Japanese

<Level IV>
Target Students: Those who have completed and mastered elementary level studies.
Course Goals: To develop understanding and command of the 100 important intermediate sentence patterns for further improvement of the four skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. To master the 4,000 basic words and 800 basic Chinese characters.
<Written Expression>
Goal: To be able to write well-formed passages of approximately 600 words in length.
Contents: Writing letters or simple essays on topics familiar to students.

A continuation of Japanese language beginner. Teaching is aimed at enabling students to speak, read, and write Modern Japanese at a pre-intermediate level, equivalent to Japanese Language Proficiency Test N5 or Common European Framework of Reference for Languages level A1/A2.
The course provides essential grounding for the pre-intermediate level course "Japanese Language Pre-Intermediate" and subsequent study to the lower intermediate-level continuation course. A good deal of private study is necessary to meet the requirements of the course. This course is not available to native or near-native speakers of Japanese. A placement test and questionnaire on students' background in Japanese language studies is conducted in the induction session.

This course is designed for students learning Japanese for the first time. The course focuses on the acquisition of grammar and sentence patterns based on the textbook Elementary Japanese for Academic Purposes Vol.1 (Lesson 1 to 6). Students must understand hiragana before taking this course.

This course comprehensively reviews the points studied at the elementary level;  enhances expressions skills, and improves command of such skills. The course covers various conversational situations frequently encountered in daily lives in Japan such as shopping, visiting doctors, expressing feelings and traveling; practice using newly learned phrases and sentence patterns in various role-play activities with peers and Japanese native speakers; and designing written scripts and presenting them in class. The course emphasizes understanding Japanese customs and Japanese way of thinking, which aids in understanding the dynamics of Japanese conversation. 

This advanced Japanese course is designed to improve speaking skills. A theme concerning Japanese culture and society is chosen for each course and students are split into groups to engage in activities, discussion, and group work concerning the selected topic. The goal of the class is for students to widen their perspectives and deepen their knowledge regarding various issues related to Japan and Japanese society. The program offers various theme courses and students may take multiple sections. 

This course summarizes the learning contents for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1 level. From the categories of "characters/vocabulary," "grammar," "reading comprehension," and "listening comprehension," exercises will focus on questions that have been newly introduced in the new exam or questions that have been changed in contents and format. The course also provides practice problems aimed at overcoming weaknesses. Also, for students to get used to the question format, a mock test will be conducted just before the proficiency test.

This course is designed for upper beginners to teach basic Japanese grammar and vocabulary. Japanese language is practiced by listening, reading, speaking and writing with new grammar patterns and vocabulary learned in class. The goal of the course is to further develop Japanese literacy and communication skills needed in daily life by expanding basic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Texts: MINNANO NIHONGO II; MINNANO NIHONGO II:TRANSLATION AND GRAMMAR NOTES; MINNANO NIHONGO II: WORKBOOK. Assessment: exams (55%), class attendance (25%), writing performance (10%), and oral test (10%).

This course is designed for beginners and covers basic Japanese grammar and vocabulary. Japanese language is practiced through listening, speaking, reading, and writing exercises. Students are expected to prepare for each class by memorizing words and reading the grammar notes, which takes approximately 40-60 min. 

This course highlights the development of Buddhist thought in Japan. Founded in India in the fifth century BCE, Buddhism was brought to Japan via China and Korea in the sixth century CE. Due to the influence of local structures and beliefs, Buddhism in Japan acquired some features which make it distinct from other forms of Buddhism in East and Southeast Asia. Concretely, this course examines the Buddhist teachings that had been influential in Japan at one time in the past; trace the interaction of Buddhism with other religions such as Shinto during the premodern period and shed light on the process of its development and transformation into the modern age.

Target Students: Those who have partially completed elementary level studies.
Course Goals: To master the grammatical expressions learnt at the elementary level, as well as to develop understanding and command of upper elementary and intermediate level grammar and to improve the four skills of reading, listening, speaking and writing. To master the 2,000 basic words and 500 basic Chinese characters.
Contents: Mastering the elementary level grammar and developing understanding and command of grammar using an upper elementary level textbook, followed by introduction of basic sentence patterns of the intermediate level using an intermediate level textbook. Improving the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing through various class activities designed for developing each skill. Mastering the 2,000 basic words and 500 basic Chinese characters.