Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and prepare to thrive as a global thinker. Explore our BA in Japanese Studies to learn about language, literature, film, religion, and history.
Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts
Major, Minor
124
4 Years
Salem
Jaered Koichi Croes BA '08 launched his career while he was a student at Willamette. His Japanese culture and language blog -- Tofugu -- began as a self-directed project for credit and became a full-time job and a company with employees around the world.
Willamette's close-knit alumni community and networking opportunities allowed Jaered to connect with Adam DuVander BA '01. That connection opened doors in the tech industry, helped Jaered land an internship, and launch an app that he now runs alongside Tofugu.
Curious where this major can take you? These are the real internships, graduate opportunities, and careers our Japanese Studies students have gone on to.
Our alumni have emerged as leaders in international business, foreign service, tourism, education, and law. They’ve pursued advanced studies at graduate school, and they’ve joined the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program to launch careers in Japan.
Expert in Japanese and intercultural communication
Devon Patterson ‘22 holds a B.A. in Japanese Studies. With six years of experience interpreting between English and Japanese in both America and Japan, Devon has worked at international science fairs, conventions, and the 2019 Japan Microplastics Conference. Devon currently serving as an Assistant English Teacher for the JET Program in Minoh, Osaka, Japan.
Our professors have explored East Asian Studies and Social Sciences. They're fluent in foreign languages and have an extensive knowledge of Japanese culture. Connect with them one-on-one through small class sizes and research projects to find inspiration.
Dr. Miho Fujiwara is dedicated to fostering student success through teaching and mentoring in Japanese language and culture. She has earned multiple teaching awards and actively supports student research and extracurricular activities.
Naoko Warren teaches elementary and intermediate Japanese at Willamette, emphasizing a student-centered and engaging approach to language learning. Her expertise includes second language acquisition, Japanese pedagogy, and extensive reading.
Combine language with cultural studies to truly embrace Japanese Studies. Explore a variety of topics in Japanese Studies such as history, literature, art history, cinema, and religion. Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad through the Japan Study Program.
Boost your conversation skills with intensive training in both formal and informal styles, using authentic listening materials. Enhance your vocabulary and oral expression in a fun, culturally immersive environment.
Explore the world of Japanese cinema from its golden age to today, delving into iconic films and directors. Discover how these films reflect traditional aesthetics and the socio-political landscape of their times.
Our Japanese Studies program requires 36 semester hours to complete the major, with a total of 124 credit hours required to complete the degree. This is comprised of 16 semester hours of Japanese Language courses, 16 semester hours of Japanese Culture courses, and 4 semester hours dedicated to the Senior Seminar.
Students pursuing a Japanese minor will need to complete 20 semester hours in Japanese language courses.
Our Japanese Studies program is open to first-year students, transfer students and international students. Learn more about Willamette’s undergraduate admissions process to get started.
Willamette University is committed to supporting Japanese Studies majors with generous merit scholarships and financial aid. There is no separate application required for these scholarships. All admitted undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, starting at $28,000 per year. These scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, taking into account cumulative GPA and SAT or ACT scores, if provided.
Willamette University