Japanese Language Section ====> This section has its own web site!
- ISC Japanese Language Section Location
- Faculty Members
- Japanese Language Instruction
- Enrollment Qualification
- Formalities for Taking Japanese Courses
- Calendar
- Outline of Japanese courses for beginners and optional Kanji classes
- Outline of the Skill-based classes for intermediate & advanced levels
- Notes
ISC Japanese Language Section Location
International Student Center 1F
Tel 029-853-2771, 2472
Fax 029-853-6793
Faculty Members
| KANO Chieko | BUSHNELL Cade |
| SAKAI Takako | KIDO Mitsuko |
| IMAI Shingo | HEO Myeongja |
| ONO Masaki | SEKIZAKI Hironori |
Japanese Language Instruction
Japanese language courses are provided by the Center in accordance with each student's proficiency in Japanese. The Japanese language courses are organized within three distinct categories as follows:
- The Intensive and Semi-intensive Japanese courses.
- The 10-week Japanese courses for beginners.
- The The 10-week Skill-based classes for intermediate and advanced levels.
Procedures for taking courses 2) and 3) are detailed below.Selection of Students:
This Course can be taken only by students who successfully obtained the qualification for taking the course and have also completed all the enrollment formalities.
For further information contact :
Japanese Language Instructors' Room, International Student Center (Tel 029-853-2771, 2472)
Division of International Students (Tel 029-853-6090)
Enrollment Qualification
The university does not offer courses for Japanese language training only.
The International Student Center offers a 10-week Japanese language competence program (non-credit) for admitted international students listed below who do not have sufficient Japanese language competence for attending academic programs at the university.
- International students of the University of Tsukuba (except credited auditors - kamokutorishusei):
- Regular students (undergraduate, graduate);
- Research students (including Teacher Training Students - kyoin kenshu ryugakusei);
- Exchange students (tokubetsu choko gakusei ) and exchange research students (tokubetsu kenkyu gakusei );
- Intensive Japanese Language Course Students (nihongo kenshusei) (including Joint-Korea Science and Engineering International Student);
- Japanese Studies Students of our university (nihongo-nihonbunka kenshu ryugakusei);
- Returnee students of our university;
- Other students, accepted by the Director of the International Student Center.
Only those who have completed all formalities given below under the Formalities for Taking Japanese Courses can take Japanese courses.
Formalities for Taking Japanese Courses
1. Application for the Japanese courses (for those continuing from another course)
Apply for your course(s) at the beginning of each trimester at the International Student Center. There is no need to take the P (placement) test. Your course level will be decided based on your grades of the previous trimester for the beginners’ levels, or on the result of the L (level assessment) test for the intermediate and advanced levels. Students who want to apply for the upper intermediate and advanced levels MUST take the L test during the application period.
You must attend the course orientation without fail. The remaining formalities are the same as for new students.
2. For new students
1. Application for Japanese courses (both those taking the Placement Test, and those exempt)
Application period : 1 week (during office hours: weekdays 9:00-12:15, 13:30-16:30) at the beginning of April for the 1st trimester, from late August to early September for the 2nd trimester, and from late November to early December for the 3rd trimester. Contact the International Student Center for the exact dates and places.
You must come in person with your student ID to classroom B.
Those taking the P (Placement) Test ----> Receive test ticket
Those exempt (those not having studied Japanese before) ----> Submit application (J100 course)
2. Taking the P (Placement) Test
Time: At the beginning of April for the 1st trimester, September for the 2nd trimester, and December for the 3rd trimester.
Place: Academic Computing and Communications Center or classroom E of the International Student Center
You MUST bring: Test ticket and student ID
3. Announcement of Results (and Class Membership)
Time: Mid-April for the 1st trimester, mid-September for the 2nd trimester, and early December for the 3rd trimester, from 12:00.
Place: Bulletin board, 2nd floor, International Student Center
4. Orientation for Course Registration
Time: Mid-April for the 1st trimester, mid-September for the 2nd trimester, and early December for the 3rd trimester, from 15:30 (You MUST attend the orientation in order to take the course).
Place: Classrooms (one for each course) at the International Student Center
5. Submission of Course Registration Form (You MUST submit this in order to take the course.)
Submission period: Within 1 week after the beginning of the course (during office hours: weekdays 9:00-12:00, 13:30-16:30)
［You must come in person to the Office, 2nd floor, International Student Center with your Student ID.]Only those who have completed all formalities shown above can take Japanese courses.
Calendar
| 1st trimester | Mid-April - Late June (10 weeks) | |
| 2nd trimester | Mid-September - Late November (10 weeks) | |
| 3rd trimester | Early December - Early March (10 weeks) | |
Outline of Japanese courses for beginners and optional Kanji classes
| Japanese Courses/4 levels | Content | No of Period | Kanji classes/7 level | Content | No. of Periods | max. periods/week | |
| Japanese for beginners easy ↑ ↓ ↓ difficult |
J100 zero beginners | SFJ L1-6 | 5 | K200 low beginners | BKB L1-11 | 1 | 6 |
| J200 low beginners | SFJ L7-12 | 5 | K300 mid. beginners | BKBL12-22 | 1 | 6 | |
| K400 mid. beginners | BKB L23-35 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| J300 mid. beginners | SFJ L13-18 | 5 | K500 adv. beginners | BKB L36-45 | 1 | 6 | |
| K600 intermediate | IKB vol.1 L1-5 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| J400 adv. beginners | SFJ L19-24 | 5 | K700 intermediate | IKB vol.1 L6-10 | 1 | 6 |
NOTE 1: New students are placed at an appropriate level course based on their performance at the P (Placement) test. This level is not based on the amount of their knowledge of Japanese, but their ability to perform in Japanese and their communicative ability in the language, and therefore does not always correspond to the number of hours they have studied prior to coming to Japan.
NOTE 2: At levels J100 to J400, it is possible to take an optional kanji class in addition to the 5 period/week Japanese course package, making it a total of 6 periods/week. At the intermediate and advanced levels, a maximum of 6 skill-based classes can be chosen at an appropriate level. See details on the Outline of the Skill-based classes for intermediate & advanced levels below.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
The Japanese classes are free of charge, but you must buy the textbook(s) for each course yourself.
The number of class attendants may be limited for certain classes. You are advised to attend the first class of the course.
Outline of the Skill-based classes for intermediate & advanced levels
J500 level classes are for low-intermediate students, J600 level classes are for high-intermediate students, and J700 level classes are for advanced students. At each level, there are skill-based classes such as grammar classes, and classes aiming to improve speaking skills, listening skills, reading skills, writing skills, etc. Students may choose up to 6 periods provided they are of an appropriate level.
Skill-based Classes Contents No. of Period 2nd Trimester 3rd Trimester J500
Low IntermediateJ511 Grammar Japanese Grammar(1):
Low-intermediate1 J512 Gr. J513 Gr. different content in each trimester J514 Grammar Japanese Grammar(2):
Low-intermediate1 J515 Gr. J516 Gr. different content in each trimester J521 Speaking Japanese Speaking:
Low-intermediate1 J522 Sp. J523 Sp. different content in each trimester J531 Listening Japanese Listening:
Low-intermediate1 J532 Lis. J533 Lis. different content in each trimester J541 Reading Japanese Reading:
Low-intermediate1 J542 Rd. J543 Rd. different content in each trimester J551 Writing Japanese Writing:
Low-intermediate1 J552 Wr. J553 Wr. different content in each trimester J600
High IntermediateJ611 Grammar Japanese Grammar(1):
High-intermediate1 J612 Gr. J613 Gr. different content in each trimester J614 Grammar Japanese Grammar(2):
High-intermediate1 J615 Gr. J616 Gr. different content in each trimester J621 Speaking Japanese Speaking:
High-intermediate1 J622 Sp. J623 Sp. different content in each trimester J631 Listening Japanese Listening:
High-intermediate1 J632 Lis. J633 Lis. different content in each trimester J641 Reading Japanese Reading:
High-intermediate1 J642 Rd. J643 Rd. different content in each trimester J651 Writing Japanese Writing:
High-intermediate1 J652 Wr. J653 Wr. different content in each trimester J700
AdvancedJ711 Grammar Japanese Grammar(1):
Advanced1 J712 Gr. J713 Gr. different content in each trimester J714 Grammar Japanese Grammar(2):
Advanced1 J715 Gr. J716 Gr. different content in each trimester J721 Speaking Japanese Speaking:
Advanced1 J722 Sp. J723 Sp. different content in each trimester J731 Listening Japanese Listening:
Advanced1 J732 Lis. J733 Lis. different content in each trimester J741 Reading Japanese Reading:
Advanced1 J742 Rd. J743 Rd. different content in each trimester J751 Writing Japanese Writing:
Advanced1 J652 Wr. J653 Wr. different content in each trimester J761 Kanji vocabulary Kanji vocabulary: Advanced 1 J762 KVoc. J653 KVoc. different content in each trimester J771 Japanese for Information Processing Japanese for Information Processing 1 Class information, trimester when they are offered, day of the week, period and content etc. may be obtained from the International Student Center website and the bulletin board.
Notes
The Japanese language courses are not part of the regular academic program and therefore do not award credits.
Those undergraduate exchange students who wish to receive credits must also register for the Japanese language courses at their respective Academic Service Offices (shienshitsu) at the begining of the trimester.
