Japanese Studies (Graduate Diploma)

Birkbeck, University of London

Our Graduate Diploma in Japanese Studies is ideal if you have a passion for learning Japanese and exploring the culture of Japan but have a basic understanding of Japan already and have achieved beginners’ proficiency in the language. It gives you the chance to consolidate and expand your knowledge further. Why choose this course? You will be taught by specialists in contemporary Japanese culture and veteran native Japanese teachers with many years of language teaching experience. It offers you a multidisciplinary approach to studying Japanese language and culture covering a range of skills and topics, including manga and anime, film, literature, history, linguistics, translation, visual arts and gender studies. As the curriculum on this course is equivalent to the final year of our BA Japanese Studies, it is also ideal if you have substantial experience of Japan but are not qualified to undergraduate degree level in this subject. What you will learn You will take a Japanese language module to help boost your Japanese skills to intermediate-level proficiency. You will also take content modules that give you an in-depth understanding of Japanese culture, society and linguistics. Cross-cultural modules will then give you the opportunity to learn from a team of specialists in different cultures and analyse comparative themes across a variety of linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. You will also master transferable skills such as essay writing, oral presentations, video essays, written reports, critical and logical thinking, and translating. How you will learn Teaching takes place in small-group seminars giving you plenty of opportunity to participate and interact with your peers and tutors. You will be taught Japanese in an interactive classroom setting by our team of native Japanese teachers. This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has a mainly evening timetable with some Japanese classes taking place on Saturday during the daytime.