BA Japanese Studies

Our BA Japanese Studies programme will take you to advanced proficiency in spoken and written Japanese, while developing an in-depth understanding of Japan and its people. Graduate with linguistic, intellectual, and practical skills that will open doors to careers across the world.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or have studied Japanese before, you’ll develop your all-round Japanese skills through intensive classroom teaching and support for your own independent language learning. You’ll learn to express your ideas, converse fluently and translate accurately, developing a high level of spoken and written Japanese..

You’ll study more broadly and in finer detail about Japanese culture, society, and history through courses taught by world-class experts in their fields; developing critical and analytical skills needed for career success. You’ll spend your third year in Japan, putting your language skills into practice and experiencing Japanese society first-hand. In your final year, you’ll write a dissertation on your chosen topic, advised by a supervisor.

The course unit details listed below are the latest example of the curriculum available on this programme and are subject to change. Although language units may show here as optional, they are a mandatory part of your degree and you will take the units relevant to your level of language in each year of study. Beginners or near-beginners in Japanese take Japanese Language 1 and 2 in their first year, progressing to Japanese Language 3 and 4 in their second year. Those with A Level Japanese or equivalent take Japanese Language 3 and 4 in their first year, progressing to Japanese Language 5 in their second year. All students take Japanese Language 6 in their final year.

We have partnerships with over 25 universities across Japan, providing you with a considerable choice of study abroad options. Many exchange students come to Manchester from our Japanese partner universities each year, so you can get to know Japanese peers even before you study abroad.

Join the University’s student-run Japan Society, one of over 30 international and language-related student societies offering lively social activities and cultural experiences. Additionally, you can participate in the Japan Society North West’s exciting range of events such as sushi-making demonstrations, Taiko drumming workshops, and dining experiences. Contemporary Japanese films are regularly shown at cinemas such as HOME Manchester.

You will learn Japanese language in small-group interactive classes. Most of your classes will be taught by Japanese native speakers, especially for speaking and writing, with lecturers teaching some reading comprehension and translation into English.

From Japanese Language 3 onward, your language learning includes an Independent Language Learning Portfolio that supports you in reading Japanese texts of your choosing and reflecting on your methods and approaches. This develops your linguistic skills and independent learning ability.

In what we call content courses, you will study Japan’s culture, society, and history in a mixture of lectures and smaller-group seminars. You’ll be taught by world experts who will provide you with essential understanding, direct you to critical reading, and help you ask key analytical questions.

Wherever you are in the world, your learning will be facilitated 24/7 by digital access to electronic books, journal articles, dictionaries, and databases of Japanese newspapers through the university library. On campus, enjoy using the library’s dedicated East Asian Studies section with an expansive range of Japanese works.

Applicants should be aware that learning Japanese is very intensive. In Year 1, you will have approximately 18 contact hours in formal study sessions (8-9 hours of which will be dedicated to Japanese language). For every hour spent at University, you will be expected to complete a further 2-3 hours of independent study. You will also need to study during the holiday periods.

You will be assessed in various ways, including:

• written and oral examinations;
• presentations;
• coursework (which may include library research, linguistic fieldwork and data collection, or web-based research);
• in your final year, a dissertation based on a research topic of your choice.

Assessment methods are designed to be appropriate for each course unit. Assessment for Japanese language courses includes coursework assignments as well as final written and oral examinations. Assessment methods used in content courses vary, ranging from coursework essays and in-class presentations to shorter pieces of written work and final examinations. Please see the individual course unit listings for more information.

The University Language Centre is home to language resources, including a new interpreting suite, purpose-built recording rooms, and resources for more than 70 languages.  

The Centre also offers multilingual word processing, language learning software, off-air recording and AV duplication, multilingual terrestrial and satellite TV, and extensive support and advice for learners.  

Learn more at facilities