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Studies & Degrees in Japanese Language and Culture (in Universities)

A university degree in Japanese language and culture combines intensive language training with the study of Japan's literature, history, society and arts. It differs from a language-school course in two ways: the language is taught over several years up to the level needed to read original texts, and it is studied together with the culture that produced it. The University of Washington notes that Japanese has more than 125 million native speakers and is the vehicle of a literary culture spanning 13 centuries.

What students learn

The first task is the writing system. Beginners at The University of Sheffield, for example, learn to read and write the three main scripts of Japanese (hiragana, katakana and kanji) in their first year. Language classes then build speaking, listening, reading and writing year by year, and advanced students may add classical Japanese, as in the multi-track advanced programme at the University of Washington.

Alongside the language, students take courses on Japanese literature in translation and in the original, history, religion and thought, film and popular culture, linguistics, and the politics and economy of contemporary Japan, usually in the wider context of East Asia. Many programmes include a period at a partner university in Japan. At Penn State the Japanese major requires students to study abroad.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States. Japanese is taken as a major or a minor within a four-year bachelor's degree. At Penn State the Bachelor of Arts in Japanese requires a minimum of 124 credits, of which 35 are requirements for the major; the rest are general education, degree requirements and electives. The University of Washington offers a B.A., a minor, an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Japanese.
  • United Kingdom. Japanese is usually studied within a degree in Japanese or East Asian studies. The East Asian Studies BA at The University of Sheffield lasts three or four years, offers a language specialist pathway in Chinese, Japanese and Korean, and includes the opportunity of a year abroad.
  • Spain. An official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. The Universidad Autónoma de Madrid teaches the Grado en Estudios de Asia y África: Árabe, Chino y Japonés, which lasts four years (240 ECTS credits) and is taught in Spanish. Students on the Japanese track reach level A2-B1 in the language; 35 places are offered on that track. The university gives an approximate price of €1,015 per year for a first enrolment and €6,823 for non-EU students (figures on its page in October 2026).
  • Master's and doctorate. Graduate degrees specialise in Japanese literature, linguistics, history or language teaching, and normally require an advanced level of the language.
  • Community colleges. Two-year colleges in the United States and Canada teach Japanese language courses whose credits can count towards a later bachelor's degree. Ask the college how the credits transfer.

The JLPT exam

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the usual certificate of level. It has been offered since 1984 by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services for non-native speakers. It has five levels: N5, the easiest, certifies the ability to understand some basic Japanese, and N1, the most difficult, the ability to understand Japanese used in a variety of circumstances. According to the organisers, results are also used by employers for screening and promotion. A degree does not include the JLPT automatically, so students register for it on their own.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 54 active universities and colleges for Japanese language and culture. The United States has 34; the United Kingdom has four, Japan three, and Spain, Canada, Australia and China two each. In the United States the list includes The Ohio State University, the University of Washington, Penn State, Purdue University, The University of Chicago, the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Elsewhere it includes The University of Sheffield, The University of Tokyo, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, Camosun College in Canada and Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Outside Japan, culture courses are taught in the language of the country (English in most listed universities, Spanish in Madrid), and language classes use more Japanese as the level rises. Compare programmes by the number of language hours per week, the level reached at the end, and whether a stay in Japan is compulsory, optional or not offered.

Careers

Graduates use Japanese together with another skill. Penn State names government service and multinational companies among the fields where proficiency in Japanese is required. Other common paths are translation and interpreting, language teaching, tourism, trade with Japan, publishing, media and games localisation, and academic research. For interpreters and translators in general, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of 2 percent from 2025 to 2035 and notes that a bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Japanese before starting the degree?

Usually not. Most programmes start with beginners' classes that teach the hiragana, katakana and kanji scripts from the first year. Students who already know some Japanese take a placement test.

What level of Japanese will I reach?

It depends on the programme and on time spent in Japan. The Japanese track of the degree at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, for example, aims at level A2-B1 after four years. Ask each university which level its graduates reach and whether it prepares for the JLPT.

Can I study Japanese at a university in Spain?

Yes. The Universidad Autónoma de Madrid offers the Grado en Estudios de Asia y África: Árabe, Chino y Japonés, a four-year degree of 240 ECTS credits taught in Spanish.