Japanese

Naoko Nemoto, Chair

Denise Falk, Academic Department Coordinator


112 Ciruti Center
413-538-2885
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/academics/find-your-program/japanese

Overview and Contact Information

The Japanese program offers three levels of instruction. Students will build their language skills and cultural knowledge with various activities such as visiting Wa-Shin-An (the Japanese tea room at Mount Holyoke), reading short stories, writing blogs, and interviewing students from Japan. Students who study Japanese may choose to complete the minor in Japanese listed here or the major in East Asian Studies for which language study is a principal component.

See Also

Faculty

This area of study is administered by the Asian Studies Committee:

Calvin Chen, Carol Hoffmann Collins '63 Professor of International Studies and Professor of Politics, Teaching Fall Only

Satyananda Gabriel, Professor of Economics

Sohail Hashmi, Professor of International Relations on the Alumnae Foundation and Professor of Politics

Kavita Khory, Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics; Carol Hoffmann Collins Director of the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives

Susanne Mrozik, Professor of Religion

Naoko Nemoto, Professor of Asian Studies

Joshua Roth, Professor of Anthropology, Teaching Fall Only

Ajay Sinha, Julie '73 and Helene '49 Herzig Professor of Art History

Ying Wang, Felicia Gressitt Bock Professor of Asian Studies

Elif Babul, Associate Professor of Anthropology

Amina Steinfels, Associate Professor of Religion, Teaching Spring Only

Lan Wu, Associate Professor of History, Teaching Fall Only

Lisha Xu, Senior Lecturer in Asian Studies, Teaching Fall Only

Jinhwa Chang, Lecturer in Japanese

Kyae-Sung Park, Five College Lecturer in Korean

May George, Five College Lecturer in Middle East Studies

Requirements for the Minor

At least 16 credits:

As prerequisites, if needed: ASIAN-120, ASIAN-121
Two Japanese language courses at the 200 level or higher8
An additional two 300-level courses in Japanese language8
Total Credits16

Additional Specifications

  • Independent Studies (ASIAN-295 or ASIAN-395) do not count toward the minor.
  • Language courses that are not taken at Mount Holyoke must be approved by the head of the Japanese program at Mount Holyoke College to count toward the minor.
  • Courses taught in English do not count toward the minor.

Course Offerings

ASIAN-222 Second Year Japanese I

Fall. Credits: 6

This course emphasizes speaking, listening, reading, and writing modern Japanese. Includes approximately 250 kanji. Supplements class work with audio and video.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language
J. Chang
Prereq: ASIAN-121 or equivalent. Coreq: ASIAN-222L.
Advisory: Asian Studies 121 or equivalent. Students with previous training in Japanese outside of MHC should consult Naoko Nemoto (nnemoto@mtholyoke.edu) for placement.

ASIAN-223 Second Year Japanese II

Spring. Credits: 6

This course continues Asian Studies 222, Second Year Japanese I. Emphasizes speaking, listening, reading, and writing modern Japanese. Includes approximately 350 kanji. Supplements class work with audio and video.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language
J. Chang
Prereq: ASIAN-222 or equivalent. Coreq: ASIAN-223L.
Advisory: Students with previous training in Japanese outside of MHC should consult Naoko Nemoto (nnemoto@mtholyoke.edu) for placement.

ASIAN-324 Third Year Japanese I

Fall. Credits: 4

This course helps students attain a higher level of proficiency in modern Japanese through the extended use of the language in practical contexts. The class will be conducted mostly in Japanese.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language
N. Nemoto
Prereq: ASIAN-223 or equivalent.
Advisory: Asian Studies 223 or equivalent. Students with previous training in Japanese outside of MHC should consult Naoko Nemoto (nnemoto@mtholyoke.edu) for placement.

ASIAN-326 Third Year Japanese II

Spring. Credits: 4

This course continues Asian Studies 324, Third Year Japanese I. Emphasizes attaining a higher level of proficiency in modern Japanese through the extended use of the language in practical contexts. The class will be conducted mostly in Japanese.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language
N. Nemoto
Prereq: ASIAN-324 or equivalent.
Advisory: Asian Studies 324 or equivalent. Students with previous training in Japanese outside of MHC should consult Naoko Nemoto (nnemoto@mtholyoke.edu) for placement.