Michigan State University JAPANESE PROGRAM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

I. Japanese Language Courses

JPN 101. Elementary Japanese I (5 cr, FS)

JPN 102. Elementary Japanese II (5 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: for JPN 101: none; for JPN 102: JPN 101, JPN 112 or equivalent.

Basics of the pronunciation, orthography, speaking, listening comprehension, reading, writing, and sociolinguistics/culture of Japanese. Introduction of the phonetic writing systems, hiragana and katakana, and some kanji (Chinese characters).

Emphasis on accurate and appropriate communication.

JPN 111. Elementary Japanese Ia (3 cr, F)

JPN 112. Elementary Japanese Ib (3 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: for JPN 111: none; for JPN 112: JPN 111 or equivalent.

Not open to students with credit in JPN 101. JPN 111 and 112 together cover the material equivalent to that in JPN 101 in the regular track.

Introduction of hiragana in JPN 111, and katakana and some kanji (Chinese characters) in JPN 112.

JPN 113. Elementary Japanese IIa (3 cr, FS)

JPN 114. Elementary Japanese IIb (3 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: for JPN 113: JPN 101, JPN 112 or equivalent; for JPN 114: JPN 113 or equivalent.

Not open to students with credit in JPN 102.

Continuation of JPN 101 and of JPN 112. JPN 113 and JPN 114 together cover the material equivalent to that in JPN 102 in the regular track. Further knowledge of sociolinguistics/culture and additional kanji.

JPN 201. Second-year Japanese I (5 cr, FS)

JPN 202. Second-year Japanese II (5 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: for JPN 201: JPN 102, JPN 114, or equivalent; for JPN 202: JPN 201 or equivalent.

Lower intermediate-level speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing of modern Japanese. Further knowledge of sociolinguistics/culture and additional kanji. Emphasis on accurate and appropriate communication. Class conducted mostly in Japanese.

JPN 301. Third-year Japanese I (4 cr, FS)

JPN 302. Third-year Japanese II (4 cr, Sp)

Prerequisite: for JPN 301: JPN 202 or equivalent; for JPN 302: JPN 301 or equivalent.

Higher Intermediate-level speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing of modern Japanese. Extensive use of original spoken and written materials. Further knowledge of sociolinguistics/ culture and additional kanji. Emphasis on accurate and appropriate communication. Class conducted entirely in Japanese.

JPN 350. Studies in the Japanese Language (3 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: JPN 202 or equivalent . Outline of the Japanese language and culture, and intermediate-level grammar, expressions and pragmatics. Characteristics of the language, history, Keigo (honorifics), gender differences, interactions with Japanese people. Class conducted mostly in English.

JPN 401. Fourth-year Japanese I (3 cr, FS)

JPN 402. Fourth-year Japanese II (3 cr, SS)

Prerequisite: for JPN 401: JPN 302 or equivalent; for JPN 402: JPN 401 or equivalent.

Advanced-level speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing in Modern Japanese. Some classical grammar. Exclusive use of original technical and non-technical materials, both spoken and written. Further knowledge of sociolinguistics/culture and additional kanji. Emphasis on accurate and appropriate communication. Class conducted entirely in Japanese.

JPN 499. Senior Thesis (1-4 cr, FS &SS)

Individual research project supervised by a faculty member.

ASN 290. Independent Study (1-6 cr, F, Sp, Summer)

Open to freshmen and sophomores. Offered only when a faculty member is available. ASN 291. Special Topics in Asian Languages (1-6 cr, FS &SS)

Prerequisite: varies. A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Special topics supplementing regular course offerings proposed by faculty on a group study basis. Topics vary. Open to freshmen and sophomores.

ASN 401. East Asian Cultures (3 cr, FS)

Prerequisite: IAH 211B or approval of department.

A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Selected topics in the history and culture of China, Japan and Korea. Topics vary.

ASN 464. Studies in the Literature of Asia and the Asian Diaspora (3 cr, SS)

A student may earn a maximum of 9 credits in all enrollments for this course.

Not open to first-year students.

Selected writers, genres, themes, or regions in Asian and Asian Diaspora literature.

ASN 490. Independent Study (1-6 cr, FS, SS, Summer)

Open to juniors and seniors. Offered only when a faculty member is available.

ASN 491. Special Topics in Asian Languages (1-6 cr, FS & SS)

Prerequisite: varies. A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Special topics supplementing regular course offerings proposed by faculty on a group study basis. Topics vary; e.g. "Project Work in Japanese", "E-mail Correspondence in Japanese", "Advanced Spoken Japanese". Open to juniors, seniors and graduate students.

LL 380. Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages (3 cr, FS & SS)

Prerequisite: JPN 202 or equivalent.

Methods of teaching Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African languages for teacher education candidates. Theories of second language acquisition and practical application of teaching strategies.

Click: Courses with Asian Emphasis

Graduate course; Prerequisite: LIN 401

LIN 881. The Structure of a Non-European Language: Japanese (3 cr, FS of odd year)

Graduate course; Prerequisite: 6 credits in LIN courses