Take our Japanese Studies degree and you'll truly discover Japan. Immerse yourself in the language and culture of a country with rich traditions and vibrant modern life and find out for yourself that there’s more to this incredible country than cherry blossoms, bullet trains and sushi.

Mastering the language is a key part of the course. Our language programme, designed for complete and near-beginners, will help you learn to read and write kanji and communicate effectively. Teaching from native and fluent non-native speakers will help you gain confidence and overcome any challenges you face. You’ll also be able to take advantage of our unique Japanese room.

You can choose to spend your third year at a university in Japan. While learning about the culture first hand, you’ll also return with superior Japanese language skills. While you’re away, you can turn to us whenever you need support.

We’ll make sure you meet recruiters and hear about opportunities in industries such as tourism and translation. Your language skills and cultural insight will be sought after by employers globally.

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Why Oxford Brookes University?

Exciting career paths

You’ll graduate ready to kickstart a career in areas such as education, tourism and translation.

Diverse study

You’ll be able to discover and shape your interests as you study a wide range of subjects, from history to manga and anime. You’ll explore contemporary topics like gender roles and the experience of minorities in Japan.

Innovative language learning

Become a skilled and fluent Japanese speaker through our innovative language programme.

Confident communicator

Sharpen your language skills and become a bridge between 2 cultures.

Start as a complete beginner

You don’t need any previous Japanese language experience.

Additional language modules

Our university-wide language programme is available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Study abroad

Immerse yourself in everyday life in Japan, use Japanese in real-life situations, and experience the culture first-hand.

Course structure

Learning and teaching

Assessment

You'll explore the country’s geography, history and society, and learn how culture and language intersect.

We’ll start with the basics of the language, so it doesn’t matter if you’re a total beginner. In your first year, we’ll focus on the Japanese writing system and developing a systematic knowledge of kanji. We’ll develop your knowledge of grammar and practise listening, speaking and writing.

In your second year, as you become more confident in communicating, we’ll look at Japanese society and identity art forms old and new, and the relationship between language and culture. After your second year, you can choose to spend a year in Japan. You’ll be well prepared to experience the culture first hand and further sharpen your language skills.

You’ll continue to hone your language skills in your final year, looking at a variety of texts and exploring translation between Japanese and English. You’ll have the chance to dig deeper into the topics that interest you such as anthropology, cultural identity and conflict, the arts and relationship between Japan and the West.

This course will help you gain a structured knowledge of grammar, reading and writing skills, as well as developing your spoken fluency in Japanese. You will also gain a broad understanding of Japanese culture.

Our Japanese Room, designed by a Japanese craftsman, is a perfect replica of a Japanese interior. This unique space is used for tutorials and allows you to enjoy and experience Japanese culture on campus.

You will also benefit from:

small class sizes

language classes taught by native and fluent speakers

access to the latest e-learning skills

Oxford Brookes’ own Japanese graded reading materials, Let’s Read Japanese

You can learn more about the Japanese language and culture experts who will teach you by exploring our staff profiles.

Assessment methods vary from module to module.

Language module assessments consist of:

70% regular in-class tests and portfolio completion at home

30% final examination.

Content module assessments are normally 100% coursework. They include:

small research projects

oral presentations

in-class tests.

Study modules

Teaching for this course takes place face to face and you can expect around 10 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.

Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.

Select year

Year 3 (placement year)

Compulsory modules

Essential Japanology

In this module, you’ll gain a strong understanding of Japan and the Japanese language. You’ll gain a broad knowledge of Japan’s geography, history, language, working life, religion, arts and culture. You’ll survey these topics from a variety of perspectives, and understand core themes and concepts. You’ll highlight key areas for study, that you’ll explore in greater depth in your upcoming modules.

Japanese 1A

In this module, you’ll go from knowing almost no Japanese to developing an effective knowledge of the language. As a beginner or near-beginner, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll gain unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Japanese creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Japanese 1B

In this module, you’ll gain a strong grasp of Japanese language skills. As someone with some knowledge of the Japanese language, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll gain unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Japanese creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Japanese Reading and Writing 1A

In this module you will acquire reading and writing skills at the beginners’ level. You will learn the Japanese writing system, especially focusing on developing a systematic knowledge of kanji as well as general reading and writing skills.

Japanese Reading and Writing 1B

You will continue working on the reading and writing skills you acquired in Japanese Reading and Writing 1A. By the end of the year, you will be able to read and write 180 characters and recognise over 360 compounds using these characters.

Optional modules

Understanding Languages and Translation

In this module, you’ll get to understand language and how to study it. You’ll look at language as a system, and how we use it in different instances of communication. You’ll understand language and its associated terms and definitions. You’ll gain core linguistic skills as you explore linguistic analysis in:

sound (phonetics and phonology)

language as meaning (semantics)

language as structure (syntax).

You’ll gain a strong grounding in these concepts by studying instances of written and spoken language. You’ll develop valuable insights into language and its systems and uses.

Introduction to East Asian Cultures

In this module, you'll use anthropological perspectives to make an in-depth investigation of contemporary life in Japan. You'll cover factors and topics that affect Japanese everyday life such as:

child rearing

education and early socialization

households, marriage and kinship

work and employment

gender and sexuality

religion and ritual

immigration and diversity

Japanese popular culture

and the globalization of Japanese culture.

This will give you a good base of knowledge for taking more advanced modules on the anthropology of Japan in years 2 and 3.

Learning Japanese through J-Pop

Immerse yourself in J-Pop and develop your Japanese grammar and usage skills. You'll explore the J-Pop music genre that originated in the early 1990s.

You'll experience the look and sound of J-Pop, through video, live recordings and online content. You'll then use digital tools to look at the origins and meaning of J-Pop songs. Including artist and fan communities. While building a deep understanding of the history and culture of Japanese popular music

Japanese 2A

In this module, you’ll go from strength to strength in your grasp of Japanese. You’ll increase your repertoire of grammar and improve your speaking and writing, reaching an upper beginner’s level. You’ll gain key teamwork skills as you work with your peers to meet deadlines effectively, giving you a strong grounding for your future career.

Japanese 2B

Continuing on from Japanese 2A, you will strengthen your language skills, giving you the confidence and competencies essential to succeeding in your year abroad. You’ll also explore the relationship between culture and language, and how some expressions and language use are underpinned by social and cultural values.

Japanese Reading and Writing 2A

This module focuses on the Japanese writing system, especially focusing on developing kanji learning as well as general reading and writing skills. You will learn to write 180 new kanji, and to recognise 360 compounds using those kanji. In addition, you will work on developing your reading comprehension skills to prepare you for reading a variety of texts during their Year Abroad. You will also learn to write in various writing styles.

Japanese Reading and Writing 2B

Continuing on from Reading and Writing 2A, you will learn to write an additional 170 new kanji, and to recognise 340 more compounds using those kanji. In addition, you will develop deeper reading comprehension skills to prepare you for reading a variety of texts during your Year Abroad. You will also continue to work with a variety of topics and writing styles.

Manga, Anime and Contemporary Japanese Cinema

In this module, you’ll investigate Japanese popular culture through live-action cinema, manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animated films). You’ll understand how these media have developed in Japan, how they are presented and received in Japanese culture and how they reflect social and cultural issues. You’ll gain core analytical skills as you examine their narrative and stylistic themes, and what they can tell us about the social, political and cultural issues of late twentieth-century and early twenty-first-century Japan.

Classical Arts of Japan

In this module, you’ll explore traditional Japanese arts. You’ll learn to understand and appreciate the style and techniques of art forms such as:

Ukiyo-e (wood-block prints and paintings)

Haiku (famously brief poetic form)

Kabuki (classical dance-drama)

Ikebana (the art of flower arranging)

You’ll also gain core critical skills for work as you address key issues such as:

the representation of gender and sexuality

class issues

religious and philosophical assumptions

You’ll gain a broad knowledge of the historical and social contexts of these arts in Japan. You’ll explore individual works in greater depth, as you analyse how the arts relate to wider Japanese culture.

Independent Study in Japanese

You’ll be able to focus in depth on a study area that you’ll discuss with your supervisor. You’ll exercise your research skills and carry out an independent academic project that will help you develop your critical reflection and academic writing skills.

Japanese Oral Skills

In this module, you’ll accelerate your success in your placement year, as you gain the skills you need to communicate effectively in Japanese. You’ll gain key skills in presenting to an audience, as well as expressing your ideas to someone at an upper beginner’s level. You’ll also develop a deeper understanding of how communication works, transforming you into a skillful communicator of Japanese.

English Language Teaching to Adults

Do you dream of working as an English language teacher? Do you want to help adult learners grasp the English language? In this module, you’ll get to grips with English language teaching. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of teaching English, and essential skills in effective language teaching. You’ll also develop key practical skills for teaching English to adult learners. If you take this course, you’ll be able to apply to British Study Centres Oxford to complete your teaching practice, and acquire a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). This is recognised by Cambridge Assessment as a pre-service training qualification.

Elements of the Japanese Language

In this module, you’ll discuss facts about the Japanese language, helping you improve your Japanese language knowledge. You discuss topics from social and geographic language variation, to the relationship between language and culture, and grammatical analysis. You’ll deepen your knowledge of how language works in use and conversation, and you’ll understand the relationship between language and society.

Life in pre-Modern Japan

This module explores pre-modern (pre-1868) Japan primarily through its social history.

We'll use determinants such as social class, religion and governmental structures to provide background to a detailed focus on the lived experience of individuals and groups of people at different periods of Japan’s pre-modern history. Our focus will be on:

work and pastimes

family structures

and sexuality.

You will develop your ability to examine primary and secondary historical texts critically, to formulate arguments and to express your ideas eloquently in speech and in writing.

The Making of Modern Japan

How did Japan rise from a feudal nation with few resources, to the world’s third largest economy? In this module, you’ll follow the making of modern Japan. You’ll explore Japan’s response to western colonialism and empire-building, and its own colonialist programmes. You’ll examine the social, economic and political changes of this period through investigating primary sources. You’ll also follow these changes through the works of both Western and Japanese scholars (in translation). You’ll gain core research skills to help you succeed in your degree, as you consider the tools and methods we need to study Japan, the world and history.

Placement year

You’ll spend a year in Japan, soaking up the culture and improving your language skills through wide interaction with native Japanese speakers. You’ll attend one of our partner universities in Japan.

Language Studies in Japan

In this module, you’ll accelerate your Japanese language skills with direct access to the country and its native speakers. You’ll increase your listening, reading and interpretation skills in Japanese, while gaining first-hand knowledge of the cultures, communities and societies which use Japanese.

Academic Studies in Japan

This module gives you the chance to reflect on the cultural modules you studied at your university in Japan. You’ll expand your analytical skills for your degree and future career, as you consider the intercultural issues you encountered while abroad, how you negotiated them and your language learning in general.

Autonomous Learning in Japan

Japanese 3

In this module, you’ll gain excellent skills in intermediate to advanced Japanese. You’ll dig into a variety of Japanese texts, audio, and video, covering genres such as essays and reports. You’ll improve your knowledge of Japanese grammar and enhance your Japanese reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

Japanese 4

In this module, you’ll gain excellent skills in intermediate to advanced Japanese. You’ll dig into a variety of Japanese texts, audio, and video, covering genres such as essays and reports. You’ll gain knowledge on specific topics and enhance your language skills. The module will also help you prepare for future employment and to become an active citizen in the world.

Japan: Myth and Reality

In this module, you’ll dive into Western discourses on ‘Japan’ and ‘the Japanese’. You’ll gain core critical skills as you consider how we perceive Japan, and the ideas we attach to it. You’ll dig into the history of Western perceptions of Japan, and also consider the ways Japan looks at itself.

Japanese Cinema and Modern History

In this module, you’ll put classic Japanese cinema in the spotlight, and get to grips with its social and historical context. You’ll explore films from one of the most tumultuous and transformative eras in Japanese history, and you’ll link them to social and political developments in Japan during the twentieth century. You’ll also develop excellent critical skills as you consider films in the context of debates around the meaning and significance of classical Japanese cinema.

Japanese Translation: Theory and practice

In this module, you’ll get to grips with key concepts in translation and analyse different types of translation in an array of texts. You’ll explore how meaning is expressed through words and how it differs from language to language.

You’ll dig into examples of translation, and learn how to translate from Japanese into English and from English into Japanese. You’ll gain the core skills to succeed as a language specialist as you explore the linguistic differences between Japanese and English, and how they affect translation.

Independent Study in Japanese Studies

Focus in depth on a topic that you’ll discuss with your supervisor. You’ll choose between an academic research project, a work-based project with a short-term working experience, or a work-related project such as organising an event to bring new ideas to people.

Role in Japanese Language

You will explore the expression of different identities through Japanese. In particular, you’ll look at “role language” or yakuwarigo. Which features in fiction and is used to portray certain attributes such as an old man, a noble woman or a warrior.

You will engage with examples of Japanese role language and learn to develop your skills to conduct your own research. You'll also look at “character language” and what happens in translation. You will gain a deep understanding on the use and effects of role/character language in Japanese. Building key knowledge on the expression of different identities in Japanese.

Japanese Literary Texts

In this module you will develop your ability to engage with authentic Japanese texts at an advanced level. You will learn to navigate a variety of literary writing styles as you are introduced to literary texts from different periods of Japanese history, and you will acquire a deeper understanding of the historic and cultural context in which these works were written. You will learn to critically analyse the texts you read.

Tandem Language Learning

In this module, you’ll build fantastic teamwork skills for your career, and accelerate your knowledge of the Japanese language. You’ll come together as a mixture of native Japanese and English speakers, and work in groups to improve your language skills, and learn more about each other’s cultures. You’ll increase your skills in oral communication, allowing you to speak in Japanese on topics from culture and politics, to life in the UK or Japan. You’ll gain critical knowledge of your own language development as you set goals to improve your language skills, and support each-other as students.

Japanese religions

This module examines Japanese religions past and present, including Shinto, Buddhism, Abrahamic religions and New Religious Movements.

We'll approach these religions through concepts such as animism, theism and secularity, and will examine the relationship between:

religion and politics

war and violence

social issues

and the environment.

You'll learn to think critically about religion in its broader theoretical, social and global context and carry out your own research.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills will help you stand out in the global job market. With confidence in presenting information, teamwork, and critical thinking, you’ll be well-prepared for success in an international workplace.

As a graduate, you’ll find roles in global professions such as tourism, international management and the media, as well as fields such as translation or language teaching.

Our graduates have secured roles at the Japanese Embassy, the Japan Foundation, and within Japanese businesses such as All Nippon Airways, So-net Media Networks and Daiwa House Group.

Student profiles

Jagoda Swierczek

"My year in Japan has made me more confident in myself and in what I can do. The world feels larger, but also much more reachable."

Read more about Jagoda

Our Staff

Dr Kerri Russell

Kerri’s research is mainly concerned with the origins and development of the Japonic language family, which consists of the varieties of Japanese spoken in Japan and the Ryukyuan islands. She has also worked on Ainu, Middle Korean, and several Altaic languages spoken in East Asia.

Read more about Kerri

Related courses

Related course

Modern Languages with Translation

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 112

A Level: BBC

IB Points: 27

BTEC: DMM

Contextual offer

What is a contextual offer?

UCAS Tariff Points: 88

A Level: CCD

IB Points: 24

BTEC: MMM

Further offer details

Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk

Specific entry requirements

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

Please see the University's standard English language requirements.

Pathways courses for international and EU students

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, or if you would like more preparation before you start, you can take an international foundation course. Once you enrol, you will have a guaranteed pathway to this degree if you pass your foundation course with the required grades.

If you only need to meet the language requirements, you can take our pre-sessional English course. You will develop key language and study skills for academic success and you will not need to take an external language test to progress to your degree.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Credit transfer

Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.

Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.

Terms and conditions of enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

International qualifications and equivalences

Choose country

Bangladesh

Hong Kong

Indonesia

Kazakhstan

Lithuania

Malaysia

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Africa

South Korea

Sri Lanka

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

United States of America

Zimbabwe

Other countries

Application process

Full time Home (UK) applicants

Apply through UCAS

Part time Home (UK) applicants

Apply direct to the University

International applicants

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Please see the fees note

Home (UK) full time

Home (UK) part time

£1,220 per single module

Home (UK) sandwich (placement)

International full time

International sandwich (placement)

£1,255 per single module

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

For further information please see our tuition fees FAQs.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.

For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs

that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Compulsory costs

Amount (£)

Two day trips that cost around £60 each.

Students at most universities in Japan are required to register with the Japanese National Health Insurance Scheme.

About £130

Students at most Japanese universities are required to attend medical appointments and medical tests as part of their application process.

From £150-250

Travel and accommodation costs associated with work or study placements.

About £1500 per placement

Optional costs

It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online.

From £30

You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand.

£20-60 per book

Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills)

£107-301 per week

Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs)

£139-248 per week

Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41.

Typically £0-200

Fines are payable on items returned late although we will give you 5 days to return an item before fines are payable. Find out more about how to borrow and return items.

£1 per book

Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes with single bus fares in the UK currently capped at £3. Oxford Brookes has committed to offering heavily discounted bus travel for students for at least three years from July 2026 with further information on our Travel webpages.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

£2,000 International Student Scholarship September entry

Oxford Brookes Bursary for students starting 2024-25 or earlier

Undergraduate maintenance loans for part-time UK students

Undergraduate maintenance loans for full-time UK students

Undergraduate tuition fee loans for UK students

Oxford Brookes Bursary for Students starting 2025/26 or later

20% Alumni Discount Scheme

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

Part-time study

Programme changes:

On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been

published on the website. For more information, please visit our

changes to programmes page.

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