Program Overview
The Modern Languages program at Marshall University in West Virginia offers a bachelor’s degree in Japanese, as well as a Japanese minor and a minor in Japanese Studies.
As one of the largest economies in the world, Japan has a strong international presence. Japan’s emphasis on quality and innovation means that Japan is often at the forefront in business, engineering, programming, animation, the gaming industry and much more, making Japanese a great addition for anyone with an interest in these topics — as well as journalism, politics, sociology, or education. The ability to effectively communicate with others sets our graduates apart.
Located in Huntington, West Virginia, which borders both Ohio and Kentucky, Marshall University offers the only Japanese bachelor’s degree program in West Virginia. Marshall’s Japanese program graduates demonstrate:
“Cultural Awareness” by analyzing Japanese culture, history, and society with reflections of own society.
“Oral and Written Communication” in Japanese which includes speaking, listening, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and writing skills above the intermediate-high level of ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (actfl.org).
“Critical Cultural Analysis” to better understand current social issues and perspectives and apply problem solving skills in human communication.
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Program Highlights
Marshall’s Japanese Program offers courses in Japanese language, literature, social studies, film, anime, and business. Classes are taught by award-winning teachers in an interactive classroom environment. Japanese graduates leave the program as autonomous learners who think critically and work well with people from different backgrounds — skills valued by employers in any field.
Marshall’s direct exchange programs with Kansai Gaidai in Osaka and Chukyo University in Nagoya mean that students can have the life-changing experience of traveling from our West Virginia campus to live and study abroad in Japan.
Here on campus, Marshall students earning a B.A. in Japanese have many opportunities to engage with Japanese speakers one-on-one thanks to the support of native speaker volunteers who regularly participate in classroom and conversation partner activities. The Japanese program has an active community on campus.
Marshall’s Japan club, anime and manga club, sado (tea) club, aikido club, and kendo club hold events throughout the semester, and visiting guest speakers enable students to experience Japanese traditional performances such as koto music.
Featured Courses
Career Opportunities
Marshall University’s Japanese alumni have gone on to work as translators, engineers, educators, customer services, and government employees. With a major, a double major or a minor in Japanese, the possibilities are unlimited for our students.
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program hires teachers to assist with businesses and organizations such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, Nippon Thermostat of America Corp in West Virginia, Honda R&D Americas in Ohio, Cabell County Schools in West Virginia, and more.
- Translator/Interpreter
- Customer Service Manager
- Teacher
- Flight attendant
- Journalist
The Value of a Marshall Education
What is Earnings Ratio? For every $1 you spend on your Marshall degree, $1.32 comes back to you in future earnings.