BA Japanese

Year 3

(Award available for year: Diploma of Higher Education)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year, students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- understand and apply the main features of Japanese syntax;
- comprehend a wide range of texts in Japanese on general/social issues within a reasonable time frame without depending too much on a dictionary;
- demonstrate various writing skills in Japanese on general/social topics in accordance with the relevant purposes and contexts such as letters, reports and essays;
- express their own opinions clearly in Japanese with accurate and appropriate use of intermediate grammar and vocabulary;
- write Japanese fluently and accurately in all language tasks and, in translation between English and Japanese, to use both languages accurately, with correct spelling and grammar;
- demonstrate relatively advanced translation skills between English and Japanese, including literal translation and paraphrasing;
- demonstrate improved text reading skills in Japanese such as intensive reading, extensive reading, skim reading and topical sentence reading;
- understand normal spoken Japanese, speak both languages more fluently and naturally, and comprehend general media sources, both audio and written;
- demonstrate an awareness and critical understanding of approaches to the academic study of Japan within the East Asian and global context;
- demonstrate a relatively sophisticated understanding of modern Japanese history, society and culture, commensurate with the experience of having lived in Japan during the year abroad;
- demonstrate an awareness of issues in East Asia as they affect contemporary Japan;
- effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of spoken and written forms;
- exercise critical analytical abilities in respect of the disciplinary modules;
- draw clear and close connections between linguistic competence and insightful understanding of contemporary Japan;
- apply generic and subject specific intellectual qualities to standard situations outside the context in which they were originally studied.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

- qualities and transferable skills related to the subject area(s) studied, valuable for employment, eg be able to gather and analyse information from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources, be able to use IT effectively both as a means of communication and as an aid to learning;
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- the ability to appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:

- demonstrating the knowledge and application of a broad range of concepts, information and techniques relevant to the area of study;
- work that is often descriptive in nature but drawing on a wide variety of material;
- demonstrating basic professional competencies relevant to the discipline;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion and produce a reasoned argument on a topic confirmed in consultation with tutor (s).