Japan Studies

Overview

Key facts

This opportunity for well-rounded study is enhanced by specialized training in areas of individual interest, allowing students to develop their academic skills and to pursue their professional goals.

The Japan Studies program from University of Washington gives students in-depth knowledge of many facets of Japan and familiarity with Japanese society and culture. Coursework helps prepare students for careers in business, government, journalism, secondary-school teaching, and a variety of other professional fields. The Japan Studies Master’s program is specifically designed for students with BAs who need language and interdisciplinary training on Japan to pursue their career goals, as well as for preparation for PhD work in an academic discipline involving Japan for students who have had little or no training on Japan or in the language. The MAIS in Japan Studies may also be pursued concurrently with a Master of Business Administration or a Master of Public Affairs. Japan Studies MAIS students are encouraged to explore the QUAL Initiative to expand qualitative research design and methods in their graduate training.

Because of the crucial importance of language skills in understanding Japan, students in the Japan Studies program are strongly encouraged to study Japanese to as advanced a level as possible.

Variety and depth are added to regular coursework by Japan Colloquia and by occasional special symposia, where recent research findings and discussions of significant contemporary topics are presented by specialists from the United States, Japan, and elsewhere. The program strives to offer students the opportunity to study all aspects of Japan—through the number and variety of courses offered, the research activities of faculty members, Japan Colloquia, and in the fact that the most important academic journal in the field, The Journal of Japanese Studies, is published here at the University of Washington. These contribute further to the intellectual environment of the program, giving students the benefit of learning about research done by scholars at the forefront of the Japan field.

The University of Washington has a long-standing commitment to the study of Japan, and its programs on East Asia are consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Japan-related curricula are offered in many of the University’s departments and professional schools. Similarly active programs focusing on other world regions make the University of Washington a rich environment for study and enable students to gain a comparative international perspective.