Japanese

Where can I study Japanese?

• Griffith University
• The University of Queensland 

Why Study Japanese?

Japanese is spoken around the world by Japanese nationals and other speakers of Japanese engaged in economic pursuits, government, the media, education, research, artistic fields, sports and tourism.

Making Japanese part of your degree means that you will have an advantage in your chosen career. Japanese multinational companies employ Japanese speaking graduates to work in Australia and offer overseas postings. There is currently a large community of Australian expatriates working in public and private sectors in Japan.

Exchanges with Japanese universities are available and are an excellent way to enhance your degree and career prospects in your chosen profession. For instance, students of engineering can go on exchange to an engineering partner university in Japan.

In Australia, speakers of Japanese are in demand in the fields of law, business management, teaching, diplomacy, journalism, finance and tourism among others.
Studying Japanese will do more than just broaden the scope of your personal, social and professional networks. Students of Japanese tend to have a deep appreciation of different ways of thinking, of history and traditions, and are willing to challenge themselves, which in turns benefits their studies in other disciplines.

Course Information

Find information about Griffith’s Japanese courses here.

Find information about UQ’s Japanese courses here.

Japanese at Griffith

The Japanese program at Griffith University will not only develop your proficiency in the language, you will also develop awareness of the intricate cultural and social values that are essential for effective and appropriate interaction in Japanese.

Griffith offers all levels of Japanese language on both the Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. It also offers introductory Japanese history courses and contemporary Japanese culture and society courses.

Japanese language at Griffith has been consistently taught in the communicative way since its establishment, and it has produced a number of graduates who now work in the fields of international business, tourism, education, and government offices in Japan as well as in Australia. Griffith has also been a home to several winners of state and national Japanese speech contests.

The courses in the Japanese program are focused on practical use of Japanese language in both written and spoken forms. The unique progressive streaming structure that is combined with a student exchange program with numerous Japanese sister universities flexibly caters for diverse student needs in the language. Active Japan Clubs on both campuses, and regular tours to Japan add to the student experience at Griffith.

Japanese at UQ

Many students who are passionate about learning Japanese and being involved with Japanese culture and society, do not have a particular career in mind when they study Japanese. Through experiences such as involvement in the UQ exchange program and mixing with Japanese and other students interested in Japan while at university, ideas develop and the opportunities to make connections that lead to unexpected pathways and working lives that involve contact with Japan arise.

Students of Japanese and students from Japan who are at UQ form a friendly community and friendships continue after graduation.

UQ offers Japanese courses at all levels. Students can study Japanese courses as electives or complete a minor, major or extended major in Japanese.