About Japanese at Otago

Japan has the second largest economy in the world after the United States, and is the eighth most widely spoken language in the world today.

In recent years trade and cultural ties between New Zealand and Japan have expanded, and so too has a demand for university graduates with a sound knowledge of Japanese language and culture. The core papers in Japanese offered at the University of Otago aim to advance students' competency in written and spoken Japanese to a level which enables them to read and converse without serious difficulty. There are many opportunities open to students who have reached this level. While some opt for careers in foreign relations, trade and commerce, others choose an academic path, such as teaching Japanese here in New Zealand or furthering their studies at Otago or Japanese universities. There are also a number of career opportunities in tourism here in New Zealand.

Most of the Japanese papers available at Otago focus on language acquisition, where students develop their skills in oral and written Japanese. Papers in Japanese literature, film and culture studies are also available which offer a view of a different world, through which students learn to appreciate the artistic aspects of Japanese daily life, its religious traditions and how these are blended into contemporary Japanese society, and the economic and technological development that has taken place in Japan over the past century. Students can choose to study Japanese as a major subject for the Bachelor of Arts, as a minor subject supporting a major in another subject or simply include one or two papers in combination with any other subjects. Japanese combines very well with a wide range of subjects including Asian studies, commerce, tourism, law, education, linguistics, information science, history, political science, anthropology, geography, Film and Media studies and Communication Studies.

Otago University has recently negotiated student exchange relationships with several Japanese universities, through which successful students are offered scholarships from the Japanese government for an all-expenses-paid year of study in a sister university in Japan. This scheme offers a wonderful opportunity for students to master the language and gain first hand knowledge of Japan and its culture.