• In their linguistics courses, students explore the formal structures of language (sound system, internal structure of words, syntactic organization, and representations of meaning) as well as language universals, variability across languages, social dimensions of language use, and historical language change. At the same time, students achieve proficiency in Japanese (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and gain an appreciation and critical understanding of Japanese cultural and literary traditions, practices, genres, and great works. Integrating the two components of the joint major, coursework in Japanese linguistics focuses on the historical development of the Japanese language or on its distinguishing characteristics in relation to other languages.
  • Class projects and interactions with faculty provide frequent opportunities for making connections between the major’s two primary areas of study. Students in the joint major regularly spend a semester or academic year abroad in Kyoto at the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies or in Tokyo at Keio University.
  • The major equips students for work in or related to Japan, and provides excellent background for a range of careers including language education, testing and assessment, translation and interpretation, international business, speech therapy, voice coaching, information technology, law, nursing and medicine, child development, and social work. It also prepares students for graduate study in the areas of language, literature, linguistics, and related areas such as Asian regional studies and cognitive science.