IWU Japanese Studies Courses

JPN 101 - Beginning Japanese I

An introduction to the four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Includes an introduction to grammar and alphabets ( hiragana and katakana ) and kanji. Offered each fall.

JPN 102 - Beginning Japanese II

A continuation of Japanese 101. Students will gain knowledge of an additional hundred kanji . Offered each spring.

JPN 201 - Intermediate Japanese I (LA)

Higher communicative skills will be reached by learning another hundred additional kanji as well as complex grammar structures. Offered each fall.

JPN 202 - Intermediate Japanese II (G)

A continuation of Japanese 201. Students will continue to study more advanced grammar and learn another hundred kanji . Offered each spring.

JPN 310 - Studies in Literature and Humanities (to be taken abroad)

Upper level courses in an approved study abroad program in the literature or the humanities category, including art history, theater, gender studies, music history, philosophy, and religion. Readings and lectures are in Japanese. Credit should be discussed with a member of the Japanese Faculty before departure.

JPN 311 - Studies in Social Science (to be taken abroad)

Upper level courses in an approved study abroad program in the social science category, including business, economics, history, political science, sociology, geography, anthropology. Readings and lecture are in Japanese. Credit should be discussed with a member of the Japanese Faculty before departure.

JPN 410 - Advanced Japanese Language Studies (to be taken abroad)

An upper level Japanese course taken in an approved study abroad program. This course will contain a strong writing component in addition to practice in reading and conversation in Japanese. Credit should be discussed with a member of the Japanese faculty before departure.

LC 105 - Special Topics in Japanese Literature in Translation (LIT)

This course will vary in content and approach to emphasize genres, themes, and periods in Japanese literature. Readings and lectures in English. May count toward minor in Japanese.

LC 202 - From Atom to Akira: Japan's Pop Culture Japanese Literature and Culture (LIT, G)

Japanese popular culture is nearly synonymous with anime (animation), manga (comics), and video games. All three are integral part of Japanese life. This class will discuss the global popularity of these three forms of entertainment, which has spurred interest in Japan and the cultural themes that inform its popular culture. Prerequisite: N/A. Offered in alternate years.

LC 205 - Japanese Film and Aesthetics (CSI, G)

This course will examine Japanese films made in the post-World War II period. Students will study internationallyknown directors such as Ozu and Kurosawa and learn terminology for analyzing artistic elements such as framing, camera position, lighting, sound, camera movement, optical distortion, and editing. Offered occasionally.

LC 207 - Language and Gender: US and Japan (CSI, G)

This course considers gender differences in language use as practices of social institutions and investigates the ways in which the gender differences influence communication styles between men and women. This course also encourages students to reflect upon the advantages/disadvantages that the gender differences create and consider how we can promote gender equality in society. Offered occasionally.

LC 303 - Blades, Bows, and Bushido: The Samurai in Context

This course will examine literary, artistic, and film representations of the samurai in order to understand of one Japan’s most popular cultural icons. We will chart the growth of the samurai from simple horseback archers to a class characterized by a rigidly-defined code of behavior referred to as bushido. Offered in alternate years.

LC 304 - Cross-Cultural Communication: US and Japan (CSI, G)

This course will focus on the interpersonal relationships between/within the US and Japan. Students will conduct research on various issues, including discrimination, misunderstanding, and prejudice. Offered each spring.

LC 308 - Japanese Way of Life: Traditions and Changes (IT, G)

This course explores the development of Japanese thoughts from antiquity to the present, focusing on issues of continuity and change. Students will study the major intellectual movements in Japan over time and examine the impact that modern influences from the West have had on traditional Japanese language, culture, and society. Offered in alternate years, May Term.