For specific course times and instructors for the current or upcoming semesters, please consult the Hunter College Schedule of Classes. For other questions, contact:

Professor Maayan Barkan
Email: mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu
Office: Hunter West 1321
Telephone: (212) 772-5064

Click on the links below to view a sample syllabus for a course.
Please note that all syllabi are subject to change by the instructor.

Courses in Japanese

Beginning Japanese I (JPN 101) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Introduction to reading and writing modern Japanese and fundamental grammar.

Beginning Japanese II (JPN 102) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: None.
Continuation of JPN 101.

Intermediate Japanese I (JPN 201) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: JPN 102 or equivalent.
Extensive reading and writing practice, including at least 200 additional Kanji (Chinese characters) and advanced grammar study.

Intermediate Japanese II (JPN 202) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: JPN 201 or equivalent.
Continuation of JPN 201.

Japanese Reading: Recitation and Comprehension (JPN 271) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
This course is for students looking to obtain higher level skills in reading and comprehension of Japanese texts, books, and articles. Activities and exercises involving reciting Japanese texts out loud are carried out to refine the pronunciation and intonation.

Advanced Japanese I (JPN 301) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: JPN 202 or equivalent.
This course engages the student in extensive reading and writing practice, and focuses on writing compositions, advanced grammar study, introduction of new expressions, and research presentations about Japanese culture in Japanese.

Advanced Japanese II (JPN 302) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: JPN 301 or equivalent.
Continuation of JPN 301.

Advanced Japanese Conversation (JPN 351) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: JPN 202 or by permission from instructor.
This course is designed for students looking to become proficient in speaking Japanese in formal and informal situations. Active participation in speaking Japanese regularly in class is expected.

Courses in English

Japanese Culture Before 1600 (JPN 251) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: ENG 120.
A course designed for students who wish to become acquainted with Japanese culture. It will cover the periods from pre-historic to 1600 and focus on elements that helped shape contemporary Japanese culture. Taught entirely in English.

Japanese Culture Since 1600 (JPN 252) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: ENG 120.
A course designed for students who wish to become acquainted with Japanese culture. It will cover the Edo period and Modern Japan, including contemporary Japanese culture. Taught entirely in English.

Introduction to Chado - Tea Ceremony (JPN 261.30) - 3 credits, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: ENG 120.
This course aims to teach the basics of Chao (The Way of Japanese Tea/Traditions of Japanese Tea Ceremony), a brief history of it, and the cultural background of tea in Japan through lectures, actual practices, and the administration of tea ceremonies. Japanese tea ceremony is not only the performing art of the aestheticism, but also a comprehensive cultural philosophy. Through lectures we will learn about its background and its influence on daily life in Japan.

Modern Japanese Literature (JPN 261.40) - 3 credits, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: ENG 120.
In this course students read a selection of Japanese literature that provides a window into the social, political, and cultural life of twentieth-century Japan. In addition to introducing various Japanese authors and their outstanding works, the course will have students discuss relevant topics in the post-World War II period. No previous knowledge of Japanese language or culture is required.

The World of Manga and Anime (JPN 261.50) - 3 credits, 3 hours a week.
Prerequisite: ENG 120.
Why is Japanese Manga universally popular, and how did it attain this phenomenal success? This course introduces the history of manga and anime from its origins in the classical period up to the present day. Students will learn how these literary art forms evolved into important vehicles of Japanese cultural expression and discover Japanese manga artists and their key works. No previous knowledge of manga, anime, or Japanese language and culture is required.