Japanese Language Minor

Total units 24 Units

Areas of interest Asian Languages, Asian Studies, Asia Pacific Studies, Language Studies, Asia-Pacific Studies
Minor code JPNS-MIN

Academic career Undergraduate

Description

Japanese is the national language of Japan, a nation that is not only one of Australia's major trading partners, but is also a country with which many young Australians have deep personal ties. Japanese is the most popular foreign language in Australian schools and universities and the depth of the ties between Australia and Japan mean that knowledge of the language will be a valuable asset for many years to come. Studying Japanese as a minor can have many linguistic and cultural benefits that reach well beyond the classroom.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this minor, students will have the knowledge and skills at an Advanced Beginner level of Japanese to:
1. Use an active spoken vocabulary of around 600 items, and a passive vocabulary of around 1200 items;
2. Use an active written vocabulary of around 300 kanji and a passive vocabulary of around 500 kanji;
3. Use grammatical points and constructions necessary to produce and comprehend various basic sentences in both spoken and written Japanese;
4. Read and compose 1200 characters long passages on topics which including family, daily routines, interpersonal relationships, cultural traditions, and everyday life;
5. Communicate in both writing and speaking using strategies to produce natural colloquial Japanese;
6. Demonstrate an understanding of socio-cultural issues in past and present Japanese society, including such topics as social structures, traditional arts and crafts, and everyday life.

Other Information

A student may not take a course that is a prerequisite or a lower level than a course which they have already passed.

Students that are commencing language studies who have prior knowledge of the language will be required to take a placement test before enrolling for the first time. Students will not be permitted to enrol in a course at a lower than the level they achieve in the placement test, and may be exempted from compulsory courses.

For information on the Japanese language proficiency test please click here.

Some of the JPNS course names (and codes) have changed from 2018. The new names are given below together with old codes and names in brackets. Those courses which are affected are given below.

JPNS1012 Japanese 1: Spoken (JPNS1012 Spoken Japanese 1)
JPNS1014 Japanese 1: Written (JPNS1014 Written Japanese A )
JPNS2003 Japanese 2: Spoken (JPNS2003 Spoken Japanese 2)
JPNS2005 Japanese 2: Written (JPNS2005 Written Japanese B)
JPNS2012 Japanese 3 (JPNS2012 Spoken Japanese 3)
JPNS2013 Japanese 4 (JPNS2013 Spoken Japanese 4)
JPNS3001 Japanese 5 (JPNS2014 Written Japanese C)
JPNS3002 Japanese 6 (JPNS2015 Written Japanese D)
JPNS3023 Research Topics in Japanese: History & Society (JPNS3023 Advanced Readings in Japanese A)
JPNS3024 Research Topics in Japanese: International Relations & Politics (JPNS3024 Advanced Readings in Japanese B)
ASIA2103 Language in Asia and the Pacific (L) (ASIA2103 Language in Asia (L))
ASIA2098 Asian and Pacific Studies Internship (ASIA3006 Practical Assignment in Asia and the Pacific)

Relevant Degrees

Back to the top

Requirements

This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:

24 units from completion of the following course(s):

Code	Title	Units
JPNS1012	Japanese 1: Spoken	6
JPNS1014	Japanese 1: Written	6
JPNS2003	Japanese 2: Spoken	6
JPNS2005	Japanese 2: Written	6
JPNS2012	Japanese 3	6
JPNS2013	Japanese 4	6
JPNS3001	Japanese 5	6
JPNS3002	Japanese 6	6
JPNS2024	Japanese Grammar and Expressions	6
JPNS2525	Learning Language Locally: Japan	6
JPNS3005	Advanced Japanese: Issues in Contemporary Japan	6
JPNS3006	Advanced Japanese: Language in Context	6
JPNS3007	Advanced Japanese: Readings in Culture and Society	6
JPNS3008	Advanced Japanese: Readings in Literature	6
JPNS3012	Teaching Japanese: Content	6
JPNS3013	Japanese - English Translation	6
JPNS3014	Teaching Japanese: Method	6
JPNS3023	Research Topics in Japanese: History & Society	6
JPNS3024	Research Topics in Japanese: International Relations & Politics	6
JPNS3102	Debating Japan: Contemporary Intellectual Debates	6

Back to the top