13 UC/14 BA/4
UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Template 2: Qualification Change -2014
Proposal Description
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Purpose of the proposal
To restructure the majoring requirements for Japanese in the Bachelor of Arts.
Justification
In July 2012 the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics put before the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences a
proposal to begin the reconfiguration of the major in Japanese from a four-year programme to a three-year programme.
This change was intended to align the Japanese language programme with the Chinese and most other language
programmes at Canterbury and with Japanese language programmes at other universities (e.g. Auckland and Otago) and
to allow students who started their university study of Japanese as beginners to major in Japanese within three years. It
was also noted at the time that the reconfiguration would simplify transfers of credit from other New Zealand
universities.
In 2013 the two beginners’ courses JAPA 141, JAPA 142 and the course for students with prior knowledge JAPA 153
Elementary Japanese, were replaced with the full-year JAPA 115 Elementary Japanese I, or, for those with some
experience, the second semester JAPA 116 Elementary Japanese II. In 2014 the new 200-level, whole year course JAPA
215 Intermediate Japanese was introduced for students who had completed JAPA 115 or JAPA 116 or equivalent in
2013. In 2015 the first cohort of students under the new structure will complete the language programme with JAPA
315 Topics in Advanced Japanese.
Another requirement for the Japanese major is the non-language course JAPA 108 (Introduction to Japanese Culture) 15
points. There are also non-compulsory electives e.g. JAPA 208 Japanese Society, JAPA 307 Extension Japanese. A
number of students will gain direct entry to 200-level Japanese (JAPA 215) on the basis of previous experience. These
students will be able to use these above-mentioned elective courses to complete their major.
Teaching Out: Students in the four- year programme (i.e. those who did JAPA 141 and JAPA 142 in 2012) are being
taught out alongside the students enrolled in the new three-year programme.
Cohort A: Students
who began the study
of Japanese at
beginners’ level in
2012 (four year major)
Cohort B: Students
who began the study
of Japanese at
beginners level in
2013
2012
2013
2014
2015
JAPA 141
Beginners’
Japanese I (15 pts)
JAPA 153 Elementary
Japanese (45 pts)
JAPA 205 Japanese
Language 2 (45 pts)
JAPA 305 Japanese
Language 3 (60
pts)
JAPA 115 Elementary
Japanese I (45 pts)
JAPA 215
Intermediate
Japanese (45 pts)
JAPA 315
Advanced
Japanese (60 pts)
JAPA 142
Beginners’
Japanese II (15 pts)
OR
JAPA 116 Elementary
Japanese I (30 pts)
AND (for majoring
requirements)
JAPA 108 Introduction to
Japanese Culture (15 pts)
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This proposal is aligned with the University of Canterbury’s graduate profile. The revision and streamlining of the Major
will continue to produce graduates who are competent in their core academic discipline and ready to make use of their
language and cultural skills in a multicultural world. Graduates of the Japanese programme will, by the very nature of
their study, have an appreciation of other cultures beside their own and be equipped for international experience.
When it comes to trade, politics, cultural exchange and educational collaboration with the Japanese-speaking world,
only people with the training a Japanese major offers can truly consider themselves ready to work effectively and be
confidentially entrepreneurial.
Prescriptions for courses
JAPA 108 Introduction to Japanese Culture (15 points)
A survey course which covers selected topics of Japan’s society, geography institutions and thought.
JAPA 115 Elementary Japanese I (45 points) A whole year course for complete beginners.
This course is designed for students with little or no knowledge of the Japanese language. At the end of the course
students should be able to understand and actively use basic modern Japanese grammar and vocabulary and read and
write the kana syllabaries, and approximately 150 characters.
JAPA 116 Elementary Japanese II (30 points) A second semester course for students with some language ability. This
course is the second semester of JAPA 115, so the learning outcomes are the same – they reach the same end-point.
This course is designed for students with NCEA Level 2 Japanese language or equivalent. At the end of the course,
students should be able to understand and actively use basic modern Japanese grammar and vocabulary, and read and
write the kana syllabaries, and approximately 150 characters.
JAPA 207 Written Communication in Japanese (15 points)
This aim of this course is to develop students’ linguistic proficiency in written communication for practical purposes.
Aspects studied include respect language, set phrases, formalities, and styles associated with various types of
correspondence.
JAPA 208 Japanese Society (15 points)
This course will develop students’ understanding of various aspects of Japanese society, including the evolution of
mainstream and minorities, gender relations, socialisation, inter-generational relations, predominant family structures,
and the individual/group dichotomy. No previous knowledge of Japanese language is required.
JAPA215 Intermediate Japanese (45 points)
This course builds upon JAPA 115/6. By the end of the course students will have acquired a knowledge of intermediate
level Japanese grammar and will also have learned approximately 400 kanji and approximately 2500 words and phrases.
JAPA 307 Extension Japanese (30 points)
This course aims to extend the students’ understanding of Japanese language beyond that which is normally achieved
by completing JAPA 305/315 alone. Proficiency in the use of language appropriate to a variety of situations and
materials, such as understanding media materials, is enhanced in a way that will be of practical value in their future
careers.
JAPA 313 Professional Japanese (30 points)
The course aims to improve the students’ oral and written communication skills that are specific to professional
contexts, especially business. Students will also gain knowledge about the culture of Japanese business and other
professions, such as science, technology, engineering and law, which differs in many key respects from Western
practices. Upon completion of the course, students will have the skills and the knowledge to function more successfully
in their professional relationships. Although the course contents cover specifically professional settings, knowledge and
skills that are acquired in this course are applicable in many other formal settings and assist in understanding Japanese
society as a whole.
JAPA 315 Advanced Japanese (60 points)
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This course builds upon JAPA 215. By the end of the course students will have acquired knowledge of upper
intermediate/advanced level Japanese.
Resources
No additional staffing resources are required. New textbooks will be introduced and enhanced and supplemented by
on-line and multi-media materials created by staff. These will be used alongside strong on-line and multi-media
materials. These materials will be regularly updated to ensure that students are kept informed of current issues and
patterns of thought in Japanese society
Calendar Form
Qualification Regulations
UC Calendar 2014 Page 222 Schedule A to the Bachelor of Arts
DELETE:
Students intending to complete the BA with a major in Japanese must be credited with at least 135 points in Japanese,
(not including ARTS 395), including JAPA 108, with at least 105 points at 200-level or above, including the following:
100-level
Required: JAPA 108
Recommended: at least 30 points of 100-level Japanese language
200-level
Recommended: JAPA 208 and 45 points of 200-level Japanese language.
300-level
Required: at least 60 points of 300-level Japanese, including JAPA 305 (not including ARTS 395).
Recommended: JAPA 312
Required for Honours: B or above in JAPA 305.
INSERT:
Students intending to complete the BA with a major in Japanese must be credited with at least 135 points in Japanese,
including at least 105 points at 200-level or above: including the following:
100-level:
Required: JAPA 108
300-level
Required: JAPA 315
Required for Honours: B or above in JAPA 315.
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