Center for Japanese LanguageWaseda University

The Japanese Language Program, offered by the Center for Japanese Language at Waseda University, is a one-year or half-year program to study Japanese language intensively. Through various courses provided in different levels, skills and themes, students can study Japanese language according to their own abilities and goals.

Policy on accepting students (admission policy)

We welcome students from every region in the world who have a strong intellectual curiosity, a high motivation to learn, and a clear goal to learn Japanese after fully understanding the diploma policy, curriculum policy, and learning support policy of the Japanese Language Program.

Policy regarding the completion of program (diploma policy)

The Japanese Language Program is aimed at training students to become individuals who can function in a global society with a broad perspective, free from the constraints of current nations or cultures—individuals capable of understanding multiple languages and cultures and able to think on their own and work in collaboration with other people. The goal of this program is to foster global citizens, able to use their problem identification-solving skills, creative imagination, critical thinking skills, and knowledge of different cultures to create a new society.

Policy on creating and utilizing curriculums (curriculum policy)

We provide an opportunity for individual students to proactively learn Japanese according to their own needs based on their understanding of how significant the Japanese language is in their own lives. To help individual students fully develop their potential, we allow them to develop their own curriculum and custom design their own learning by combining a variety of Japanese language subjects and general education subjects.

Learning support policy

We develop a support system aimed at helping international students learn independently. This includes providing advice about how to enroll in Japanese language classes and how to learn the Japanese language. At the same time, we collaborate with related organizations to develop a comprehensive support system to assist international students in learning both inside and outside the classroom.

This Program is a one-year or half year program.

The academic year is divided into two semesters.

• Spring Semester: April 1 to September 15
• Fall Semester: September 21 to March 15

The admission period is April for Spring admission and September for Fall admission. For the class schedule (15 weeks / half-year), please refer to the calendar.

Program Duration: One Year

Program Duration: Half Year

Scholarship

There is no scholarship for the students of this program.

Courses of the Japanese Language Program are divided into eight different levels, and each of which offers comprehensive learning of Japanese language. Course and subjects will be determined after a Test which students will take on enrollment to determine their Japanese level.

Completion of Program

A student who has passed the prescribed examinations and earned 26 credits (13 credits for half-year program), 13 credits per semester in principle, is deemed to have completed the program and receives a Certificate of Completion.

Subjects

Credits given to each subject are based on the number of classes offered in a week.

• For the subjects offered by Center for Japanese Language gain 1 credit for one 90 minutes- class/week. For the subjects offered by other faculties, you gain 2 or 4 credits for a 90 minutes class/week.
• All classes are held in Japanese.

Center for Japanese Language, Waseda University International Community Center (ICC), Center for International Education organize Extracurricular Activities for students to go out and try their in-class acquired Japanese and Japanese culture. Please check the website below for the details.

• Center for Japanese Language: Rice-cake Making
• Waseda University Intercultural Communicatin Center (ICC): language & culture exchange, movie night, sports event etc.

Grades for individual subjects are determined on the basis of the results of classroom examinations, reports and her/his performance in class. A grade of 60 or over is a pass. A student who, without due cause, fails to take an examination as instructed, or who fails to submit an examination report will, in principle, receive a Fail grade for that subject. Moreover, a student who attends less than two-thirds of the total class hours in a subject will receive a Fail grade, regardless of her/his examination results.

Center for Japanese Language offers some service and facilities to support learners. For more details, click here: About CJL >> Assistance for Japanese Language Learning.

Japanese Language Program is approved as Japanese Studies supported by Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship. If you would like to apply for JLP as a MEXT Scholarship student, please visit MEXT website or the Japanese Embassy in your country for further information.

• Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship: Japanese Studies Students Course Guide (in Japanese)