Japanese courses

101. Elementary Japanese with Lab.
An introductory course in Japanese designed for students with no prior background. Stress is placed on the spoken language, but reading and writing skills are also systematically studied. Audio and video materials are used in the language laboratory to supplement the main text and workbook and to acquaint the students with Japanese culture. This course is a prerequisite for all students who plan to participate in St. Lawrence’s exchange programs in Japan. Also offered through Asian Studies.

102. Elementary Japanese with Lab.
An introductory course in Japanese designed for students who have satisfied the requirements of Elementary Japanese 101 or its equivalent. At the end of the 101 (Fall) –102 (Spring) sequence, students will be able to express their fundamental needs in everyday life in good standard Japanese that can be understood by a native speaker, engage in simple conversations, and read and write basic sentences with Japanese characters. Also offered through Asian Studies.

103. Intermediate Japanese with Lab.
This course provides further study of the basic four skills in Japanese—listening, speaking, reading and writing — supplemented by audiovisual materials in the lab. More kanji characters and composition are studied. Prerequisite: Japanese 102 or its equivalent. Placement of students who have studied Japanese elsewhere is made in consultation with the instructor. Also offered through Asian Studies.

104. Intermediate Japanese with Lab.
At the end of the 103 (Fall) –104 (Spring) sequence, students will be able not only to express themselves well in everyday life situations, but also to engage in conversations and discussions for a longer period of time in good standard Japanese that can be understood by a native speaker. More kanji characters and complex sentence patterns are studied in various contexts. Also offered through Asian Studies.

LTRN 224: Modern Japanese Literature and Film.
An introduction to modern Japanese literature from the late nineteenth century to the present in English translation. Such major writers as Ogai, Soseki, Akutagawa, Tanizaki, Kawabata, Mishima and Abe are studied, supplemented by films based on their novels. Special attention will be paid to Western influences on the evolution of modern Japanese literature. Also offered through Asian Studies and Film and Representation Studies.

LTRN 225: Japanese Film and Culture.
This course focuses on Japanese culture, ancient and modern, through analysis of important films by directors such as Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kobayashi, Imai, Oshima and Miyazaki (anime), with their internationally acclaimed artistic reputation and thought-provoking themes. Readings include some textual/script analysis as well as background materials (in English). Also offered through Asian Studies and Film and Representation Studies.

LTRN 226: Introduction to Japanese Drama.
A study of Japanese drama in its historical, theatrical and literary aspects from the Classical Theaters of Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku to the modern New Theater and avant-garde experiments. The growth and characteristics of each theater are examined as living traditions in the broad cultural context of Asia, Japan and the West, with the use of films. Readings are in English. Also offered as Performance and Communication Arts 226 and through Asian Studies.

LTRN 243: Japanese Culture and the West.
This course explores the dynamics of Japanese culture, old and new, high and low, within itself and in relation to other cultures, particularly the West.  Its approach is broadly comparative: “interdisciplinary” to examine the interrelationships among different arts and cultural phenomena in the Japanese society, and “intercultural” to study the mutual relationships and influences between Japan and western countries. Each topic is placed in wide historical, religious, social, and artistic contexts, in search of its contemporary meanings and expression. Also offered through Global Studies.

350 Teaching Languages.
Designed to help students develop competency in language instruction. This course is only offered for student teaching assistants in the department of the Modern Languages and literatures. We explore what it means to be part of a communicative classroom. Students learn how to integrate available technology into their teaching and create original visual and auditory materials and exercises for use in their own lab sections. Many Web 2.0 Tools are used in this course. Teaching Languages is taught in English and cross-listed among all the languages.

489, 490. Independent Study.
For qualified students with permission of the instructor. For qualified students with permission of the instructor.

All the above courses are dual-listed with the Asian Studies Program and count toward a Japanese minor.