Career opportunities
There are many opportunities open to students who major in Japanese. While some opt for careers in foreign relations, trade, commerce and tourism, others choose an academic path, such as teaching Japanese at schools in New Zealand or going on to MA and PhD degrees at Otago or elsewhere. A number of our graduates have also spent time in Japan under the Japanese government's JET Programme. They work as assistant language teachers at Japanese schools or as coordinators for international relations at local government offices.
Language learning that takes you places
Discover how studying languages at Otago opens doors to travel, culture, and community. Hear from students and staff about small classes, strong support, and the real-world benefits of language learning.
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Bianca Malcolm:
Hi, I’m Bianca. I study Politics, German, and Spanish at the University of Otago. German and Spanish add a massive component to my degree. For one, it looks great on a CV and makes you stand out from other people. It’s great for travel—you can go overseas and do whatever you want, and people will understand you everywhere.
The Department of Languages at Otago itself is just amazing. The German lecturers in particular, and the Spanish and French lecturers, are all just there for you. The classes are quite small, so it’s very one-on-one, and you get a lot of help. Yeah, I’d say as a major itself, it adds a massive component to your degree.
Edan Feint:
Hi, I’m Edan. I studied German at Otago University. I chose to study German because my mother’s German, and I wanted to learn to speak another language. It is really cool to be able to go over to Germany and actually understand what other people are saying.
I’ve also been involved in the social aspect of German at university. We have a Stammtisch every week, where German students of various different levels go to a café and speak German.
Claudia Cooke:
Hello, I’m Claudia, and I study Music and German at Otago. I chose Otago because it’s a community-based university, and it’s a lot of fun.
Music and German link together really well. For German, the classes are small and very social, and the lecturers are very approachable. There’s a great sense of community within Languages as a whole. If you want to take a language, I’d highly recommend Otago.
Hayley Garlick:
Konnichiwa! Watashi no namae wa Hayley desu.
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Hello, my name is Hayley, and I study at the University of Otago. I study Japanese and Psychology.
When I just finished high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or where to go to study, so I took a gap year. I went to Japan, didn’t speak the language, but fell in love with the country and the culture. I decided that I wanted to come to Otago to pursue the language and culture.
I feel that Japanese and Psychology pair really well together because, not only do I understand the language now, but also the culture. Really understanding those two aspects has given me such a wonderful experience here at Otago University.
Dr Antonie Alm:
Hi, I’m Antonie. I’m the Head of Languages and Cultures here at the University of Otago, and I’m thrilled to be able to talk about our programme.
Our programme includes languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, and German. We are running a programme of languages, which we offer at all different levels. You can come to us if you have never done any languages before and start at the 100-level, or if you have done languages at high school or through travel, you can start at a higher level.
We offer all different opportunities for you. You might have German or Spanish heritage and want to polish your German so you can talk to your grandparents. The whole idea of using languages for academic study or for your personal interests—we can do all of that here at Otago.
We try to make languages very personal and supportive. We have small classes ranging between 10 and 30 students, so you really get support from our lecturers and tutors. We are also very keen to connect different languages with the outside world.
We have academic projects that involve community work. For instance, we have projects with Chinese immigrants or with citizens, where you interview people to gather cultural information. You don’t necessarily have to travel to experience languages—they are all here in Dunedin. Even though Europe might seem on the other side of the world, we have it all here. We have the culinary, the cultural—we have a whole mix of cultural knowledge here at Otago, and we try to take advantage of that.
We also like our students to have fun with their study. We organise social events, speaking clubs, play clubs, and cultural events. We really like to involve students at all levels in their language study.
Language has to be fun, because you can’t speak a language if you don’t want to. So come here and have fun with languages at Otago!
Teaching style
We teach Japanese with communicative methods and simultaneously develop students' skills in speaking, reading, listening and writing. Frequent tutorials are provided to help students practice in small groups with native speakers. The core papers aim to develop students' competency in the language to a level which enables them to read and converse without serious difficulty.
We teach Japanese culture through Japanese film, literature, history and society. There is a good balance between lectures taught by teachers and seminars involving students' discussions and presentations. Training in critical thinking, research, and academic writing is provided in all our culture papers.
Recommended high school subjects for undergraduate study
No former training is required, because we offer introductory Japanese for absolute beginners. If you have studied Japanese at secondary school for several years, you can enter our Intermediate Japanese papers directly, and study toward advanced levels.
Choose a study option
Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Undergraduate qualifications
For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.
Note: this subject can also be studied as a minor.
Diploma in Language (DipLang)
The Diploma in Language is offered in one of five core languages: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
A three-year degree offering flexibility to explore a major in Arts along with other subjects
Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom)
Combine two majors, one in Arts and one in Commerce, into a four-year degree and expand your future career prospects
Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc)
Combine two majors, one in Arts and one in Science, into a four-year degree and expand your future career prospects
Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr)
A three-year degree that equips you to change the world as you create new products, services and ideas
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Further study opportunities
Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.
Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
The Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad), requiring study of at least seven papers (at least four of which are at 300-level o...
Postgraduate Study in Japanese
Explore postgraduate study in Japanese at Otago. Gain advanced knowledge, skills, and research opportunities in a suppor...
Programme details
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Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
More information
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.
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