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Japanese Courses
JAPAN 100 Intensive Elementary Japanese +
Description:
An intensive language course that covers the entire elementary level in one semester. Open to all students with no previous academic training in Japanese. Students completing this course satisfactorily will be allowed to enter directly into language courses at the intermediate level. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 101 Elementary Japanese I +
Description:
This course is intended for absolute beginners (those who have never studied Japanese) and those who have some background in Japanese, but would like to start afresh. We will focus on some elements of grammar including present and past tenses, hiragana and katakana writing systems, and fixed phrases, Students also learn about 30 kanji (Chinese characters). All four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) will be covered. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 102 Elementary Japanese II +
Description:
This course is a continuation of JAPAN 101, and assumes the knowledge of Japanese covered in it. Students who studied Japanese elsewhere and wish to take the course need to demonstrate a similar level of competency. All four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) will be covered. In addition to new elements of grammar, students will learn about 50 new kanji. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 201 Intermediate Japanese I +
Description:
As in JAPAN 101 and 102, students will get exposure to basic Japanese grammar and kanji. All four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) will be covered. New elements of grammar, such as making comparisons and using informal speech as well as adding subtle nuances will be introduced. Depending on the class composition and student ability, possible class activities include skits and/or creative writing in Japanese. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 202 Intermediate Japanese II +
Description:
In addition to new elements of grammar, some real-life Japanese materials such as advertisements, children's stories, and newspaper articles will be occasionally introduced. As in JAPAN 201, we will engage in creative writing and other activities as deemed appropriate. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 222L Introduction to Japanese Music +
Description:
This course is an introduction to Japanese music from the 5th century to the present. Students will explore a variety of genres, including J-pop and music in the contexts of performing arts and films. In addition, we will discuss the use of traditional instruments in modern music and the influence of Japanese music in other parts of the world. The course will consist of lectures, discussions, and in-class demonstrations and workshops by the instructor and guest performer(s). More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 252L Premodern Japanese Culture:From Ancient Times to 1868 +
Description:
This course surveys Japanese culture from the 8th century to the 19th century, with particular emphasis on literature, history, as well as contemporary material culture and social history. All readings are in English, and no knowledge of Japanese is required. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 260 Japanese Theatre +
Description:
This course is a survey of the rich world of Japanese theatre. We examine such traditional performing arts as No, Kyogen, and Kabuki, as well as more contemporary genres inclusing Takarazuka and Butoh. All readings are in English. All students interested in Japanese culture as well as performance studies are welcome. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 270 Contemporary Japan +
Description:
This course examines major cultural and social issues in Japan from the mid-nineteenth century to the present that continue to shape contemporary Japanese society. Treating social phenomena and a variety of cultural forms - including movies, music, and literature- we will engage the idea of Japan that they reflect and try to uncover what lies behind the stereotypes and superficial images of Japanese culture. By supplementing primary materials with relevant secondary sources, we will also explore the nature, status, and implications of cultural exchange between Japan and the world. Knowledge of Japanese language is helpful, but not required, as all materials will be available in English. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
JAPAN 290 Special Topics +
JAPAN 301 Advanced Intermediate Japanese I +
Description:
This course is written and spoken Japanese beyond the intermediate level builds on the material covered in JAPAN 101 through 202, focusing on acquisition of more idiomatic expressions and nuances of modesty and politeness. Students also further develop the quantity and quality of communicative and writing skills acquired in the previous semesters. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 302 Advanced Intermediate Japanese II +
Description:
The elements of grammar covered in this class will focus on causative and causative-passive. Additional general expressions will also be included. Students also further develop the quantity and quality of communicate and writing skills acquired in the previous semesters. When appropriate, authentic material will be used to supplement textbook learning More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 305 Japanese Pronunciation +
Description:
This course is intended for Japanese learners who have completed the equivalent of Japan 101 and 102 at UMB (students who have a credit transfer from another institution, domestic or international, please contact the instructor). The course will build on elementary - to intermediate-level grammar while keeping primary focus on refining pronunciation. New sentence structures and elements of grammar will also be introduced as appropriate. While this is a ''speaking'' intensive class, please note that there will also be vocabulary quizzes as well as writing and reading exercises. The goal of the course is to achieve sound articulation, emphasis-based enunciation, and natural flow with basic structures of Japanese sentences. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
JAPAN 367L Food and Culture in Japan: National Identity and Diversity, Past and Present +
Description:
This course explores how food and its consumption have been practiced and represented in premodern and modern Japan. Students will learn about the place of food in Japanese society, as well as the less commonly known aspects of Japanese food culture. The preparation, presentation, and consumption of food take place within structures of power. Food is often intimately tied to discourses of nationalism and national identity, yet it can also symbolize the diversity of society, such as regional identity, gendered divisions of labor, or the ''foreign'' and its appropriations. The class will investigate these and other aspects of Japanese food culture through written texts, visual arts, and film, in order to encourage a nuanced, complex, and critical understanding of the place of food in Japan. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 378 Independent Study +
JAPAN 379 Independent Study +
Description:
Study of a particular area of this subject under the supervision of a faculty member. More Info
Offered in:JAPAN 385L Topics in Japanese Cinema +
Description:
This course offers in-depth study of Japanese cinema related to a particular theme. The focus changes from semester to semester depending on the theme treated in that specific semester. In all cases, the class will examine the chosen theme as depicted Japanese cinema from the prewar period to the present through a wide range of cinematic styles, including silent, black-and-white, anime, period, and contemporary films, and urge students to engage in questions pertaining to the production, consumption, and reception of film in Japanese society and beyond. This course will be taught in English. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
JAPAN 479 Readings & Research +
Description:
Primarily for seniors with a GPA of at least 3.0 in their major who wish to pursue a research topic in depth, on ordinarily not available in standard course offerings. A written prospectus detailing the plan of study must be submitted to supervising instructor and department. More Info
Offered in: