduction to applied linguistic concepts & to basic literature, with special emphasis on applications of linguistic theory to problems of first & second language acquisition & to language in social contexts.
LTCS6001 Doing Things with French Theory
Students must apply to the Honours coordinator for permission to do this course, which is outside the school honours structure.
Current work in the humanities pay a great deal of attention to what it calls "French Theory", and students perceive a need to be knowledgeable about these matters. Rather than merely provide an overview of the key concepts of the thinkers to be covered, however, this course stresses the need for close readings of the texts under consideration themselves and a subsequent application of the concepts discussed in the texts to other texts and objects.
For Postgraduate Students (not honours)
WRIT6001 Academic English Writing for Asian Language Speakers
This course seeks to develop, in native speakers of Asian languages, writing competence in academic English at the postgraduate level. It is especially aimed at students who are planning on writing extended research papers and theses.
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