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Japanese Major Requirements

THE MAJOR IN JAPANESE LANGUAGE & CULTURE requires 27 upper-level (300-level or above) units, no more than 12 of which may be in language.

Prerequisites:

  1. 1st- and 2nd-level Modern Japanese or the equivalent.
  2. Japanese 226C (Japanese Civilization).

Requirements:

  1. Japanese 458-459 (4th-level Modern Japanese language) or the equivalent.
  2. A minimum of one semester of Pre-modern Japanese (Japanese 460 or 461) or the equivalent. Japanese 460 can only be counted as a language course; Japanese 461 may be counted as either a language or a literature course.
  3. Japanese 332 (Japanese Literature: Beginnings to Nineteenth Century) and Japanese 333 (The Modern Voice in Japanese Literature).
  4. Three additional upper-level courses in Japanese literature and/or culture.
  5. A capstone experience (prime majors).  Students may satisfy the capstone requirement in one of two ways, both of which require a presentation in the EALC Senior Symposium in the spring. Writing Intensive courses cannot fulfill the Capstone requirement.
    • Successful completion of a senior honors thesis.  This option, which also entitles the student to Latin Honors, requires a minimum of a 3.65 GPA.  The thesis is researched and written over two semesters, for a total of 6 units which are in addition to the 27 upper-units required for the major.
    • Successful completion of an approved 400-level seminar course, to be taken during the senior year.  This course may be included among the three additional required upper-level courses for the major.

Additional Notes

  1. Students must earn at least a B- language courses in order to continue to the next level.  They must also maintain a B- average in all required courses for the major. Students who do not meet this requirement may either repeat the course/s in question or earn at least a B- in an approved equivalent course or courses (either during the summer or in a study abroad program).
  2. Courses for the major and minor may not be taken Credit/No Credit.
  3. No more than 6 units of transfer or study abroad non-language courses may be applied to the major.
  4. No more than 3 units of Independent Study may be applied towards the required upper-level 27 units.
  5. For information on how to declare a major, click here.