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Subject guide to Japanese
Japanese at Manchester
Learning Japanese opens doors to one of the world's most dynamic economies and fascinating cultures. This degree is designed to enable students to become proficient in written and spoken Japanese, and to have a good understanding of Japanese culture and traditions.
Students join a language learning pathway – beginner or intermediate. Language skills are developed through intensive classroom teaching and independent study. The University Language Centre provides a range of print and digital language learning resources.
There are also course units about Japanese culture, society and history. Teaching is led by world-class experts and reading lists and study materials draw on the extensive East Asian Studies collection in the University Library.
Residence Abroad in Year 3 enables students to live in Japan. Our extensive network of partner universities provides a considerable choice of study abroad options, from Tokyo to Kyushu, Osaka to Hokkaido.
I chose Japanese because I am intrigued in learning multiple languages and the language and its history are inherently very interesting to me. I love to learn more about language itself, connecting patterns and comparing them with other foreign languages.
Alicija Kelly / Linguistics and Japanese, 2026.
Video: Discover more about studying here
Courses - 2027 entry
Japanese is available as a specialism in the following 4-year degree courses:
- BA Linguistics and Modern Languages
- BA Modern Languages and Business and Management
- BA Modern Languages
- BA Politics and Modern Languages
- BA Sociology and Modern Languages
BA Modern Languages has 3 pathways for Japanese and students on this course must choose one:
- Japanese
- Japanese with Digital Humanities
- Japanese and a language chosen from French or Spanish
The degree title on the graduation certificate will state the language(s) that have been studied. For example: BA Modern Languages (Japanese and Spanish), BA Modern Languages (Japanese)and Business and Management, BA Politics and Modern Languages (Japanese).
For information about entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships and bursaries, please visit the online prospectus.
Students looking for a 3-year course that includes Japanese can consider the BA East Asian Studies. On this course, learning a language (Chinese, Japanese or Korean) is optional, and the course has a stronger focus on the history, politics and anthropology of China and Japan. This course also has an option to include a study abroad year in China or Japan.
Course structures
Degree courses in Japanese provide students with a range of choices. When considering the choices you’d like to make, please note:
- Japanese has 2 language learning pathways – beginner and intermediate.
- Each year, all students study a total of 120 credits. Each course unit is 20 credits unless indicated.
- The course unit titles for each year of study have been listed.
- Joint honours. In Year 1 students take 60 credits from Japanese. In Year 2 students take 60 or 80 credits from Japanese. In Year 4 students take 40, 60 or 80 credits from Japanese. The remaining credits each year are taken from the other subject or language.
- Single honours. In Years 1 and 2, students take 80 or 100 credits from Japanese. In Year 4, students take 80, 100 or 120 credits from Japanese. The remaining credits each year are chosen from a range of subjects in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, including digital humanities, or the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning.
- Digital Humanities. Students on BA (Hons) Modern Languages that take 40 credits of digital humanities course units each year will graduate with BA (Hons) Modern Languages (Japanese) with Digital Humanities.
- Essential course information for students studying a 4-year degree.
Course content
We encourage students to engage with their language learning and to absorb as much Japanese as they can, as well as engaging with the course units that introduce them to Japanese culture. Course units are 20 credits unless indicated.
For beginners, we strongly encourage students to start learning the Japanese syllabic scripts hiragana and katakana before the start of teaching. The beginner language leaning pathway is based on a core textbook and acquiring a fundamental knowledge of vocabulary, script and grammar, which can be utilised in communication. In Year 1, students learn approximately 300 kanji characters and 1,500 vocabulary items.
The intermediate language learning pathway builds on students’ prior learning, it aims to broaden students’ vocabulary (both spoken and written), hone their translation skills and deepen their understanding of grammar. There will also be speaking exercises to acquire communication strategies, and translation exercises between English and Japanese.
All students
20 credits taken from:
◈ Introduction to Japanese Studies
40 credits taken from one of the language learning pathways:
◆ Beginner pathway: Japanese Language 1
◇ Beginner pathway: Japanese Language 2
◆ Intermediate pathway: Japanese Language 3
◇ Intermediate pathway: Japanese Language 4
Japanese, or Japanese with Digital Humanities
20 credits taken from:
◆ Japanese History and Civilisation
Japanese
40 credits chosen from:
◇ Empire and Culture in East Asia
◆ Free choice units in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
Japanese with Digital Humanities
40 credits taken from:
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year
Students continue learning Japanese on the beginner or intermediate pathway and prepare for the Residence Abroad year.
All students
Students on the beginner pathway take 40 credits of language learning course units.
◇ Beginner pathway: Japanese Language 3
◇ Beginner pathway: Japanese Language 4
Students on the beginner pathway also choose cultural course units. Japanese (joint honours) students choose 20 or 40 credits. Japanese (single honours) choose 40 or 60 credits. Japanese with Digital Humanities students choose 40 credits.
◆ Race, Class and Gender in Japan and South Korea
◆ Animation and Film in Japan
◆ Bodies, Gender and Sexuality in Modern Japan
Students on the intermediate pathway take 20 credits of language learning course units.
◇ Intermediate pathway: Japanese Language 5
Students on the intermediate pathway also choose cultural course units. Japanese (joint honours) students choose 40 or 60 credits. Japanese (single honours) take 60 credits. Japanese with Digital Humanities students take 60 credits.
◆ Race, Class and Gender in Japan and South Korea
◆ Animation and Film in Japan
◆ Bodies, Gender and Sexuality in Modern Japan
Japanese
20 or 40 credits chosen from:
◆ Free choice units in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
Japanese with Digital Humanities
40 credits taken from:
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year
This is the Residence Abroad year and students live in Japan. Opportunities vary from year to year, and some opportunities are selective.
Students studying Japanese and another language, usually divide their time between two countries.
Please see Residence Abroad for information about funding and finance, the support provided to students to find suitable study or work placements, and for videos and blog posts from current students.
Returning from Residence Abroad, all students have a good level of language fluency, and everyone takes the same language learning course unit.
The Dissertation in Modern Languages and Cultures course unit is compulsory for students taking Japanese or Japanese with Digital Humanities. It is optional for Joint Honours students. The dissertation is a guided research project, and students develop their own research question and receive support and advice from a supervisor. Contact hours are low (less than 10 hours) and independent study hours are high (391 hours). The dissertation will be written in English, but students must demonstrate they analysed or used primary or secondary sources in Japanese.
Advanced Readings in Japanese Studies draws heavily on students’ language skills. They read unedited Japanese texts on a range of topics, translate text into English, and deliver presentations and engage in seminar discussions in Japanese. Classes also focus on developing students’ abilities to write natural and accurate Japanese.
All students
20 credits of language learning:
◈ Japanese Language 6
All students take course units from those listed below. Japanese (joint honours) students choose 20, 40 or 60 credits. Japanese (single honours) students choose 60, 80 or 100 credits. Japanese with Digital Humanities students choose 60 credits:
◈ Dissertation in Modern Languages and Cultures (40 credits)
◈ Advanced Readings in Japanese Studies
◆ Science and Civilisation in East Asia
◇ Culture, Gender and Resistance in Contemporary Japan and East Asia
Japanese
0, 20 or 40 credits chosen from:
◆ Free choice units in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
Japanese with Digital Humanities
40 credits chosen from:
◆ Course units from Digital Humanities. Some course units are delivered in semester 1, some are delivered in semester 2.
KEY:
◆ Semester 1
◇ Semester 2
◈ Full Year