Graduate School Bulletin
Spring 2025
JPN: Japanese Language
JPN 501: Advanced Japanese I
An advanced course designed to strengthen students' ability to understand and speak the Japanese language. Students are required to prepare selected texts and to read and translate them in class. They also write essays based on the texts as well as on Japanese videos.
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 502: Advanced Japanese II
The second part of an advanced course in Chinese deigned to strengthen students' ability to understand and speak the Japanese language. Students are required to prepare selected texts and to read and translate them in class. They also write essays based on the texts as well as on Japanese videos.
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 510: Business Japanese
A course designed for students who wish to expand their Japanese communication skills in a business context and understand socio-economic situations as well as socio-cultural values in Japan. Upon completing this course, students will be able to hold conversations with correct business vocabulary and with culturally appropriate manners, read authentic materials related to business and economics in Japan, and write business correspondence in proper styles and formats. Advisory Prerequisite: JPN 312 3 credits
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 511: Advanced Japanese III
An advanced course designed for the fourth-year students of Japanese to strengthen their ability to understand, speak, read, and write Japanese. Students will read a variety of Japanese texts including newspaper/magazine articles, biographies, and literary works and write creatively and/or professionally using sophisticated vocabulary and advanced kanji characters. Students will also be trained to comprehend authentic spoken Japanese, using a variety of audio-visual materials and to communicate in Japanese, applying appropriate socio-cultural norms. Not intended for international students from Japan who are part of a two-plus-two or exchange program. Advisory Prerequisite: JPN 312
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 512: Advanced Japanese IV
An advanced course designed for the fourth-year students of Japanese to strengthen their ability to understand, speak, read, and write Japanese. Students will read a variety of Japanese texts including newspaper/magazine articles, biographies, and literary works and write creatively and/or professionally using sophisticated vocabulary and advanced kanji characters. Students will also be trained to comprehend authentic spoken Japanese, using a variety of audio-visual materials and to communicate in Japanese, applying appropriate socio-cultural norms. Not intended for international students from Japan who are part of a two-plus-two or exchange program. Advisory Prerequisite: JPN 312
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 526: Structure of Japanese
The study of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, and writing systems of the Japanese language as well as the use and functions of the language in relation to the social structures and interpersonal relationships.
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 545: Learning of Asian Languages
This course will analyze the cognitive processes involved in the acquisition of Asian languages as second or foreign languages. We will start with a discussion of first language acquisition and compare it with second language acquisition (SLA). Methodologies such as contrastive analysis and error analysis, and concepts such as interlanguage, native and non-native competence, bilingual competence, acceptability, correctness, standard language will be critically examined. We will also consider the variables that affect SLA, including age, context, exposure, attitude, cognition, attention and motivation. Special attention will be given to the applicability of current research paradigms and findings to the acquisition of languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Hindi, both in terms of their structural characteristics and in their socio-cultural context.
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
JPN 585: Translation Studies of Asian Language
Inquiry into issues in the translation of Asian languages into/from English. This course introduces the recent theories and concepts of translation studies and applies them to the analysis of a variety of Asian texts as source texts or target texts. Students are expected to gain insights into the lexical, grammatical, cognitive, pragmatic, and socio-cultural characteristics of Asian languages as well as social and political issues that surround translation of Asian texts. Texts to be analyzed include, but are not limited to, literary works, newspaper articles, advertisements, brochures, and business letters. Intermediate to advanced proficiency in one of the Asian languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean is needed.
3 credits, Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)
