Japanese Language

Japanese Program Overview

Join us in the Japanese Language Program and embark on an adventure that goes beyond just learning words and grammar. Connect with fellow students who share your passion, participate in cultural events, and discover a community where you can thrive. Let’s make your journey into the world of Japanese language and culture an unforgettable one!

Program Head: Tomoko Okuno (okuno@umich.edu)

Courses & Activities | Highlights | Faculty

Japanese Immersion Overview

You can start Japanese here with no background at all, or pick up where you left off. Either way, the focus is on actually using the language, not just studying it.

Japanese is worth learning for practical reasons. It opens up work in fields like business, technology, diplomacy, education, and the arts, from international relations to animation and gaming, and it lets you connect directly with people you otherwise could not. Learning any language also tends to sharpen your memory and problem-solving and make you more comfortable adapting to unfamiliar situations. And the language is a genuine way into Japanese culture, its history, traditions, and art, in a way that translation alone does not give you.

In our program, you practice in a small, supportive setting. Classes are interactive and built around real use, so you spend your time speaking, working through Japan's writing systems, and taking part in co-curricular activities that give you more chances to use what you are learning outside of class.

If you are curious about Japanese, this is a good place to begin.

Courses & Activities

Students who wish to fulfill the RC’s language requirement with Japanese must complete RCLANG 196 Intensive Japanese I and RCLANG 296 Intensive Japanese II (or demonstrate an equivalent level of skills), and pass the Japanese Proficiency Exam (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, mastery of Japanese grammar, writing ability, and speaking ability) at the end of Intensive Japanese II.

The Japanese program offers Japanese lunch tables (Ranchi Teeburu) and Japanese coffee hours (Kaiwa Teeburu) to provide students the opportunity to develop Japanese communication skills they are acquiring in the classroom in an informal setting. Anyone (students, faculty, and friends) who has knowledge of Japanese is welcome. These co-curricular activities are integral parts of the RC Japanese Program; they are mandatory for students enrolled in RC Japanese classes. Students should plan their course schedule accordingly.

The Japanese Lunch Table is held in South Dining Hall, East Quad.
The Japanese Coffee Hour is held in Greene Lounge, East Quad.

Courses

RCLANG 196: Intensive Japanese I (10 credits)

This course meets two hours a day, five days a week and covers in one term the equivalent of a first year non-intensive study at the college level. It is designed for students with little or no understanding of Japanese to achieve novice-high (or above) level Japanese language proficiency. Through extensive communication practice in classroom activities, students will develop all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and three kinds of Japanese orthography (hiragana, katakana, and 161 kanji) along with understanding of both traditional and modern Japanese culture.

Students will learn to acquire a sentence-level command in limited topics around everyday life for college students. Thus, students will be able to understand and use the most basic grammar structures and vocabulary to participate in basic oral and written communications. Daily attendance to class is required. In addition, students must attend co-curricular activities at least three times a week. In order to receive credits for the course, students must pass the final exam, which tests the four skills (writing, speaking, reading, and listening) and mastery of Japanese grammar.

RCLANG 296: Intensive Japanese II (10 credits)

Pre-requisite: RCLang 196 or equivalent
This course meets two hours a day, five days a week and covers in one term the equivalent of a second year non-intensive study at the college level. It is designed for students to achieve intermediate-low (or above) level Japanese language proficiency. Through extensive communication practice in classroom activities, students will develop all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and cultural understanding. Students will also learn approximately 350 kanji (Chinese characters). Students will be able (1) to understand everyday conversation, (2) to have the ability to handle various topics and speech styles, (3) to understand written materials on non-technical subjects, (4) to write non-technical topics with ease and precision, and (5) to understand Japanese culture and perspectives.

Students will learn to acquire a sentence/paragraph-level command in various topics around everyday life for college students and beyond. Daily attendance to class is required. In addition, students must attend co-curricular activities at least three times a week. In order to receive credits for the course, students must pass the Japanese Proficiency Exam, which tests the four skills (writing, speaking, reading, and listening) and mastery of Japanese grammar.

Faculty