THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR M.A. Honours in
Japanese
1)
Awarding Institution: University of Edinburgh
2)
Teaching Institution: University of Edinburgh
3)
Programme accredited by: The University of Edinburgh
4)
Final Award: MA (Hons)
5)
Programme Title: Japanese
6)
UCAS Code: T210
7)
Relevant QAA Subject benchmarking Group(s): Language and Related
Studies
8)
Postholder with overall responsibility for QA: Head of School of
Literatures, Languages and Cultures
9)
Date of production/revision: February 2011
10)
External Summary
The programme aims to enable students with little or no previous knowledge of
Japanese language and culture to acquire and develop interest in and understanding
of Japan, including the Japanese language, history, literature, culture and society. It
offers society the resource of intellectually trained individuals capable of acting as
conduits of knowledge and understanding between Britain and Japan.
The
programme is taught within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.
The first year of study provides a structured introduction to Japanese grammar and
also enables students to read and write hiragana and katakana, the Japanese
syllabary, as well as approximately 200 Japanese characters (kanji). There are
practical exercises in using Japanese for simple spoken and written communication.
In the second year, Japanese 2A is a continuation of Japanese 1 and is aimed at
enabling students to speak, read and write Japanese at intermediate level. Work in
the Languages Microlab, introduced in the first year as an optional complement to the
teaching, provides students with the opportunity to develop word-processing skills
and to acquire computer literacy in Japanese.
For the third year, the Japanese section has 14 partner universities for exchange
programmes, from which students can choose their destination of study, - pending on
exchange arrangements with the University’s International Office. Students are
prepared for their study abroad in a series of workshops providing individual advice
about administrative procedures for each University as well as general briefings.
The main programme aims of the programme are
 to enable students to understand, evaluate and compare a range of theoretical and
methodological frameworks.
 to enable students to develop and apply their knowledge and skills to the
understanding and evaluation of issues and problems in the contemporary world.
 to enable students to develop and apply key generic skills in critical thinking,
research, oral and written articulation of information and argument.
 to equip students for progression to a wide variety of careers or to further academic
study.
10)
Educational aims of programme:
The programme aims to enable students with little or no previous knowledge of
Japanese language and culture to acquire and develop interest in and understanding
of Japanese speaking countries, including the Japanese language, history, literature,
culture and society. It offers society the resource of intellectually trained individuals
capable of acting as conduits of knowledge and understanding between Britain and
Japanese-speaking countries. The programme is taught within the School of
Literatures, Languages and Cultures.
11)
Programme outcomes:
11a)
Knowledge and understanding
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Modern spoken and written Japanese
Modern and classical Japanese literature
Japanese history and thought
Political and social issues related to Japanese speaking countries
Linguistic issues related to the Japanese language (its structure, functions,
registers, writing systems etc.)
6. Key methods and concepts of literary, historic and linguistic analysis
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
Japanese language is acquired through small-group classes, tutorials and regular,
assessed coursework. Additional support is provided through the self-access
facilities for language learning at the Language and Humanities Centre and the
Languages MicroLab. The third year abroad provides total immersion in the
Japanese language and culture.
Knowledge of Japanese literature, history, thought, culture and society is acquired
through a combination of lectures and tutorials or seminars including group
discussion and individual or joint presentations.
Assessment
Testing on the knowledge base is through unseen written examinations in all areas,
combined with assessed regular language exercises and oral examinations in
Japanese language; and essays, coursework assignments and a dissertation in
Japanese studies.
11b)
Graduate attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry
1 to reason critically and cogently
2 to apply linguistic, literary and historical concepts
3 to identify and solve problems
4 to analyse and interpret information and texts
5 to find information on and use information technology
6 to use the Internet and bibliographic resources in both Japanese and English
7 retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources and media, including
those in the target language;
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
Intellectual skills are developed through the teaching and learning programme
outlined above. Each course, whatever the format of the teaching, involves
discussion of the key issues, practice in applying concepts both orally and in writing,
analysis and interpretation of material and individual feedback on work produced.
Assessment
The variety of assessment methods employed all place great emphasis on the
learner’s ability to demonstrate the above skills through the production of cogent and
coherent written and oral responses to problems and tasks set. Essays and
dissertations produced in the Honours years provide an especially valuable vehicle
for the training of those skills.
11c) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual
Autonomy
1 to work independently
2 to be self-reliant
3 to assess and respond to the ideas of others
4 to demonstrate and exercise independence of mind and thought
5 distinguish relevant from irrelevant considerations in argument
6 construct clearly organised arguments
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
All courses require written work, usually in the form of essays, and regular feedback
is given to the learners in order to develop their understanding and power of
expression. Teamwork and leadership skills are acquired through active
contributions to tutorials and seminars, both as group members and discussion
leaders. Time management is learned through the expectation to submit coursework
by prescribed deadlines notified at the outset of each course. Teamwork and
assessment and response to the ideas of others are developed in classes, seminars
and tutorials, which rely on discussion and interaction, as well as presentations by
individuals and groups of students. Independent work and self-reliance are
developed during the year abroad. IT skills are developed through University-wide
training courses and individual learning.
Assessment
Effective communication of ideas is an important criterion in assessing all areas of a
learner’s work, and the regular feedback and the final mark both reflect this.
Additionally, penalties are levied for late submission of essays and coursework
assignments. Structuring and communication of ideas, independent work, selfreliance, IT skills and assessment and response to the ideas of others are all
assessed through regular coursework, essays and dissertations. Although these are
supervised they are nevertheless a manifestation of the independent thought and
research by the learner. IT skills are assessed through the assembly of necessary
information for essays, etc. and their production on PCs.
11d)
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication
1 To speak, write and read Japanese at an advance level of proficiency
2 To translate and interpret from and into Japanese
3 To communicate effectively in English to inform and educate others about
Japanese language and culture
4 to structure and communicate ideas effectively in both oral and written form
5 to be a constructive and efficient member of a team
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
The language work includes advanced translation from and into Japanese,
composition in Japanese (in which students learn to employ a variety of written
styles), and oral work, which deals with a wide range of modes of expression. Joint
sessions with second year students who are planning their year abroad, have been
established as part of the final-year advanced spoken course as a way of
encouraging academic and practical collaboration between the two groups, who
might not otherwise meet much.
Classes are given on literary, historical and linguistic concepts and on approaches to
translation. Throughout their studies, students take classes and receive instruction in
Japanese language. The year abroad further promotes the active learning of the
Japanese language to an advanced level.
Comprehensive bibliographies are provided for each course, as are guidelines for the
production of essays, coursework assignments and dissertations.
Assessment
All skills listed are primarily assessed through essays, coursework assignments and
dissertations. Use of the Japanese language and translating and interpreting from
and into Japanese are assessed by class and home exercises, tests and degree
examinations. The ability to gather information on Japanese speaking countries and
to present it effectively in English is assessed through degree examinations on
Japanese literature, history, thought, culture and society.
11e)
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness
 the confidence to rely on one’s own intellectual capacities
 the ability to motivate oneself, to plan one’s own work, and to set one’s own
goals and deadlines
 ability to work autonomously
 to manage time and work to deadlines
 to exercise leadership skills
 time and priority management skills
 be sensitive to ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings
 plan, undertake and (in a scholarly and literate fashion) report on a piece of
self-initiated research
The small classes in the final year of the degree allow space for extensive discussion
involving all the students.
The dissertation is an important part of the final year programme. Students are given
guidance about how to produce a substantial piece of work through a series of oneto-one meetings with a supervisor appointed from the academic teaching staff. The
production of a lengthy piece of work, on a topic chosen by the student, provides
individuals with a major sense of achievement.
11f)
Technical/practical skills
Students should acquire skills that can be used in a wide variety of intellectual
contexts and forms of employment. These include:  computing skills – the ability to use computers for word-processing, information
storage and for retrieving information from the world wide web
 use of libraries – the ability to use libraries for the recovery of information, and
related research skills, including the ability to discriminate between different
sources of information, suggested readings, and so on.
Students are given instruction in how to access material in Japanese through the use
of internet resources. Students routinely use Japanese word processing software to
insert Japanese characters into essays and dissertations.
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Programme structure and features
Full details of the degree programme and structure can be found at: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/10-11/ipp/utjapli.htm
Courses are taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. Optional courses
in Year 4 are taught through seminars.
Details of Japanese courses can be found at: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/10-11/ipp/cx_sb_asst.htm
Entrance requirements – see
http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/degrees?id=3,27&cw_xml=subject.php
Progression Requirements: Students are normally expected to have gained 120
credits from each year of study.
Students who do not progress into Honours may graduate after three years of fulltime study, or a longer prescribed period of part-time study, with a B.A. in Humanities
and Social Science.
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Other Items
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all students are assigned a Director of Studies on admission to the degree
programme, who oversees the course of the student’s degree programme,
offers advice on academic matters (including degree-progression) and should
be the student’s first port of call for course-related worries or concerns
student opinion is actively sought through participation in Staff-Student
Liaison Committees, through the election of class- and tutorialrepresentatives, and by the wide circulation and review of detailed student
questionnaires each semester.
LLC have a student support office, where students can go for advice on
degree transfers, course changes, authorised interruption of studies,
confirmation letters and general support. Information can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/literatures-languagescultures/current-students/undergraduate-support
further information about Asian Studies can be found at
http://www.asianstudies.ed.ac.uk/