Japanese Major (Draft)

Exciting changes are coming in Fall 2022 to the Japanese major and minor requirements! No worries, though—we’re here to help. 

If you have declared Japanese as your major or minor prior to Fall 2022, absolutely no changes for you! Simply review the Old Requirement Section below and complete your course work as planned. If you have any questions, please make an appointment with your academic advisor.

If you declare Japanese as your major or minor after the new degree requirements become effective as of Fall 2022, you will fulfill the new set of requirements. Refer to the New Requirement Section below for more details. Even if you do not have any questions, it is a good idea to meet with your academic advisor to make an academic plan for the rest of your undergraduate program at MSU:)

If you have already declared Japanese as your major or minor prior to Fall 2022 but would like to fulfill the new degree requirements, please discuss this option with your academic advisor. 

Requirements for the major are designed to give you a solid foundation in the Japanese language, as well as a broad and nuanced understanding of its culture, history and society.  In addition to completing four years of Japanese or their equivalent, majors also take courses in Japanese pre-modern, modern and contemporary culture. Majors must also complete a capstone experience and experiential education experience, which may be satisfied through education abroad or similar. 

 

Japanese Major
Additional Japanese Major
Japanese Teaching Major

Old Requirements
(prior to Fall 2022)

Japanese Major (31 credits)

  1. All of the following courses:
    1. JPN 202: Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    2. JPN 301: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    3. JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    4. JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    5. JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits)
    6. JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits)
    7. JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
  2. Two of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    2. JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    3. JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  3. Completion of a capstone experience:
    1. This requirement may be satisfied by completing special assignments in a 400-level JPN course or approved language study or internship in Japan at the 300 or 400-level.
  4. Cognate requirement:
    1. A cognate of 15 credits in the field of East Asian Studies approved by the department advisor. At least one course must be at the 300-400 level. Cognate requirement is waived if completing a teacher certification.
  5. College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    1. Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.

New Requirements
(effective of Fall 2022)

Japanese Major (31 credits)

  1. All of the following courses:
    1. JPN 202: Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    2. JPN 301: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    3. JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    4. JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    5. JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits) 
  2. Both of the following courses (6 credits):
    1. JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits)
    2. JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
  3. Three of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 260: Japanese Cinema (3 credits)
    2. JPN 261: Japanese Culture and Anime (3 credits)
    3. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    4. JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    5. JPN 460: Media and Culture in Japan (3 credits)
    6. JPN 461: Japanese Children’s Literature and Cultural Translation (3 credits)
    7. JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  4. Completion of a capstone experience:
    1. This requirement may be satisfied by completion of an approved education abroad or internship experience in Japan or by completion of JPN 492 Capstone Project
  5. Cognate requirement:
    1. To fulfill the college cognate requirement of 15 credits, students are encouraged to consider a cognate in the field of East Asian Studies.
  6. Study Abroad:
    1. Students with a primary major in Japanese are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad experience approved by the Japanese program. Michigan State University study abroad programs are available at various sites in Japan throughout the year
  7. College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    1. Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.
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Old Requirements
(prior to Fall 2022)

Additional Major in Japanese

(28 credits)

This option is designed to encourage students to combine a major in Japanese with a major in another field.

  1. All of the following courses:
    1. JPN 202: Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    2. JPN 301: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    3. JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    4. JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    5. JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits)
  2. Two of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits)
    2. JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
  3. One of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    2. JPN 431: Advanced Spoken Language (3 credits)
    3. JPN 441: Japanese Short Stories (3 credits)
    4. JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    5. JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  4. College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    1. Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.

New Requirements
(effective of Fall 2022)

Additional Major in Japanese

(28 credits)

This option is designed to encourage students to combine a major in Japanese with a major in another field.

  • All of the following courses:
    • JPN 202: Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    • JPN 301: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    • JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    • JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    • JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits)
  • Both of the following courses (6 credits):
    • JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits)
    • JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
  • One of the following elective courses:
    • JPN 260: Japanese Cinema (3 credits)
    • JPN 261: Japanese Culture and Anime (3 credits)
    • JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    • JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    • JPN 460: Media and Culture in Japan (3 credits)
    • JPN 461: Japanese Children’s Literature and Cultural Translation (3 credits)
    • JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  • College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    • Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.

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Old Requirements
(prior to Fall 2022)

Teaching Major in Japanese

(31 credits)

  1. All of the following courses:
    1. JPN 202:Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    2. JPN 201: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    3. JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    4. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    5. JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    6. JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits)
    7. JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits
    8. JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
    9. LLT 307: Teaching Methods (3 credits)
  2. One of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 431: Advanced Spoken Language (3 credits)
    2. JPN 441: Japanese Short Stories (3 credits)
    3. JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    4. JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  3. Completion of a capstone experience:
    1. This requirement may be satisfied by completing special assignments in a 400-level JPN course or approved language study or internship in Japan at the 300 or 400-level.
  4. College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    1. Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.

New Requirements
(effective of Fall 2022)

Teaching Major in Japanese

(31 credits)

  1. All of the following courses:
    1. JPN 202:Second-Year Japanese II (5 credits)
    2. JPN 201: Third-Year Japanese I (4 credits)
    3. JPN 302: Third-Year Japanese II (4 credits)
    4. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    5. JPN 401: Fourth-Year Japanese I (3 credits)
    6. JPN 402: Fourth-Year Japanese II (3 credits)
    7. JPN 369: Japanese Literature and Culture I (3 credits
    8. JPN 469: Japanese Literature and Culture II (3 credits)
    9. LLT 307: Teaching Methods (3 credits)
  2. One of the following elective courses:
    1. JPN 260: Japanese Cinema (3 credits)
    2. JPN 261: Japanese Culture and Anime (3 credits)
    3. JPN 350: Studies in Japanese Language (3 credits)
    4. JPN 451: Advanced Japanese for Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation (3 credits)
    5. JPN 460: Media and Culture in Japan (3 credits)
    6. JPN 461: Japanese Children’s Literature and Cultural Translation (3 credits)
    7. JPN 491: Topics in Japanese Studies (1-3 credits)
  3. Completion of a capstone experience:
    1. This requirement may be satisfied by completing special assignments in a 400-level JPN course or approved language study or internship in Japan at the 300 or 400-level.
  4. College of Arts & Letters Experiential Requirement:
    1. Earn a minimum of 3 credits in one of the following experiential education options through an associated course approved by the College: internship, service/community engaged service learning experience, undergraduate research or creative project directed by a faculty member, a study abroad program, or a study away program.

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