As Japan is one of the five largest world economies, professional opportunities exist for individuals who are proficient in the Japanese language and who can understand and integrate into Japanese culture.
A Committee Interdisciplinary Major with a focus on Japanese language and culture can be the first step towards a career path in teaching, translation, interpretation, government relations, social services, the travel or hospitality industry, business, technology, finance or sales. Many students are also interested in careers related to Anime or computer technology, both large industries in Japan. A major in Japanese combined with technology and science training is excellent preparation for entry into those fields.
Many students now can find Japanese instruction in their high schools. At UWM, students can continue their high school studies or begin from the first semester of Japanese language instruction. We offer eight semesters of Japanese language plus the vitally important courses about Japanese culture, business practices, values, politics, history, and religions.
While the study of any Asian language is challenging for native English speakers because of their vast differences from English, students often find it is less difficult than they lead themselves to believe. Successful students of Japanese will dedicate the necessary daily time to practice and repeat...and practice and repeat.
Japan is a very popular destination for study abroad, and Japanese majors are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities available through UWM. Programs vary in length from a few week immersion, to semester-long, to even a full year. Because of the complexities of planning a study abroad experience, students are encouraged to start planning early in sophomore year. Most students engage in study abroad during the second half of sophomore year or during their junior year.
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts Degree
Complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. The College also requires that students complete at least 30 credits overall in residence at UWM. For additional residency and transfer credit limitations, see L&S Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in the following course: | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course, or achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) | ||
| Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
| Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | ||
or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| College Algebra | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
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Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
College of Letters & Science Requirements
The degree requirements in the College of Letters and Science build on the University General Education Requirements to provide a broad base of knowledge as well as an array of skills cited by employers as critical to professional success: critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, ability to work well with others, and adaptability to change.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), you must complete the UWM General Education Requirements as well as these L&S requirements: the International requirement, the Breadth requirement, and the Research requirement. The International requirement develops your potential for cross-cultural understanding in a globalizing world. The Breadth requirement ensures that you take classes in a wide variety of subjects, across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The Research requirement calls for you to build your critical thinking and oral and written communication skills through conducting an independent research project, usually in your major.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) you will also complete the Language other than English requirement, to further develop your understanding of cultures through language.
I. Total Credits and Upper-Division Courses Requirement
Students must complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
II. Language other than English Requirement
Students doing the BA must fulfill the language other than English requirement by either successfully completing the fourth semester of university work or equivalent in one language other than English, or by successfully completing the second semester of university work or equivalent in two languages other than English (including all world languages and American Sign Language).
Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work. Proficiency tests approved by the Languages faculty may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Language other than English GER, but not vice versa.
III. International Requirement
To meet the International Requirement, students must successfully complete some three course (minimum 9 credits) combination of
- language other than English (not including American Sign Language) at 3rd semester level or above, and/or
- non-language courses with L&S approved international content (see Courses Approved for the L&S International Requirement for course options).
IV. Breadth Requirement
In addition to completing the University General Education Requirements, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
The L&S Breadth requirement calls for 6 credits each in L&S courses designated L&S Humanities, L&S Natural Sciences, and L&S Social Sciences breadth. One of the L&S Natural Science breadth courses must be a laboratory or fieldwork course. These courses must be beyond and in addition to courses in those areas used to satisfy General Education Requirements.
Please refer to the list of Courses Approved for the L&S Breadth Requirement.
V. The Major
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
VI. The Minor
Students are encouraged to consider completing a minor, but it is not required. To complete a minor, the College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. The minor must contain at least 9 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) courses.
Major Requirements
The Japanese Language and Culture program requires completion of 30 credits in approved Japanese and related courses. Students in the major must complete the fifth- through eighth-semester Japanese courses as the core of the program. In addition, culture-related courses that are taught using the target language are required. Students must complete 30 credits to graduate, at least 15 of them at the advanced (300 and above) level taken in residence at UWM. The major requires a minimum of 18 credits at the 300 level or above taught in Japanese. The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required 1 | ||
| JAPAN 301 | Fifth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 302 | Sixth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 401 | Seventh Semester Japanese | 4 |
| JAPAN 402 | Eighth Semester Japanese | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | ||
| Reading Japanese Short Stories | ||
| Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture: | ||
| Translating Japanese Media | ||
| Business Japanese I | ||
| Research | ||
| Select one of the following courses to satisfy the research requirement of the L&S degree: | 3 | |
| Japanese Performance Traditions 2 | ||
| Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture: 2 | ||
| Translating Japanese Media 2 | ||
| Research and Research Writing in Japanese | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 8 credits (see below) 3 | 8 | |
| Study Abroad | ||
| Study Abroad is strongly encouraged 4 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
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Students whose language skills allow them to begin their study of Japanese beyond the fifth semester course must discuss with the advisor appropriate substitute courses in order to complete the required 30 credits.
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Japanese majors wishing to use this course for the research requirement must notify the instructor that they will complete an independent research project.
- 3
At least one course must be taken outside the Japan curricular area.
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Up to 12 credits from study abroad programs will be accepted for the major. Any language credits acquired from study abroad must not duplicate language credits acquired from classes taken at UWM.
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| JAPAN 100 | Introduction to Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JAPAN 110 | Japanese Popular Culture | 3 |
| JAPAN 221 | Japanese Film: Themes and Methods | 3 |
| JAPAN 297 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| JAPAN 310 | Enhanced Knowledge & Skills for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test 1 | 3 |
| JAPAN 312 | Japanese Conversation II | 3 |
| JAPAN 331 | Reading Japanese Short Stories (if not selected above) | 3 |
| JAPAN 332 | Extensive Reading in Japanese | 1 |
| JAPAN 345 | Japanese News Media | 3 |
| JAPAN 351 | Japanese Performance Traditions | 3 |
| JAPAN 352 | Japanese Performance Traditions: Readings | 1 |
| JAPAN 355 | Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture: | 3 |
| JAPAN 361 | Translating Japanese Media (if not selected above) | 3 |
| JAPAN 370 | Fun Kanji | 2 |
| JAPAN 397 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| JAPAN 416 | Introduction to Translation: Japanese to English | 3 |
| JAPAN 441 | Business Japanese I (if not selected above) | 3 |
| JAPAN 489 | Internship in Japanese, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| JAPAN 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| JAPAN 699 | Advanced Independent Study | 1-3 |
| ANTHRO 325 | Japanese Culture and Society | 3 |
| ARTHIST 383 | Japanese Art and Architecture | 3 |
| HIST 284 | Buddhism Across Asia | 3 |
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No more than 3 credits of JAPAN 310 may count towards the total elective credits.
Committee Interdisciplinary Major: Japanese Language and Culture Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Japanese BA program will:
- Communicate in Japanese at an advanced level of reading, writing, speaking, and listening proficiency.
- Acquire a high level of cultural fluency in Japanese culture, including literature, history, and current events.
- Plan and carry out research on complex topics in Japanese literature, culture, history, and/or current events and structure research results in Japanese in a register and manner appropriate to collegiate level research.
- Promote intercultural exchange in Japanese cultural contexts through activities such as study abroad, Japanese cultural activities in the greater Milwaukee area, and cultural events on campus.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors and success coaches. Letters & Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional college advisors and faculty advisors. L&S college advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental faculty advisors focus on the major.
College advisors are located in Holton Hall (or virtually for online students) and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College advisors will:
- Assist you in defining your academic and life goals.
- Help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals.
- Assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures.
- Provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate.
- Monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a faculty advisor when you declare your major. Faculty advisors are an important partner and will:
- Help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department.
- Explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences.
- Serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their college advisor and faculty advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate360 website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
Honors in the Major
Japanese majors who meet the following requirements may apply to the undergraduate advisor to graduate with "Honors in the Major".
- Maintain a 3.000 cumulative GPA on all UWM credits attempted;
- Maintain a 3.500 GPA on all credits that count toward the major, and
- Maintain a 3.500 GPA on all advanced credits that count toward the major.
- Complete a research project in consultation with the major advisor. The project also serves to fulfill the L&S Research Requirement for the Japanese Major.
College of Letters and Science Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.