The Minor in Japanese develops students’ proficiency in spoken and written Japanese and fosters understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture. The minor expands students’ worldview and prepares them to use the language for personal enrichment and in professional endeavors.
Students are encouraged to participate in study abroad opportunities in Japan.
Course Requirements for the Minor
The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this minor.
This minor can be completed with a minimum of 20 units.
Japanese Language Placement
To enroll in intermediate and upper-division Japanese language courses, students must take JAPN 101 and JAPN 102 or prove equivalent knowledge. The Japanese language placement exam is taken to assess the placement level and to place students at the most appropriate level in the curriculum of the Japanese program at California State University, Chico. Students who are native or heritage speakers of Japanese, and those students who took Japanese elsewhere, including Chico State students who participated in exchange programs and study abroad, are required to meet with the program advisor and take this exam.
Students who have equivalent knowledge in Japanese may challenge JAPN 201 and JAPN 202 by enrolling in the course and taking the challenge exam. All students challenging a course must submit an official letter requesting to challenge the course to the department chair by the end of the second week of the semester. See Course Credit Policies for more information.
Students are required to take and pass the Japanese language proficiency test and complete the exit program survey before the Minor in Japanese is granted. Students are required to meet with the program advisor before graduation to take this examination. The test and survey provide an important set of information for the program to further refine the quality of curriculum and to better serve the students.
