Japanese Major

The major in Japanese provides students with a solid foundation in the disciplines of Japanese language, literature, and culture through extensive language training and broad exposure to Japanese literary and cultural traditions. Prospective majors are strongly encouraged to begin their Japanese language study during their first year at Colgate and to participate in the Japan Study Group.

Major Requirements

Upon completion of , a minimum of eight courses is necessary to fulfill the requirements for a Japanese major:

Required Courses

• JAPN 301 - Advanced Japanese I
• JAPN 302 - Advanced Japanese II

Two Courses from the Following 400-level Language Courses

• JAPN 401 - Readings in Japanese I
• JAPN 402 - Readings in Japanese II
• JAPN 455 - Advanced Grammar in Japanese

Four Courses from the following Literature, Linguistics, and Culture Courses

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of JALC in the course offerings.

A total of four courses required from the list below, at least three of which must focus on Japan:

• JAPN 222 - Japan through Literature and Film
• JAPN 233 - Japanese Popular Culture and Media
• JAPN 240 - Gender and Sexuality in Japanese Culture
• JAPN 255 - Hidden Japan: Tea Ceremony
• JAPN 455 - Advanced Grammar in Japanese
• JAPN 481 - Topics in Japanese Culture (Study Group)
• JAPN 485 - Kyoto in Japanese Culture and Thought (Study Group)
• CORE C167 - Japan
• CHIN 222 - China through Literature and Film
• CHIN 225 - China and the West
• CHIN 266 - Visual China: Moving Pictures
• CHIN 299 - Medicine in Chinese Culture

GPA Requirement

All courses must be passed with a grade of C or better to count toward the major.

Honors and High Honors

Students majoring in Japanese who have demonstrated marked excellence and an unusual degree of independence in their work may participate in the honors program supervised by a member of the Japanese faculty. Candidates for honors and high honors must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.30 and 3.70, respectively, in the courses taken for the major, and a cumulative GPA of 3.00. In addition, candidates for honors must successfully complete a thesis or project judged to be of A or A– quality by the faculty supervisor and one other faculty member, and, for high honors, successfully complete a thesis or project judged to be of A quality or higher by the faculty supervisor and one other faculty member after an oral examination. Normally, work toward the thesis should begin in the fall term in a 300- or 400-level course (or any independent studies course) and continue through the spring term in independent study as , which must be taken in addition to the minimum number of courses required for the major.

East Asian Languages and Literatures Department

For more information about the department, including faculty, transfer credit, awards, etc., please visit the  catalog page.