Japanese
Our Japanese Program employs a unique set of pedagogical methods that's given us a reputation for producing a large number of internationally certified students.
The Japanese Program at the University of Arkansas designs its curriculum for students from all experiences and backgrounds. As a foreign language program at the state's flagship university, we strive to see extraordinary come out of the ordinary. As long as they work hard, students who do not know a word of Japanese on the first day of elementary levels will be able to achieve not only good grades but internationally certified levels of Japanese language proficiency. International certificates are logistically accessible and realistically achievable.
Our Japanese Program offers a Minor in Japanese with Business Orientation. Students in this program will take five upper-level Japanese courses to earn a Minor.
Contrary to some misconceptions, this Minor program is open to students in all majors; students DO NOT have to be business majors in order to declare a Minor in Japanese with Business Orientation. Because of its emphasis on Japanese language use in job settings, students seeking employment in any Japan-related field will find this Minor program very relevant to their future professional endeavors.
We have designed our program to help students achieve levels of Japanese language proficiency to pass the Japanese Language Progiciency Test (JLPT). The JLPT, an international certification examination of Japanese language proficiency (see below), is immediately accessible to students at the University of Arkansas, and students of our program have a realistic chance to pass the JLPT because of the quality instruction that we offer.
Tatsuya Fukushima - Section Head of the Japanese Program
Meet our Japanese instructors and TAs in our departmental directory.
Unique Aspects of our Japanese Program
Core Member of the Sakura Network
The Japanese Program at the University of Arkansas is designated as a Core Member
of the JF Nihongo Network (a.k.a. Sakura Network). The JF Nihongo Network aims to promote Japanese language education outside of Japan through support and
cooperation between the Japan Foundation and educational institutions, and the Core
Member designation means the Program's recognition as a regional hub of Japanese language
education. The Japanese Program is extremely honored by the distinctive recognition
as one of the 12 Core Members among 85 member institutions in North America (as of
June 2009).
Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
The University of Arkansas has been designated as a U.S. host institution of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT; administered by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese). We are one of just a handful of U.S. universities that offer this exam on campus.
The Japanese Program considers the JLPT to be a very important instrumental goal for its students, as a JLPT certificate will give the students the most internationally recognized credential of their Japanese language proficiency, something that truly stands out in the list of their accomplishments. To prepare the students for the JLPT, the Japanese Program includes JLPT Practice Exams in language courses at intermediate and higher levels.
For specific information on this year's JLPT offered at the University of Arkansas:
Information for High School Students
We created this section in light of a recent increase in inquiries to us from high school students. We thank those who expressed interest in our program.
Class Observation
High school students who intend to attend the University of Arkansas in a future semester
are welcome to observe our Japanese language classes. In order to do so, please give
us advance notice through the Office of the Registrar. We will also greatly appreciate a separate advance notice to us (see [CONTACT US]).
Admitting High School Students to Japanese Classes
High school students are welcome to enroll in Japanese classes at the University of
Arkansas concurrently with classes at their high school (referred to as “dual enrollment”
hereafter). High school students must meet the following requirements in order to
dual-enroll in Japanese classes at the University of Arkansas:
-Minimum 2.0 in ACT
-Minimum 3.0 GPA in high school
For dual-enrollment application, high school students must complete the necessary paperwork at the University of Arkansas at least one month in advance of the semester. It is entirely the responsibility of the students to complete necessary paperwork to enroll in our classes. It is strongly advisable that students act early because Japanese courses tend to become full quickly, particularly at the elementary and intermediate levels.
Professional & Academic Opportunities for Japanese Speakers
Students taking Japanese will have opportunities to participate in various study/work-in-Japan programs, including the one with Kansai Gaidai (Kansai Institute of Foreign Language Studies) in Osaka, Kanto Gakuin University in Yokohama, and those sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education and various non-profit organizations. Explore some of our recommended options and programs that will suit your interests.
“Knowing Japanese is an asset. It is important for individuals to know about various experiences so that we can learn from one another. The world we live in needs people who are sensitive to other cultures. Knowing Japanese adds a lot to a person’s profile. Being able to speak Japanese can open so many doors."
-Dr. Tatsuya Fukushima, Head of the UofA Japanese Program
Interested in Studying Japanese at the UofA?
For more information about the Japanese Program, contact Dr. Tatsuya Fukushima.