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Japanese: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English)

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  • CAS LJ 111: First-Semester Japanese
    Introduction to spoken and written Japanese and to fundamentals of Japanese grammar with oral drills and written exercises. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: The Individual in Community.
    • The Individual in Community
  • CAS LJ 112: Second-Semester Japanese
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ111) - Introduction to spoken and written Japanese and to fundamentals of Japanese grammar with oral drills and written exercises. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: The Individual in Community.
    • The Individual in Community
  • CAS LJ 113: Gateway to Japan
    Exploration of Japan with special focus on functional language, culture, and history. Emphasis on how to communicate and navigate at survival level. Designed only for novice learners with basic skills. Possible advancement to CAS LJ 211 after passing the placement test.
  • CAS LJ 211: Third-Semester Japanese
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ112) or equivalent. - Elaboration and refinement of the fundamental skills introduced in CAS LJ 111, 112 with an introduction to reading and composition. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: The Individual in Community.
    • The Individual in Community
  • CAS LJ 212: Fourth-Semester Japanese
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ211) or equivalent. - Elaboration and refinement of the fundamental skills introduced in CAS LJ 111, 112 with an introduction to reading and composition. Satisfactory completion of CAS LJ 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • The Individual in Community
  • CAS LJ 250: Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
    An introduction to Japanese literary history using Murasaki Shikibu’s Tale of Genji as the core text. Use of literary and visual materials. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • CAS LJ 251: Modern Japanese Literature (in English translation)
    Introduction to modern Japanese literature. Topics may include naturalism, the I-novel, modernism, proletarian literature, postwar and post-recession crises of cultural identity. Authors may include Higuchi Ichiyo, Natsume Soseki, Dazai Osamu, Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, and works of contemporary fiction. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • CAS LJ 260: Gateway to Asian Cultures
    Panoramic introduction to the cultures of East and South Asia in comparative perspective (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India). Examines shared foundations, transformative inflection points, sites, peoples, and ideologies over the past two millennia through primary texts and media. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • CAS LJ 282: Samurai, Ships, and Soil: Japan Among the Empires of Asia, 1600-1950
    Exotic as it may seem, Japan was never an isolated island country floating off the coast of Asia. This course offers a new narrative about the history of Japan in relation to the imperial orders and transnational spaces of Asia. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS LJ 283: Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
    Japanese film from the silent era to contemporary animation, with attention to the intersection of cinematic and cultural analysis and genres such as yakuza movies. Directors studied may include Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Miyazaki Hayao. Also Offered as CAS CI 260. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • CAS LJ 303: Third-Year Modern Japanese I
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASLJ 212 or equivalent placement test results. - Reading and viewing modern Japanese texts and media in order to develop advanced reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as well as familiarity with contemporary cultural topics. Prepares for working with authentic Japanese materials. Opportunity for engagement with Japanese speakers. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • The Individual in Community
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS LJ 304: Third-Year Modern Japanese II
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ303) - Reading and viewing modern Japanese texts and media in order to develop advanced reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as well as familiarity with contemporary cultural topics. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • CAS LJ 316: Classical Japanese
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASLJ 212 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to Classical Japanese, Japan's written language from the seventh until the twentieth century. A systematic study of grammar and lexicon enriched by original readings from major works of Japanese literature such as Man’yoshu, Pillow Book, Genji, and Heike monogatari, Hojoki. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS LJ 320: Conversational Japanese
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ211) or consent of instructor. - Advanced training to increase fluency in spoken Japanese with an emphasis on different levels of politeness in speech and cultural awareness. Role playing; vocabulary and expression building; and aural comprehension. Concurrent enrollment in a four-skills language course is encouraged. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS LJ 322: Japanese for the Professions
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ303) or equivalent. - Advanced Japanese language course to prepare students to use workplace Japanese and to understand Japanese business culture and the economic landscape. Discussions and assignments facilitate communication, presentation, reading/writing, cross-cultural understanding, and collaboration skills. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS LJ 350: Readings in Modern Japanese Fiction
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ303) or equivalent. - Readings in modern fiction from Akutagawa to Murakami and beyond to deepen knowledge of Japanese language, learn about the development of Japanese literature from 1900 to the present, and to place it in contemporary context. Readings and discussions in Japanese. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS LJ 360: Haiku
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - The history and evolving forms of haiku in Japan and around the world. Students write and workshop their own haiku in English or Japanese, learning from great poets how to focus attention, observe nature, read closer, and write better. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS LJ 383: Auteur Studies: Japan
    Deep exploration of the films of one director with attention to cultural and historical context and the creative process. Readings in English and all films available with English subtitles. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS LJ 385: Intensive Kanji
    Prerequisites: CASLJ 212 or CASLJ 211 with consent of instructor.- Intensive study of 1000-plus Kanji to build additional proficiency in reading and writing for advanced Japanese language students. The course also explores the history and aesthetics of kanji characters. Intended for students without heritage knowledge of Chinese characters. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • CAS LJ 386: Japanese Translation/Interpretation Workshop
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120) and CASLJ 212 or CASLJ 211 with consent of instructor. - Through training in translating and interpreting, the course enhances knowledge of Japanese language and culture and improves English writing skills. Students are given a wide variety of texts to translate and practice oral interpretation in a range of contexts. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Writing-Intensive Course

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