The Japanese Studies (JPS) program at DePaul engages students in Japanese language and culture to cultivate cultural, historical, linguistic, and ethical values while developing the skills to lead in business, arts, diplomacy, education, and digital media.
Japan is America’s most important Asian ally, the 3rd strongest economy in the world, the second largest investor in the United States in business, and a global soft-power leader in digital media and popular consumer goods. At DePaul, students explore Japanese language and culture through an interdisciplinary approach. Our faculty offer classes in literature, history, religion, art history, ethics, political science, business, anime, and film studies. Students learn transferable, marketable skills in the areas of advanced language study and translation, and hone their critical thinking and writing skills by studying Japanese culture and society with experts in the fields of Japanese ethical and environmental studies, gender studies, and visual and material culture.
JPS encourages opportunities outside the classroom to strengthen linguistic and cultural competency through quarter-long or full-year exchange programs to Osaka (Kansai Gaidai) and Kyoto (Ritsumeikan). Special DePaul faculty-led short-term programs are offered every year, such as Peace Studies in Hiroshima-Nagasaki, Diaspora and Politics in Okinawa, and Digital Media in Tokyo-Kyoto.
On campus, JPS hosts numerous cultural and academic events, such as film screenings, Japanese language table, and cultural showcases. Off campus, students benefit from the many Japan-related activities at local Japanese organizations (e.g., the Japanese Consulate General in Chicago, Japanese American Service Committee, Japanese Culture Center, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Chicago), and at local museums and theaters (e.g., the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Gene Siskel Film Center).
The Japanese Studies curriculum allows students to take courses from many academic departments, including:
- Art History
- History
- Literature
- Political Science
- Religious Studies
Japanese Studies students are encouraged to participate in one of DePaul's Study Abroad programs in Kyoto or Osaka, in order to grow linguistically and expand their understanding of the Japanese culture.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 84 |
| Major Requirements | 52 |
| Open Electives | 56 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Communicate in Japanese at the Intermediate proficiency level.
- Analyze cultural products in Japanese and English.
- Explain features of Japanese and its use.
- Navigate cultural differences effectively.
- Apply their language and cross-cultural skills to other domains.
- Apply interdisciplinary methods to the analysis of Japanese-speaking communities.
College Core Requirements
Study in the Major Field
The student’s course of study in the College consists of three parts: Liberal Studies, the major field, and electives. Together these three parts contribute to the liberal education of the student which is the common purpose of all study in the College. By “liberal education” the College understands not only a deep and thorough knowledge of a particular area of study but a knowledge of the diverse areas of study represented by criticism, history, the arts, the behavioral and social sciences, philosophy, religious studies, the natural science, and mathematics.
The major field program generally is built upon a set of core courses and a specialized “concentration.” The number of courses required for a major varies by department. Most students go beyond the minimum requirements, electing additional courses which both broaden and deepen their understanding of their chosen discipline.
Because no academic major program is built in isolation, students are required to pursue a number of electives of the student’s choice. The inherent flexibility of this curriculum demands that the student consult an academic advisor at each stage in the total program and at least once prior to each registration.
Students will be prompted to visit the College Office for their official graduation check early in their senior year.
Declaration of Major, Minor and Concentration
All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor in the major field department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience.
Students must declare or change majors, minors, and concentrations, via Campus Connection. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.
The Modern Language Requirement (MLR)
All students will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language (i.e., a language other than English) equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. This Modern Language Requirement (MLR) may be demonstrated by:
- placing into 104 or above on the DePaul language placement exam
- completing the last course or earning AP/IB credit for the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language (e.g. 103 for DePaul language classes)
- completing a college course or earning AP/IB credit for a college course beyond the first-year level in any language (e.g. 104 or above for DePaul language classes)
- completing the final course of a four-year sequence of the same modern language in high school*
- completing a proctored exam by BYU and passing the exam (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
- completing a proctored Written Proficiency Test (WPT) by Language Testing International (LTI) and achieving a score of Beginner High or above (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
*Students are strongly encouraged to take the DePaul language placement exam even if they have met the MLR via study of a language in high school. This will ensure continuation of language study at the proper level.
Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.
Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College will abide by the MLR in place on the effective date of the ICT, regardless of when they first matriculated at DePaul.
Students who have met the MLR and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” (see below).
The Modern Language Option (MLO)
The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level required by their College, and to all other undergraduate students without a modern language requirement who wish to study a language at any level.
Students selecting the MLO may substitute a sequence of three courses in the same language for three domain courses.
The three MLO substitutions must be made in three different domains, and any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.
MLO substitutions may not be used to replace requirements in the Math & Computing, and Scientific Inquiry, domains.
Students majoring in one modern language may use the Modern Language Option for study of a second language at the Intermediate level or above.
Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.
NOTE: Please contact your college/school regarding additional information and restrictions about the Modern Language Option.
External Credit and Residency
A student who has been admitted to the College begins residency within the college as of the first day of classes of the term in which the student is registered. Students in residence, whether attending on a full-time or part-time basis, may not take courses away from DePaul University without the written permission of the college. Permission must be obtained in advance of registration to avoid loss of credit or residency in the college; see the LAS website for more information.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| LSP 112 | FOCAL POINT SEMINAR | 4 |
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Required | 4 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Required 1 | 4 | |
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 1 Course Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 CR Course and 1 SR Course]
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 2 Courses Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 2 Courses Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 3 Courses Required
Notes
A student whose only major is in Modern Languages is required to complete the Capstone offered by the Department of Modern Languages (MOL). A student who is double majoring (or pursuing dual degrees) with the primary major (or primary degree) in MOL may substitute the Capstone of the secondary major or degree. An MOL major in the University Honors Program shall take only the University Honors Capstone, not both the Honors Capstone and the MOL Capstone.
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
- Six 4-credit courses (24 credit hours) of 200/300-level Japanese with a minimum of three 300-level courses
- Five 4-credit courses (20 credit hours) of 200/300-level Allied Courses from at least three different departments
- Two 4-credit courses (8 credits) of 200/300-level Japanese or Allied Courses
No English-language ("E-designation") courses can be applied toward the "Six Advanced Level Courses in Japanese Language" requirement of the major. Please note the following course sequence for Japanese courses:
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese I textbook is completed in one year | ||
| Fall Quarter | ||
| JPN 101 | BASIC JAPANESE I | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| JPN 102 | BASIC JAPANESE II | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| JPN 103 | BASIC JAPANESE III | 4 |
| Second Year | ||
| Japanese II textbook is completed in one year | ||
| Fall Quarter | ||
| JPN 104 | INTERMEDIATE JAPANESE I | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| JPN 105 | INTERMEDIATE JAPANESE II | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| JPN 106 | INTERMEDIATE JAPANESE III | 4 |
| Third Year | ||
| Japanese III textbook is completed in one year | ||
| Fall Quarter | ||
| JPN 201 | ADVANCED JAPANESE I | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| JPN 202 | ADVANCED JAPANESE II | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| JPN 203 | ADVANCED JAPANESE III | 4 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Alternate 301-303 and 311-313 | ||
| Fall Quarter | ||
| Even Year | ||
| JPN 311 | ADVANCED DISCUSSION AND READING I | 4 |
| Odd Year | ||
| JPN 301 | ADVANCED JAPANESE IV | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| Odd Year | ||
| JPN 312 | ADVANCED DISCUSSION AND READING II | 4 |
| Even Year | ||
| JPN 302 | ADVANCED JAPANESE V | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| Odd Year | ||
| JPN 313 | ADVANCED DISCUSSION AND READING III | 4 |
| Even Year | ||
| JPN 303 | ADVANCED JAPANESE VI | 4 |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Offered Occasionally; thematic content courses offered in Japanese. Topics include Japanese American History in Chicago, War and Education, Environmental Ethics, etc. | ||
| Fall Quarter | ||
| JPN 342 | ADVANCED HIGH JAPANESE I [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | 4 |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| JPN 343 | ADVANCED HIGH JAPANESE II [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | 4 |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| JPN 344 | JAPANESE TRANSLATION PRACTICUM I [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | 4 |
JPN 395: FLAC Japanese (2 credits, offered occasionally with an Allied course)
Japanese Studies Allied Course List
Art and Architecture, History of
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JAPANESE ART | ||
| JAPANESE FILM ARTS | ||
| BUDDHIST ART | ||
| ANIME AND MANGA | ||
| KYOTO (WORLD CITIES) | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS/HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE (Japanese Painting and Prints) | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS/HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE (Japanese Art and the Warrior Elite) |
History
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JAPAN TO C. 1200 | ||
| JAPAN c.1200 - 1800 | ||
| JAPAN, c. 1800-PRESENT | ||
| HISTORY FROM PICTURES: VISUAL CULTURE IN EAST ASIAN HISTORY | ||
| CULTURE AND GENDER IN JAPAN | ||
| CAPSTONE IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH AND WRITING |
Literature and Culture
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MODERN JAPANESE LITERATURE | ||
| JAPANESE WOMEN'S LITERATURE: GENDER AND SEXUALITY | ||
| JAPANESE POP CULTURE | ||
| ADVANCED HIGH JAPANESE I [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | ||
| ADVANCED HIGH JAPANESE II [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | ||
| JAPANESE TRANSLATION PRACTICUM I [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] | ||
| FOREIGN LANGUAGES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM [Thematic content course conducted in Japanese] |
Philosophy
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN PHILOSOPHIES |
Political Science
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY | ||
| ASIAN POLITICS | ||
| JAPANESE POLITICS | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS (Japanese Politics, Culture, and Society) |
Religious Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ATOM BOMB DISCOURSE (Atom Bomb Discourse) | ||
| COMPARATIVE ETHICS (Industrial Diseases) | ||
| RELIGION IN JAPANESE HISTORY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE | ||
| LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN JAPAN | ||
| ZEN MIND |
Open Electives
Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.