Japanese Studies
Established in 1986, the Hunter College Japanese Program offers two minors - Japanese Language and Japanese Studies – and is the NYC area’s only college level program that offers a specific major in Japanese Language and Culture. Students can choose from a variety of courses in language and culture, make real world connections through the program’s relationships with Japanese cultural institutions and businesses, and study abroad with our partner colleges in Japan.
どんな芸術や学問も、心を込めて追求されるべきです…そして、学ぶ価値のある芸術は、間違いなくそれを学ぶために費やされた努力に対して、多少なりとも寛大に報いてくれるでしょう。
“No art or learning is to be pursued halfheartedly...and any art worth learning will certainly reward more–or less–generously the effort made to study it.”Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji
Academics
Undergraduate students can major or minor in Japanese by earning credits in various Japanese classes at Hunter College.
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Japanese Courses
The program offers a wide range of introductory to advanced classes in language and linguistics, as well as courses that examine Japanese culture historically and in the present. These courses seeks to develop student's understanding of Japanese language and culture, while also fostering a broader understanding of Japan’s influence in the world.
Learn More About Japanese CoursesJapanese Culture
Japan has a rich cultural heritage, represented by centuries of art, science, literature, performance, music, and multimedia. Today, Japan is a world superpower, characterized by a complex combination of innovation and tradition, forged by years of homegrown originality and cross-cultural influence. These courses seek to provide students with a nuanced understanding of Japanese culture, both historically and in the contemporary world.
Japanese Tutoring & Events
To support students taking the language courses, the program provides tutoring services five hours per week. To complement the academic opportunities, the program also hosts various cultural events and activities internally and connects students with external events to promote development of the Japanese language and relevant cultural knowledge.
Learn More About Japanese TutoringFaculty
Our faculty reflects the diversity of Japanese studies and includes scholars of history, language, arts and more.
Meet Our Faculty