5 Language Studies BA Degree Programs in Asia

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Studies and Digital Communication and Bachelor of Education (Honours) (English Language) This program aims to prepare students to become competent teachers of English for primary/secondary schools, or other English language-related professionals. Graduates will obtain a high level of English proficiency and an ability to help pupils learn English effectively.

This course covers the three fields of Contemporary Japanese Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, and Applied Japanese Linguistics. Contemporary Japanese Linguistics approaches Japanese as one of many languages and aims to empirically analyze its systems of grammar, vocabulary, phonemes, and transcription. Sociolinguistics considers and analyzes the diversity of the Japanese language as it presently exists in modern society—including differences in language according to region (dialect), age, or setting—as well as the resulting linguistic and social issues.

In 1854, Japan surrendered to the might of Commodore Perry’s Black Ships with the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa, ending the country’s long isolation under sakoku . Proving that such a famous event actually took place requires unearthing numerous historical documents and going through various different steps. To then contextualize the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa within the broad framework of East Asia may bring to light new aspects that differ from previous understanding.

The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Languages, Linguistics, and Literature offers a flexible and applied degree that is designed to train the next generation of specialists in linguistics, languages, and literature, as well as provide a solid generalist degree to prepare students in a variety of professions. This major program provides students with a focused familiarity with one of four languages, cultures, and history of the world: Mandarin Chinese, French, Spanish and German, and thus offers excellent training for future graduate study and employment in the government or business sectors and non-government organization, particularly in fields with a strong language/communication/literature excellence requirements, positions including translation, museum work, library, arts or academy.

This course covers all periods and genres of Japanese literature, starting with waka poetry, Sino-Japanese poetry of the early modern period, the monogatari style of literature (e.g., The Tale of Genji )), setsuwa , and essays from ancient and medieval times. This course also includes the study of haikai poetry, ukiyo-z ōshi , yomihon , as well as the literature of the modern period, ranging from Meiji-era voices, like Higuchi Ichiyō and Natsume Sōseki, to contemporary literature. This course prioritizes students’ acquisition of basic techniques, such as bibliographical knowledge, which is required to handle literary sources such as old manuscripts, Japanese bound books, and letters.