Japanese Courses: Overview

Japanese Courses

Language Classes

The foundation-level Japanese language program at UC Davis offers three years of study (JPN 1 through JPN 113). Successful completion of this sequence, or equivalent proficiency, qualifies students for any of the non-sequential fourth-year Japanese language courses offered (JPN 131 through JPN 138). Each foundation-level course is offered once a year.

Alternatively, students can complete the equivalent of one year of study through the intensive program offered during summer session.

Students who have had prior coursework or training in Japanese should take a placement exam to determine which course to take.

  Fall Winter Spring Summer
First Year JPN 1: Elementary Japanese (5) JPN 2: Elementary Japanese (5) JPN 3: Elementary Japanese (5) No offerings Summer 2022
Second Year JPN 4: Intermediate Japanese (5) JPN 5: Intermediate Japanese (5) JPN 6: Intermediate Japanese (5)  
Third Year JPN 111: Modern Japanese Reading and Discussion (4)  JPN 112: Modern Japanese Reading and Discussion (4)  JPN 113: Modern Japanese Reading and Discussion (4)   
Fourth Year
(sequential)
JPN 121: Fourth-Year Advanced Japanese (4) JPN 122: Fourth-Year Advanced Japanese (4) JPN 123: Fourth-Year Advanced Japanese (4)  
Fourth Year
(non-sequential)
Offerings per quarter vary.
  • JPN 131: Readings in Modern Japanese Literature: 1920-1945 (4)
  • JPN 132: Readings in Modern Japanese Literature: 1945-1970 (4)
  • JPN 133: Readings in Modern Japanese Literature: 1970 to Present (4)
  • JPN 134: Readings in the Humanities: Traditional Culture (4)
  • JPN 135: Readings in the Humanities: The Modern Period (4)
  • JPN 136: Readings in Newspapers and Magazines (4)
  • JPN 137: Readings in Contemporary Japanese Literature (4)
  • JPN 138: Readings in the Humanities: Japan Today (4)
 

Literature and Culture Classes

The core of our courses in Japanese literature and culture is the three-quarter sequence of JPN 101, JPN 102 and JPN 103, in which students read in chronological order representative works of Japanese fiction, poetry, essays and drama in English translation. This sequence is required for the major, but it is not a prerequisite for our other courses in Japanese literature and culture, which focus on particular themes and genres and may include materials from other media, such as film.