DEPARTMENT OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE & CULTURE
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address
(14662) M201, Maria Pavilion, 43, Jibong-ro, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea -
hours of operation
9:00 am-5:00 pm (lunch break: 12:00-1:00 pm) -
tel
+82 2 2164 4460 -
e-mail
cukjapan@catholic.ac.kr
About the Department
Understanding Japan's development from an economic powerhouse to a political powerhouse is crucial today. The Japanese Language and Culture major aims to cultivate Japanese language experts who can contribute to the internationalization of the 21st century and lead Japan-Korea relations in the era of Japan's cultural opening.
To this end, students will analyze Japanese society and culture from various angles and develop language skills and abilities that will enable them to communicate with Japanese people not just in conversation but with an understanding of their consciousness, including their language habits and life.
Major Course Guide
In this major, we aim to develop Japanese language professionals who can communicate with Japanese society and culture, and who understand the language habits and cultural mindset of Japanese people. Here are some of the core courses for each year of the program.
Year 1 │ Introduction to Japanese, Japanese 1-2
This course is the foundational course for the major, laying the groundwork of the Japanese language before entering the major. In Introduction to Japanese, students will learn the basics of hiragana, katakana, basic words, and basic grammar, and develop basic speaking and listening skills by utilizing these in Japanese 1-2.
Year 2 │ Japanese Society and Culture1-2
This course is designed to help students master basic Japanese grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, while also studying contemporary Japanese society and culture through the use of Japanese language course readings related to Japanese society and culture. In addition, students will be introduced to Japanese society and culture through presentations on topics related to Japanese culture.
Year 3 │ Introduction to Japanese Studies
This course is a general introduction to the field of Japanese studies and is designated as a requirement for the major. In this course, students will study not only modern Japanese, but also the evolution of the Japanese language as a whole. This course is designed to help Japanese language learners, understand and appreciate these general characteristics of the Japanese language.
Year 4 │ Theory and Practice of Japanese-Korean Translation, Japanese-Korean Translation Seminar
This course provides an overview of the theory and practice of working translation, which is common to all language translation, and develops basic translation skills and abilities to produce quality translations that are both faithful and readable through working translation exercises. Recognizing and overcoming translation problems in working translations will be discussed in depth. By taking this class, students will be able to choose Translation as one of their graduation options
Curriculum
| Year 1 | Introduction to Japanese Studies, Japanese 1-2, Understanding Korean-Japanese Culture |
|---|---|
| Year 2 | Japanese Society and Culture 1-2, Japanese Composition, Understanding Japanese Kanji, Japanese Conversation, Intermediate Practical Japanese Grammar, Advanced Practical Japanese Grammar, Intermediate Japanese Composition, Intermediate Japanese Conversation, Computer Literacy and the Japanese Language |
| Year 3 | Advanced Japanese Composition, Advanced Japanese Conversation, Internet Japanese, Understanding Japanese Literature, Japanese Honorifics, Japanese Curriculum Pedagogy, Japanese Culture Field Trip, Introduction to Japanese Studies, Discussion of Current Events in Japanese, Japanese Curriculum Materials Research and Teaching Methods, Japanese Studies Seminar, Modern Japanese Grammar, Modern Japanese Life and Japanese Popular Culture, Japanese Studies Seminar |
| Year 4 | Trade Japanese Conversation and Writing 1-2, Japanese Culture, Theory and Practice of Japanese-Korean Translation, Communication with Japanese, Japanese-Korean Translation Seminar, Comparative Literature of Japan and Korea |
Academic Activities
Debate Club
This is a Japanese language discussion club established in 2016. The club aims to improve Japanese speaking skills as well as critical thinking and communication skills. The club also puts the results of its practice to the test by competing in the Korean Student Debate Tournament in Seoul and Busan. We competed for the first time in 2016 and achieved significant results in 2017, winning the Seoul tournament and placing third in the national tournament.
Beomeung Gakuen University Overseas Field Trip
This is a semester-long overseas field study program that is separate from the exchange student program and is organized by the department in cooperation with a partner school and sends 8 students abroad each semester. Priority is given to students who are not yet familiar with Japanese, and the program aims to help them experience local culture and improve their Japanese language skills. The program was started in 2007 and continues to be active to this day, with high satisfaction ratings from participants, and many students want to participate every year.
Departmental Talent
- Those who want to use their creative, critical, and logical thinking skills to gain insight into Japan's politics, economy, society, and culture
- Those who want to communicate with Japanese people based on an understanding of their language habits, life, and rituals, rather than just speaking Japanese.
- People who want to see the bigger picture and develop global citizenship skills
High School Courses Related to Major
| General Electives | Career Electives |
|---|---|
| Japanese I, Chinese I, East Asian History, Literature, etc. | Japanese Ⅱ, Chinese Ⅱ, Classical Reading, etc. |
Careers after Graduation
| Education and Research | Instructor or professor teaching Korean to Japanese students |
|---|---|
| Enterprise | Human Resources, Sales, Trade, Advertising/Marketing, IT Developer, Aviation, Travel & Tourism, Japanese Corporations |
| Institutions and Organizations | Civil service, professional administration, banking, media, advertising agencies |
| Professionals | Professional translators, interpreters, etc. |
Subject-Related Certifications
JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N5~N1, JPT (Japanese Proficiency Test), SJPT (Spoken Japanese Proficiency Test), SNULT Japanese (Seoul National University, Language Test), FLEX Japanese (Foreign Language Test), JSST (Japanese Standard Speaking Test), BJT (Business Japanese Test), OPIC Japanese, Kanken (Japanese Kanji Proficiency Test), Tourist Interpretation Guide, etc.