Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Language and Literature

The Japanese major provides a distinctive combination of analytical, interpersonal, translingual and transcultural competencies that make students sophisticated and engaged global citizens able to move between languages and cultures in a thoughtful and nuanced manner. The major offers language courses from beginning to advanced levels that develop the ability to read, write, listen and speak effectively in Japanese, as well as connect students with more specialized knowledge in their individual areas of interest, giving them the skills needed to further explore such topics in their own subsequent research or self-study outside the classroom. Students also come to develop an appreciation for contemporary Japanese social and cultural values through their engagement with the language. Content courses on Japanese literature and culture in English provide thematic breadth and historical depth to this understanding by familiarizing students with texts representing more than a millennium of writings including some of the globe's earliest and most distinguished literary works, and by honing their appreciation of the ways in which the translation and interpretations of these texts are shaped by historical, cultural, social, and linguistic forms of difference.

High School Transcripts.
Typically, the most important factor in the admission evaluation process is demonstrated academic achievement in a challenging secondary school program.
The admission committee looks for applicants who have completed the most rigorous academic courses available in their secondary schools and recommends that prospective students should exceed minimum high school graduation requirements. We require an official transcript. The secondary program should include no fewer than 16 academic courses and must include the following courses:

English 4 units
Mathematics 4 units
Foreign Language 2 units
Science (from among biology, chemistry, and physics) 2 units (*)
Social Studies 1 unit

A TOEFL or IELTS score should not be more than two years old. Depending on the school, most admitted graduate students attain a minimum total score of 90 on the internet-based (iBT) TOEFL (including sectional minimums of 22 in speaking, 22 in writing, 23 in reading and 23 in listening). The minimum paper-based TOEFL score requirement is usually 600, and the minimum IELTS score requirement is 7.0.