Japanese Studies - JAPNA23931
Stream Summary
Faculty: ARTSC - Faculty of Arts&Social Science
School: School of Humanities and Languages
Contact: hal@unsw.edu.au
Program: 3931 - Advanced Science/Arts
Award(s):
Bachelor of Arts (Minor)
View stream information for previous years
Stream Outline
The minor stream in Japanese Studies provides students the opportunity to develop as competent users of the Japanese language with explicit knowledge of Japanese society and culture. Through provisions of Australia-Japan contact situations, students gain intercultural awareness and understanding, develop their knowledge of the language, cultures, societies and communities in Japan. The Japanese language plays a key role in expressing the cultures and identities of Japan. Japan is of increasing fundamental importance to Australia for political, strategic and economic reasons in realisation of Australia in the Asian Century. Thus, learning Japanese and developing competence in Japanese will provide students a privileged form of access to the cultural resources and complex patterns of life in Japan and beyond, take an important role in promoting relationships and mutual understanding between countries and peoples.
Aims of the Minor Stream
There are two main components of Japanese Studies. The first is a focus on the acquisition of competence in the target language. Acquiring target language competence involves a wide range of knowledge and understanding of sociocultural conventions as well as skills in self-expression, both oral and written, and skills in comprehending other’s expression, both oral and written. The second component is the study of aspects of the cultures and societies associated with the Japanese language. We draw upon other disciplines in order to inform understanding of Japanese culture. These disciplines include linguistic, literary, cultural, historical and social productions. Via the study of the Japanese language and associated disciplines, we aim:
1. to foster an awareness of Japan’s culture, history and society,
2. to develop informed understanding of human experiences, cultures, and societies in Japan,
3. to enable students to place contemporary Australian society and culture in an historical and comparative context vis a vis Japanese culture and society,
4. to develop the skills of critical, creative, and imaginative thinking about Japanese culture and society,
5. to promote the techniques and value of reasoned and open-minded discussion and debate,
6. to nurture positive attitudes toward intercultural communication in general and with the Japanese,
7. to promote learner autonomy.
This stream is available to students commencing at Introductory and Intermediate entry levels.
Placement Information
Students who wish to enrol in a language course without completing the necessary prerequisites are required to complete an online placement application form before the commencement of the semester.
For more information, please see the School Website.
For students admitted in their first year of study to ARTS2630 or higher on the grounds of ability and/or previous study, such courses will be counted as Level 1 courses in terms of degree requirements.
Aims of the Minor Stream
There are two main components of Japanese Studies. The first is a focus on the acquisition of competence in the target language. Acquiring target language competence involves a wide range of knowledge and understanding of sociocultural conventions as well as skills in self-expression, both oral and written, and skills in comprehending other’s expression, both oral and written. The second component is the study of aspects of the cultures and societies associated with the Japanese language. We draw upon other disciplines in order to inform understanding of Japanese culture. These disciplines include linguistic, literary, cultural, historical and social productions. Via the study of the Japanese language and associated disciplines, we aim:
1. to foster an awareness of Japan’s culture, history and society,
2. to develop informed understanding of human experiences, cultures, and societies in Japan,
3. to enable students to place contemporary Australian society and culture in an historical and comparative context vis a vis Japanese culture and society,
4. to develop the skills of critical, creative, and imaginative thinking about Japanese culture and society,
5. to promote the techniques and value of reasoned and open-minded discussion and debate,
6. to nurture positive attitudes toward intercultural communication in general and with the Japanese,
7. to promote learner autonomy.
This stream is available to students commencing at Introductory and Intermediate entry levels.
Placement Information
Students who wish to enrol in a language course without completing the necessary prerequisites are required to complete an online placement application form before the commencement of the semester.
For more information, please see the School Website.
For students admitted in their first year of study to ARTS2630 or higher on the grounds of ability and/or previous study, such courses will be counted as Level 1 courses in terms of degree requirements.
Stream Structure
A student who wishes to gain a minor stream in Japanese Studies must complete 36 units of credit in approved courses.
If a student commences the language studies sequence at Introductory Japanese B, they must go on to complete Intermediate Japanese B. In order to have the 36 UOC for the minor a student must complete a further 18 UOC in contextual courses or Advanced Japanese A or B.
If a student commences the language studies sequence at Intermediate Japanese B, they must go on to complete Advanced B. In order to have the 36 UOC for the minor a student must complete a further 18 UOC in contextual courses or professional studies courses or Professional Japanese A or B.
Note: A student who has achieved a higher level of study in a language course is not permitted to study a lower level language course.
If a student commences the language studies sequence at Introductory Japanese B, they must go on to complete Intermediate Japanese B. In order to have the 36 UOC for the minor a student must complete a further 18 UOC in contextual courses or Advanced Japanese A or B.
If a student commences the language studies sequence at Intermediate Japanese B, they must go on to complete Advanced B. In order to have the 36 UOC for the minor a student must complete a further 18 UOC in contextual courses or professional studies courses or Professional Japanese A or B.
Note: A student who has achieved a higher level of study in a language course is not permitted to study a lower level language course.
Introductory Level
Level 1
- ARTS1630 Introductory Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS1631 Introductory Japanese B (6 UOC)
Level 2
- ARTS2630 Intermediate Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS2631 Intermediate Japanese B (6 UOC)
And
12 UOC from any of the following:
- Japanese Contextual Studies Courses
- ARTS3630 Advanced Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS3631 Advanced Japanese B (6 UOC)
Intermediate Level
Level 1
- ARTS2630 Intermediate Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS2631 Intermediate Japanese B (6 UOC)
Level 2
- ARTS3630 Advanced Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS3631 Advanced Japanese B (6 UOC)
And
12 UOC from any of the following:
- ARTS3632 Professional Japanese A (6 UOC)
- ARTS3633 Professional Japanese B (6 UOC)
- Japanese Contextual Studies Courses
- Japanese Professional Studies Courses
Japanese Contextual Studies Courses
- ARTS2663 Korea and Japan (6 UOC)
- ARTS3636 Japanese Studies Capstone (6 UOC)
- ARTS3639 Japan in Popular Culture (6 UOC)
- ARTS3640 Japan and Korea (6 UOC)
The following courses from other subject areas can also be counted towards the Japanese Studies minor stream:
- ARTS2908 Premodern Japan (6 UOC)
- ARTS3219 Japanese Society (6 UOC)
Japanese Professional Studies Courses
- ARTS3638 Manga and Anime (6 UOC)
- ARTS3642 Japanese Discourse Analysis (6 UOC)
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