Why Study Japanese?

Yokoso (Welcome)

Japan is a country located in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean.The island of Japan is a little smaller than the state of California, but astonishingly holds a population of approximately 128 million. Japanese language consists of a complex system of casual, distal, and honorific styles reflecting the hierarchical nature of Japanese society, and the writing system employs three distinct styles:hiragana, katakana, and kanji (Chinese characters). At times, learning the Japanese language may
be challenging, but students will be fascinated by the unique heritage and traditions of the Japanese culture and language.

At Baylor University, the Japanese program welcomes students with various goals and interests. Our program aims to offer a strong language foundation that will open up opportunities for students to seek employment with Japanese companies upon graduation. We also provide the language instruction for those who are interested in exploring modern Japanese popular culture through literature, anime, and games. Therefore, our courses aim to provide students go beyond basic language instruction to include exposure to Japanese culture in a variety of forms and contexts.

Students interested in concentrating on Japanese language and culture may take up to 26 credit hours of Japanese language courses by electing a major or minor in Asian Studies. Students will learn to read, speak, and write Japanese, including hiragana, katakana, and a few hundred kanji characters. Students also have the opportunity to study abroad for one or two semesters in exchange programs at one of two Japanese Universities during their undergraduate studies. Some of our graduates have acquired teaching positions in various language schools in Japan, and others have participated in the Japanese government-sponsored JET program.

Current Students say:

Studying Japanese has been one of the best decisions I made in college. Joining JSA(Japanese Student Association) and making many friends in JSA were great, but the my favorite experience was the study abroad program in Hosei University in Tokyo. All was made possible by studying Japanese, and I'd recommend it to anyone. -- Hae, D Lee

I first became interested in Japanese during high school, when a friend introduced me to Japanese animation. By the time I came to college I'd realized what a fascinating, beautiful, and difficult language Japanese is, and I knew I had to learn more about it. – Katie Gilchrist

Thanks to the four years I've spent in the Japanese program here at Baylor University, I can sincerely say that I've fallen in love with the Japanese language and culture, and whether or not I use the language in the future, it has been an amazing experience!-- Celeste Mitchell