Undergraduate Major in Japanese

Japanese Major

The Japanese Program at the University of Maryland offers a wide range of courses on the language, literature, and linguistics of Japan. The program features Japanese language instruction from beginning to advanced levels, and provides training in both spoken and written Japanese. For the first three years, the program incorporates multimedia CD-ROM materials. Additionally, several courses in Japanese language for special purposes are offered on a rotating basis, including Business Japanese, Newspaper Japanese, Advanced Translation, and Classical Japanese. We welcome students with no prior exposure to Japanese as well as those with extensive backgrounds, including heritage speakers.

Japanese Major Requirements

The Japanese major provides the training and cultural background needed for entering East Asia-related careers in such fields as higher education, the arts, business, government, international relations, agriculture, or the media. Students may also consider a double major in Japanese and another discipline, such as business, international relations, economics, or journalism. After completing the prerequisite of one year of language (12 credits): JAPN 101 (Elementary Japanese I; six hours per week, fall); and JAPN 102 (Elementary Japanese II; six hours per week, spring), students must complete 42 credits for the major course requirements (24 language, six civilization/history, 12 elective).

Students must take language-acquisition courses sequentially. Once credit has been received in a higher-level language acquisition or grammar course, a lower-level course may not be taken for credit.

	Requirements	Credits
	Language:
JAPN201	Intermediate Japanese I	6
JAPN202	Intermediate Japanese II	6
JAPN301	Advanced Japanese I	6
JAPN302	Advanced Japanese II	6
	Civilization/History:
	Option I:
HIST284	East Asian Civilization I	3
HIST483	History of Japan Since 1800	3
	Option II:
HIST285	East Asian Civilization II	3
HIST482	History of Japan to 1800	3
ELECT	Electives: Electives (300-level or above)	12

Note: Electives must be in Japanese language, literature, linguistics, or other East Asian subjects (one must be in the area of Japanese linguistics and one in the area of Japanese literature), and are subject to approval by the student's advisor.

To Sign Up for the Major

If you are declaring a major for the first time, you will need to do the following:
1. Download the JAPN Major Requirements handout and the Major Sign-Up Form from our website.
2. Download the JAPN major four year plan form.
3. Read through both handouts carefully.
4. On the JAPN major sign-up form, type out your contact information (there are fields set up in the PDF file for you to do this online), and fill in the semester, course numbers, and grades for any JAPN major requirements you've already completed.
5. Send an email to the JAPN advisor with a request to make an appointment at a mutually convenient time, or stop by during the advisor's office hours to see if s/he is available to meet with you. If you email the advisor, attach a copy of your sign-up form with the relevant fields filled out; if you stop by in person, bring a print-out with you. Also bring a copy of the 4-year plan form with you for the JAPN advisor to sign.
6. Call (301) 405-2108 to make an appointment to see an advisor in the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) to discuss your four-year plan, including CORE courses. You will need to bring your 4-year plan form with you after having it signed by the JAPN advisor.
7. If you are changing your major from another department to JAPN:
  Follow the instructions in #1 above; you do not need to report the change to your home department/college.
If you are adding JAPN as an additional major to one in another department:
Check with your home department and college to see if there is paperwork you need to complete.

Advising

Undergraduate Major Advisor

Dr. Bob Ramsey (email)
Room 2106G Jimenez Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-4256

Please contact Dr. Ramsey for major advising, general questions about the program, graduation requirements, transfer credits and other information. Note: For questions regarding placement tests, waiting lists, and oversubscription in Japanese language courses JAPN101-302, contact jpn-advise@umd.edu.

Advisor for the Japanese Minor

Dr. Michele Mason (email)
4224 Jimenez Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-3745
Please contact Dr. Mason to set up an appointment to discuss the minor in Japanese.

East Asia Certificate Advising

Dr. Bob Ramsey (email)
Room 2106G Jimenez Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-4256

College of Arts & Humanities: Advising for CORE & College Courses

The ARHU Office of Student Affairs provides College advising for all ARHU undergraduates 1120 Francis Scott Key Hall (301) 405-2108