Japanese Language Courses

Nagoya University offers two comprehensive Japanese language programmes to all international students, researchers and faculty members affiliated to this University: 1) Standard Course in Japanese and, 2) Intensive Course in Japanese. In the Standard Course, classes are divided into seven levels ranging from Elementary Japanese I to Advanced Japanese, and students attend one class a day for up to five days a week. The Intensive Course has six levels from Elementary Japanese I to Intermediate Japanese II with students attending two classes a day for up to five days a week. The programme offers flexibility and choice, and places priority on meeting the various academic needs of students. 

A.  Description of Levels

1. Elementary Japanese I

Designed for students who have little or no knowledge of Japanese, this level aims to develop the students’ working knowledge of Japanese to the point where they can function effectively in everyday life. Emphasis is placed on improving oral skills, although students will also be required to master the fundamentals of elementary grammar and a limited number of kanji (Chinese characters).  The written content of this level (150 kanji, vocabulary of 800 words) is approximately equivalent to level four of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

2. Elementary Japanese II  

Designed for those students who have had approximately 150 hours of Japanese instruction or who have completed Elementary Japanese I at Nagoya University. The main objective is to enable students to master the fundamentals of pre-intermediate grammar patterns and to acquire a working knowledge of Japanese to help them function smoothly in Japanese society. Upon completion of this level, students should have mastered a total of 300 kanji and possess a vocabulary of 1,800 words (approximately equivalent to level three of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test).

3. Pre-intermediate Japanese

Designed for those students who have received approximately 300 hours of Japanese instruction or who have completed Elementary Japanese II at Nagoya University. The main objective is to enable students to consolidate their knowledge of basic Japanese grammar, vocabulary and kanji, so that they are better prepared to proceed to intermediate Japanese. Emphasis is placed on applying knowledge of Japanese in the four skill areas. Students should have mastered a total of 400 kanji and 2,600 words by the end of this level.

4. Intermediate Japanese I

Designed for those students who have received approximately 400 hours of Japanese instruction or who have completed Pre-intermediate Japanese at Nagoya University. This level aims to enable students to master grammatical patterns and expressions found at the beginning to mid-intermediate level and to develop proficiency in the four skill areas. Upon completion of the level, students should have mastered a total of 550 kanji and possess a vocabulary of 3,800 words.

5. Intermediate Japanese II 

Designed for those students who have received approximately 500 hours of Japanese instruction or who have completed Intermediate Japanese I at Nagoya University. Although emphasis is placed on developing a high command of oral skills for the purpose of communication in academic and non-academic situations in Japan, students are also required to improve their competency in listening, reading and writing. Upon completion of the level, students should have mastered a total of 700 kanji and have acquired a vocabulary of approximately 5,000 words.

6. Pre-advanced Japanese 

Designed for those students who have received approximately 600 hours of Japanese instruction or who have completed Intermediate Japanese II at Nagoya University. This level aims to enable students to increase their vocabulary to approximately 6,000 words and 900 kanji, and to improve the four language skills to the equivalent of level two of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

7. Advanced Japanese 

B. Course Structure

1. Elementary Japanese (autumn and spring; 5 credits; 10 hours per week x 14 weeks)

Two comprehensive classes, Elementary Japanese I and Elementary Japanese II are offered at this level, encompassing all four skill areas.

2. Pre-intermediate to Advanced Japanese (autumn and spring; 1 credit per class <2 hours>, maximum five classes <10 hours> per week, x 14 weeks)

At these higher levels, students are encouraged to devise their own Japanese language curriculum according to individual needs. Twenty-five classes covering five levels are offered, which are divided amongst the skill areas of conversation (C), reading (R), listening (L), grammar and discourse (G), and writing (W). Students may opt to take between one and five of these classes at a level determined by the result of their placement test.

Standard Japanese Course Structure

1. Elementary to Pre-intermediate Japanese (autumn and spring; 10 credits; 20 hours per week x 14 weeks)