Which Japanese language paper should I enrol in?
The appropriate entry point for Japanese language papers depends on your current level of Japanese. Each enrolment is ultimately at the discretion of the Japanese Programme, but the following broad guidelines apply.
Students who have never studied Japanese or whose experience of Japanese is minimal and dates from a number of years ago, or who have only completed one year at high school, should enrol for JAPA 131. This paper is designed for complete beginners.
Students who have studied Japanese for two or three years at high school in the relatively recent past, or have completed JAPA 131, should enrol for JAPA 132.
For students who have completed four to five years at high school, or who have NCEA Level 2 or 3 in Japanese, or an equivalent qualification, JAPA 231 might be the appropriate paper to enrol for. This paper reviews and consolidates the major grammar points from NCEA Levels 2 and 3.
eVision doesn't understand that students may be eligible for a paper such as JAPA 132 or JAPA 231 on the basis of their prior learning and current level of Japanese – eVision will only see a student who does not have the prerequisite (JAPA 131 and JAPA 132 respectively) and will require that you seek “Special permission” to enrol in that paper. Give as much context as you can at this stage of the enrolment process in the fields provided (ie NCEA level, and year attained), and email us the same context at languages@otago.ac.nz. Email us if you have any further queries or need assistance with your enrolment.
Programme requirements for the various Japanese qualifications on offer at Otago are on the Japanese subject page:
Papers
100 level papers
- JAPA 131 Introductory Japanese 1 (also available at Summer School)
- JAPA 132 Introductory Japanese 2
- ASIA 101 Introducing Asia
200 level papers
- JAPA 231 Intermediate Japanese
- JAPA 233 Business and Professional Japanese
- JAPA 242 Understanding Japanese Culture
- JAPA 243 Issues in Japanese Culture Today
- JAPA 244 Modern Japanese Fiction
- ASIA 201 Asian Popular Cultures
300 level papers
- JAPA 331 Advanced Japanese 1
- JAPA 332 Advanced Japanese 2
- JAPA 342 Understanding Japanese Culture
- JAPA 343 Issues in Japanese Culture Today
- JAPA 344 Modern Japanese Fiction
- JAPA 351 The Structure of the Japanese Language
- JAPA 352 Language Cosplay: Japanese Language in Anime and Beyond
- ASIA 301 Topics in Asian Studies