Description
Japanese Studies at the ANU covers the fields of history, religion, gender and cultural studies (including literature and film studies), politics, economics, sociology and education.
A Japanese studies major provides students with a solid foundation upon which to develop both general and specialist interests in Japanese society, culture, history, Japan’s place in Asia and its role in the world. As a nation central to Australia’s interests an engagement with scholarship on Japan is invaluable. The Japanese studies major is designed to complement the Japanese language major, though knowledge of the Japanese language is not required for courses in the Japanese studies major.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of a Bachelor degree with a major in Japanese Studies, graduates will be able to:
- Speak and write about theories, factual content and research approaches relevant to Japanese Studies.
- Identify relevant regional and international literature relevant to Japanese Studies.
- Determine the processes through which current knowledge about Japanese Studies has been developed.
Course Lists
The course lists in the "Requirements" section below is a definitive list and includes all courses that can be counted towards the major, whether or not they are offered in the current year. For a list of courses that will be offered in the current year, please see the Summary of Courses page.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Speak and write about theories, factual content and research approaches relevant to Japanese Studies;
2. Identify relevant regional and international literature relevant to Japanese Studies;
3. Demonstrate an analytic understanding of the meanings that have been attached to the variety of Japanese experiences
4. Determine the processes through which current knowledge about Japanese Studies has been developed;
5. Marshal evidence in support of arguments, and construct analytical narratives in response to empirical and theoretical research.
Other Information
The following courses can only be included if the material covered lies within the discipline of Japanese Studies, in the judgment of the major coordinator:- ASIA3006 Practical Assignment in Asia and the Pacific
- ASIA3012 Readings in Asian Societies and Histories
- ASIA3026 Advanced topics in Asian Studies
Areas of Interest
- Cultural Studies
- History
- International Relations
- Asian Studies
- Asia Pacific Studies
- Literature
- Asia-Pacific Studies
- Politics
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
Major Requirements
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:
12 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA1025 | Asia and the Pacific: Power, diversity and change | 6 |
| ASIA1030 | Asia and the Pacific in Motion | 6 |
| ASIA1035 | Introduction to Asian Politics | 6 |
12 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA2009 | Modern Japan: the state and the society from Meiji to the present | 6 |
| ASIA2058 | Japanese Popular Culture: Manga, Anime, Film & the Visual Arts | 6 |
| ASIA2095 | Japanese Literature in Translation | 6 |
24 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH3024 | In the footprints of Siddhartha: The Archaeology of Buddhism | 6 |
| ARTV2052 | Introducing Asian Modernisms | 6 |
| ARTV2053 | Contemporary Asian Art | 6 |
| ASIA2001 | Language in Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2017 | International Relations in North East Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2016 | The Mongol Empire in World History | 6 |
| ASIA2031 | Japanese Politics | 6 |
| ASIA2045 | The Investigative Historian in Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2074 | Popular Culture in East Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2092 | Gender, Labour and Capitalism in East Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2174 | Mysticism | 6 |
| ASIA2251 | Buddhist Thought | 6 |
| ASIA2304 | What is Literature? Asian Perspectives | 6 |
| ASIA2309 | Education and Social Change in Modern Japan | 6 |
| ASIA3006 | Practical Assignment in Asia and the Pacific | 6-12 |
| ASIA3011 | Samurai Society and Social Control in Japan | 6 |
| ASIA3012 | Readings in Asian Societies and Histories | 6 |
| ASIA3026 | Special Topics in Asian Studies | 6-12 |
| ECHI2109 | Asian Giants: India, China and Japan; Alternate Paths to Prosperity(P) | 6 |
| HIST2136 | World at War, 1939-1945 | 6 |
| INTR2018 | Japan's Security Dilemmas | 6 |
| PASI2006 | War in the Islands: The Second World War in the Pacific | 6 |