Japanese
Minors
Learning about Japanese language and culture is not only a path to broader cultural understanding, but is also a valuable skill in the job market in an increasingly globally connected world. Studying Japanese at Knox will not only help you gain language and composition skills in a foreign language, but will also introduce you to Japanese cultural life through events on campus, cooking, visiting Japanese businesses, and Japanese literature. And while many students who study Japanese at Knox come from business, economics and computer science programs, students from all backgrounds have been successful in the program.
The Program
As a student in the Japanese program at Knox, you will have the benefit of small classes, courses that include research opportunities, and access to numerous off-campus programs. Knox offers courses in Japanese conversation and composition through the intermediate level, and the opportunity to minor in Japanese or Japanese Studies.
The minor in Japanese focuses on Japanese literature, composition and conversation. Requirements for the minor include taking two 300-level courses, such as:
- Japanese Literature I, which focuses on antiquity to the early Meiji era
- Japanese Literature II, focusing on the Meiji era to the present
- And/or an independent study course
The minor in Japanese Studies focuses on Japanese popular culture and modern Japan, in addition to conversation and composition. Requirements for the minor include taking two of the following courses, at least one of which must be at the 300-level:
- Japanese Popular Culture
- Introduction to Comparative and International Education
- Modern Japan
- History and Diplomacy of Modern East Asia
- And/or an independent study course
Both minors are specially designed to allow for substituting Japanese courses you may take while on an off-campus study program. The minors allow for substitution of appropriate 200-level or 300-level courses in Japanese language or area studies from Waseda University, Kansai Gaidai University, or an accredited Japanese college or university, including summer schools. In addition, you have the opportunity to conduct an independent study course as part of pursuing either minor in Japanese. You also have the opportunity to minor in both Japanese and Japanese Studies, if you do not count more than one course toward both minors.
Resources
If you study Japanese at Knox, you're likely to meet Doraemon, who is quite literally the teacher's pet.
"Japanese is very different from English and learning it is very hard," says Professor Mat R. Matsuda. To make it more fun -- and hopefully, a little easier -- Matsuda uses a basket full of Japanese toys, including the stuffed blue Doraemon doll, the blue cat from the 22nd century whose cartoon program is watched by millions on Japanese TV. It's one of the many ways Matsuda introduces Japanese culture into the lives of Knox students of Japanese.
Aside from "tools" like the Doraemon doll, there are other resources essential to the Japanese program at Knox:
- The Dorothy Johnson '39 and Richard Burkhardt '39 Language Center includes a projection equipped classroom space located in the heart of George Davis Hall. The Center contains an instructor station, 24 advanced Macintosh workstations, and professional photo-flatbed scanning capabilities. The Language Center also houses two workgroup rooms equipped with individual computer workstations for small group sessions or individual privacy. The viewing room is capable of seating up to 20 people accommodating large-screen computer output and video viewing.
- The campus cable TV system carries three foreign language channels, including SKOLA 1, a news network, and SKOLA 2, an entertainment network.
- Seymour Library subscribes to a variety of publications from other countries, including both mass circulation and scholarly journals.
- Japanese Club works to introduce Japanese culture to the Knox campus through cultural events and Japanese cooking.
- Language Table offer a chance for students taking Japanese courses to gather once a week over a meal and practice their language skills by communicating in Japanese.