Japanese Major

Total credit requirements for a Japanese major: 36

• Required Courses
  • 20 credits in Japanese language courses chosen from the following, of which at least 4 credits must be at the 300-level or above:
    • Japanese 105, 106, 205, 206, 305, and 306
    • Japanese 405 and 406 (may be repeated for credit)
    • Japanese 400/Global Literatures 222
    • Japanese 438/Global Literatures 338
  • 8 credits in Japanese literature, chosen from:
    • Asian and Middle Eastern Studies/Global Literatures/Japanese 224
    • Asian and Middle Eastern Studies/Global Literatures/Japanese 226
    • Global Literatures 312, and 325
    • Japanese 400/Global Literatures 222
    • Japanese 423/Global Literatures 223
    • Japanese 425/Global Literatures 225
    • Japanese 438/Global Literatures 338
  • 8 credits in Japanese culture electives
• Senior Requirements
  • Expand one course paper and complete a senior project.
  • Oral examination
• Honors
  • Students submit an “Honors in Major Study Application” to their department.
  • Students must submit a proposal for their thesis or project within the first six weeks of the two-semester period in which they are eligible.
  • Accumulated at least 87 credits
  • Completed two semesters of residency at Whitman
  • Major GPA of at least 3.500
  • Complete a written thesis or research project prepared exclusively for the satisfaction of this program.
  • Earn a grade of at least A- on the honors thesis or project and the honors thesis course.
  • Pass the senior assessment with distinction.
  • The department will submit the honors applications to the Registrar’s Office of students pursuing honors by the specified deadline.
  • The department will submit the “Senior Assessment/Major Study Certificate” to the Registrar’s Office no later than Reading Day.
  • An acceptable digital copy of the honors thesis must be submitted to Penrose Library no later than Reading Day.
• Notes
  • Students who place into third-year Japanese can substitute up to four credits in language courses with literature or elective courses.
  • No more than 12 credits from off-campus study and transfer credit may be applied to the major.
  • Students pursuing a double-major in Japanese and another discipline are allowed to use a four-credit course selected from the approved list to be counted from another major program.
  • With the approval of the Japanese faculty, no more than four credits in independent study may be applied toward the major.
  • No courses taken P-D-F after declaration can be counted.