Program Overview

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Japanese Studies with Year Abroad

Overview

Immerse yourself in Japanese language and culture. Develop your Japanese language skills and spend a year in Japan.

Start Dates

• September 2026
• September 2025

Degree Type

BA

Course Length

4 years full-time

Location

Durham City

UCAS Code

T202

Typical Offers

• A Level: AAB
• BTEC: DDD
• International Baccalaureate: 36

Course Details

This multidisciplinary degree will develop advanced knowledge and understanding of the Japanese language and culture.

You will study a core language module in each of your three years. You don’t need to have any previous knowledge of Japanese, but a pathway is available if you already have an A level or equivalent qualification in Japanese.

You will spend your third year studying the Japanese language at a university in Japan. This is an amazing opportunity to experience Japanese culture first-hand and to put your language skills into practice and context. You can also apply to add a placement year to your degree, increasing the course from four years to five.

In your final year, you will bring together all your learning and experience to write a dissertation on an aspect of Japanese studies.

Course Structure

Year 1 Modules

Core Modules:

• Japanese Language 1A (for post-A level entrants). This module will consolidate and extend your grammatical knowledge, to enhance your communication skills in written and oral Japanese.
• Japanese Language 1B. This module will provide an introduction to all aspects of the Japanese language. You will get a thorough grounding in the major grammatical features of Modern Japanese, build up your vocabulary and develop skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Introduction to Japanese Culture: From Antiquity to the Present. This module will introduce you to the cultural history of Japan and its philosophy, art and literature. It will help foster a consciousness of Japan's role in and experience of globalisation over the long term. You will also learn about critical concepts and methodologies for the analysis of textual and visual artefacts.
• Imagining East Asia in the Modern World. This module covers cultural, social and political history of modern East Asia and the lives and experiences of different people living in and migrating to and from East Asia during the past five centuries.

Optional Modules:

• People and Cultures
• Introduction to Chinese Culture
• French Language
• German Language
• Italian Language
• Russian Language
• International Security, Interdependence and Organisation
• Global Regions in International Relations
• Spanish Language
• Worldview, Faith and Identity
• Gallery 101: Designing an Art Exhibition

Year 2 Modules

Core Modules:

• Japanese Language 2A. This module will further your knowledge of the Japanese language, including grammar and lexis. It will enhance your communicative proficiency in Japanese, in both writing and oral presentation and interaction, and further develop your listening and reading skills. You will also broaden your knowledge of traditional and contemporary Japan, and develop your intercultural awareness.
• Japanese Language 2B. This module will further develop your linguistic skills across the full range of reading, writing, listening and speaking. It will also prepare you for living abroad in terms of language, practical knowledge and cultural competence.

Optional Modules:

• The Body and the Extremity of the Senses: Through Japanese
• Political Culture in Japan since 1688
• Science and Technology in Modern Japan: A Cultural History
• Kinship and Religion
• Politics and Economics
• Chinese Cinema
• Classical Chinese
• French Language
• German Language
• Italian Language
• Russian Language
• Spanish Language
• Death, Ritual and Belief

Year 3 Modules

Core Modules:

• Study Abroad. The third year is spent in Japan studying the Japanese language full-time at a Japanese university.

Year 4 Modules

Core Modules:

• Dissertation. This module will give you valuable experience and understanding of self-directed learning and the importance of choosing appropriate methodology when approaching a research project. It will help you to expand your data collection, analysis and presentation skills, and to develop your critical faculties in relation to existing literature on your topic area.
• Japanese Language 4. This module focuses on proficiency in oral and written Japanese. It aims to develop an ability to write and speak correct Japanese, in expressing ideas in a broad range of topical issues in historical and cultural context. To encourage individual talents and proclivities and help students to achieve their maximum potential.
• Critical Methods for the Study of Japanese Literature and History. This module introduces you to advanced concepts and methodologies in literary and historical studies and their potential for reshaping scholarship on Japan and develops higher-level language skills for reading contemporary scholarship in Japanese.

Optional Modules:

• Anthropology, Art, and Experience
• Anthropology of Sport
• Poison, Pollution and the Chemical Anthropocene
• Chinese Historical and Literary Texts
• East Asia in Historical Perspective: The Making of the Two Koreas
• China in Global Political Economy
• China in the Asian Century
• Emotion and Identity in Religion
• Polygraphing Japonisme
• The Work of Art: Professional Skills and Work Placement in the Visual Arts

Learning

Language modules cultivate speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. For cultural and historical modules, lectures will introduce themes, context and commentary. Seminars then provide an opportunity to develop your critical skills through discussion with other students and staff.

Classroom teaching is only the start – in general, there is an increasing emphasis on independent learning and research, culminating in your dissertation. Most of your time will be spent working independently – reading widely, making notes, finding sources and watching/listening to audio-visual materials. Rather than delivering detailed information, the course aims to help you learn how to learn, guiding you towards independence in using resources effectively, thinking critically and formulating persuasive arguments.

The year abroad is a key element in your developmental education, enhancing your language skills and expanding your intercultural competence. During your time abroad you will continue to work independently on your Year Abroad assignment and in preparation for your final-year dissertation.

Assessment

Language modules are assessed by a mixture of oral, listening and written examinations. Optional modules are assessed by essays, commentaries, projects and examinations. You will also complete a 12,000-word dissertation in your final year.

During your year abroad you will complete a Year Abroad assignment.

Entry Requirements

• A Level: AAB
• BTEC: DDD
• International Baccalaureate: 36

You are not expected to have any previous knowledge of Japanese, but if you do have an A level (or equivalent) in Japanese, then you may be able to enter the Advanced stream from Year 1.

Fees and Funding

The fees for this academic year have not been confirmed yet.

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full-time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full-time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase expected to rise throughout the programme of study.

Career Opportunities

A degree in Languages and Cultures will provide you with an impressive portfolio of cultural knowledge, transferable skills and real-world experiences that is valued by employers worldwide. In particular, the year abroad which, as well as developing language abilities, can also greatly enhance your intercultural, problem-solving and communication skills.

With the UK as a whole producing fewer linguists, proficiency in languages coupled with the intellectual rigour and cultural understanding acquired during your degree will make you highly employable in a wide range of careers both in the UK and internationally. These include occupations such as interpreting, translation and teaching, media and the arts but also working across wider industry in research, administration, human resources, sales and business development, and the financial services.

Department Information

Languages and Cultures

Spanning languages and society, the arts and cultural history – an in-depth understanding and appreciation of language and culture will give you a greater insight into communities and build deeper connections with people across the world.

In an era of increasing globalisation, a skill set that includes cultural understanding and proficiency in languages will help you view the world through a different lens while equipping you with the skills that global employers are looking for.

Our language-based courses offer the flexibility to specialise in one or two languages and the cultural worlds associated with them – choose from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese and Russian. You can study from beginners’ level or opt for a more advanced route if you already have an A level or equivalent qualification.

All of our language degrees include a year abroad, a valuable experience that will broaden your horizons, boost your skills and give you the confidence to adapt to different environments. You will return to Durham for the final year with a deeper understanding of language and cultures, and be better equipped to make meaningful connections with people around the world.

The BA in Visual Arts and Film includes optional modules in languages and an opportunity to apply for a placement year or a year abroad. Course content is almost global in geographical reach covering art, film, and visual culture from the Western world, the Middle East, Eurasia and East Asia.

Rankings

• Top 5 for languages in The Complete University Guide 2025
• Top 10 for languages in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
• Top 100 The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see our department web pages.

Facilities

Our location on Elvet Riverside is close to the ancient Elvet Bridge, and within easy walking distance of the colleges, Students’ Union and the historic centre of Durham.