Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Literatures - Japanese

Studying Japanese brings career opportunities for international business. Indeed there is tremendous opportunity for someone who is fluent in Japanese in the state of Tennessee. There are 151 Japanese-owned companies in Tennessee, employing more than 38,000 Tennesseans and accounting for cumulative capital investments of more than 9 billion. Also, Japanese culture, both traditional and pop culture, has become part of international culture. Studying Japanese will give you direct access to Japanese traditional art forms such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, Zen garden, architecture, film, fashion, cuisine, animations, and literature. It not only enriches your life but also greatly expands your future career The University of Memphis is the only institution in the mid-south region to offer the Japanese major.
The Department of World Languages and Literatures offers instruction in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The Department has thirty faculty members actively engaged in research, instruction, and service.
The University of Memphis offers a bachelor's degree in World Languages, with single-language concentrations in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish; more limited programs are offered in Arabic, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, and Russian. The Master of Arts is offered in Romance Languages, with a concentration in either French or Spanish. Courses are available in literature, linguistics, civilization, and language for specific purposes.

The study of a world language is central to the international mission of the University, since it offers the student a deeper appreciation of a different culture. As the United States continues to increase its involvement in foreign trade, tourism, and international cooperative ventures, an awareness and an understanding of the culture and civilization of those countries become indispensable for the enlightened and literate individual.

Required Transcripts: Applicants must arrange for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation to receive official copies of academic records of the applicant’s attendance at secondary school, college, university, and professional institutions of learning. These transcripts must be sent directly from the high school or college to the University of Memphis. An exception is made for those who hold the bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in that they need not send their secondary school records. Records should list the subjects studied and the grade, mark, or other evidence that each individual subject was completed to the satisfaction of the authorities in charge. If it is impossible for the school to send us an official copy, copies certified by an official at the American Embassy or a known world organization may be acceptable. All records must be in English. Since certificates and records filed for examination are not ordinarily returned, applicants should send certified copies if the documents in question cannot be easily replaced. Freshman Test Required: Applicants to the first year undergraduate level must submit scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Program (ACT). These tests are available only in English. All test scores should be sent directly from the testing agency or the high school to the University of Memphis. Required Test of English Proficiency, for Non-English Speaking Applicants: All applicants whose native language is not English or their primary education was not taught in English must demonstrate English proficiency. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are the standard methods to satisfy the English proficiency requirement. All other methods should be approved by the Office of Admissions and Orientation. The minimum overall TOEFL score considered for undergraduate admission to the University of Memphis is sixty-one (61) on the internet-based test (iIBT) or five hundred (500) on the paper-based test (PBT). The equivalent score on the IELTS is a six (6). TOEFL information may be obtained by writing: TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, U.S.A. IELTS information may be found at their website https://www.ielts.org. All test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to the University of Memphis. Outstanding high school students who have completed the sophomore year may be admitted and register for one college course per term of enrollment concurrently provided they supply evidence of the following: