Japanese BA

About the Major

Japanese is a very popular major offering a broad range of courses in Japanese language, literature, linguistics, theater, religion, and film. Students must achieve advanced proficiency in modern spoken and written Japanese, as well as broad, detailed knowledge of Japanese premodern, modern, and contemporary culture. Students who complete this major have the linguistic and cultural competence to work in various fields related to Japan, including business, finance, trade, journalism, diplomacy, cultural institutions and non-profit organizations, education, and academia.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrated advanced written and oral knowledge of the Japanese language
2. Demonstrated broad knowledge of Japanese cultural history from ancient times to the present
3. Demonstrated specific skills and expertise, including research, analysis, and writing, of a specialized topic in the study of Japanese language and culture
4. Ability to identify primary sources in Japanese and analyze them within their historical and cultural context
5. Working knowledge of scholarly discourse on a specialized topic in Japanese culture
6. Conception and execution of research projects that identify and engage with a specialized topic in Japanese culture

Curriculum & Requirements

All students who wish to take an Asian language course at UCLA must take the appropriate language placement exam (see ALC website for more information). The exam determines which course is most appropriate for the student’s current level of proficiency. Students who have obtained college credit for a class may not repeat those courses for credit.

The Japanese major is based on the following two pillars: Language Acquisition and Humanities-based Interdisciplinary Study

• All majors will graduate with at least a 3rd-year level of Japanese, having acquired advanced-level proficiency in Korean language or beyond
• All majors will graduate with discipline-specific knowledge of Japan, fulfilled through upper-division courses in literature, linguistics, history, or religion.
• Majors will also develop analytical and literary foundations by completing one Japan-based General Education (GE) course and one Japanese literature course.
• Majors are required to take at least two upper-division electives in Asian, China, Korean, South Asia, or Southeast Asia (includes Vietnamese electives)

Faculty in Japanese Studies