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Japanese Language and Culture Minor

Japan is a world leader in business, technology, and entertainment, rich in tradition and culture. Build marketable skills for your global career!

College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Whether you’re hoping to launch a career overseas or simply build deeper knowledge of a key economic region, the real-world, collaborative approach of Drake University’s Minor in Japanese Language and Culture brings your studies to life.

At the same time you gain proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, you’ll also acquire a deep familiarity with Japanese cultural products, practices, perspectives, and social issues. Your classes will go far beyond the textbook, tapping both academic resources and pop culture. As part of this immersive introduction, you’ll participate in cultural activities such as mindful calligraphy, Kintsugi (the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery), and Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).

In this program, you’ll be part of a close-knit group of Bulldogs. Senpai (senior students) guide underclassmen through tutoring and review sessions, while your professors are eager to help you plan your next steps beyond college.

Accolades recent graduates have received include Fulbright scholarships, entrance to top graduate programs and business and medical schools in Japan, appointments in the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program, and invitations to government-led cultural exchange initiatives.

About the Minor in Japanese Language and Culture

  • Apply language skills and cultural knowledge through service learning opportunities in the community.
  • Study abroad through faculty-led travel seminars, J-Term classes, or semester or year-long exchange programs.
  • Start your studies at the right level using our computer-based, adaptive placement exam ahead of registering for classes.
  • Japanese courses fulfill Drake’s Areas of Inquiry (AOI) requirement, including the Global and Multicultural Understanding category and Artistic Literacy.
  • Flexibility to focus on your own interests or expand the minor to an individualized major.
  • No specific application requirements. Open to students in any major.

Program Facts

  • On-campus
  • 18 credit hours
  • 2-3 years to completion
  • Full- or part-time

Program Options

Whether you’re plugged into contemporary culture or fascinated by history, you can customize each World Languages and Cultures program to your own particular interests.

Minor in Japanese Language and Culture

In addition to 12 hours of language classes, you’ll select another six credits focused on topics such as history, economics, and music. Electives cover the Government and Politics of Japan, Introduction to Buddhism, and Intercultural Communication.

Meet the Faculty

Each faculty member in the World Languages and Cultures Department brings a global perspective into the classroom. Not only have they lived in other countries, taught in foreign classrooms, and worked for international companies, but they also relate these experiences to different subject areas and career opportunities.

Chinatsu Sazawa Bachmann

Chinatsu Sazawa Bachmann

Associate Professor, Second Language Acquisition

Dr. Marc Pinheiro-Cadd

Dr. Marc Pinheiro-Cadd

Associate Professor, World Languages and Culture; Department Co-Chair, World Languages and Culture

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

Learning a language is also learning a culture. Drake students develop cultural understanding and communication skills appropriate for a variety of social settings, both inside and outside the classroom. Co-curricular opportunities include campus events, internships, study abroad programs, and more.

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Study Abroad and Exchange Opportunities

Drake students have studied abroad in Japan through various programs, including our partnership with Kwansei Gakuin University, a prestigious private university located in the beautiful city of Kobe.

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Language Teaching Endorsement

Gain the credentials needed to teach Japanese in grades 5-12 through the School of Education. Available to students earning a B.S. in Secondary Education or M.A. in Teaching.

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Student Organizations and Cultural Events

Share your love of Japan and promote intercultural understanding on campus and in the community through groups like the Japanese Culture and Language Association (JCLA) and Anime Club.

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Mentorship and Support

Whether you plan to stay in the U.S. or move abroad, WLC faculty can help you plan for what’s next with interview preparation, job or school guidance, and even relocation assistance.

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Service Learning

Drake students work with local non-profits to teach Japanese language and culture at local elementary schools, nursing homes, and after-school programs.

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Outstanding Achievement Award

We recognize our most exceptional students with an award that honors both language proficiency as well as global and cultural understanding.

Careers & Skills

In studying Japanese at Drake, you’ll gain more than language skills. You’ll also become culturally adept, able to navigate real-world situations both socially and professionally.

That’s one reason why our graduates have such a high placement rate in the prestigious JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program, which hires foreigners to teach English in Japanese public schools.

That program is often a bridge to other jobs in Japan or other East Asian countries, where Drake alums create exchange programs, teach, consult businesses, or serve in roles with the U.S. Department of State.

Opportunities

  • Business
  • Education
  • Gaming
  • Government
  • Information technology
  • Politics
  • Tourism

Skills

  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate competently through reading, writing, listening, and speaking
  • Gain an understanding of the societies, histories, and contributions of the regions where Japanese is spoken
  • Learn to see the world and your own culture through a global lens
  • Cultivate intercultural understanding with appreciation for cultural diversity, including a broad base of knowledge and perspectives of related cultures
  • Develop the skills to collaborate with people from other cultures
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Salary & Growth Outlook

$

Average salary of college-level foreign-language professors in 2023. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

“After graduating from Drake University, I moved to a small town in Japan as an English teacher through the JET program. After my contract ended, I moved to Tokyo, where I handle all my day-to-day work in Japanese and provide advice to clients. I have always wanted to challenge myself to work in a Japanese business setting, and now I am here!"
Cherri Cathi, AS’13

Related Programs

While all of Drake’s majors promote a global mindset, these programs particularly focus on exploring different international perspectives.

Spanish, BA

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International Relations, BA

Study political science, economics, history, and international law in an interdisciplinary major that prepares you for careers in diplomacy, law, politics, and business.

Anthropology and Sociology, BA

Explores cultural diversity and social structures through research and theory, equipping students to analyze global and local social issues.

Take the Next Step

An international career is closer than you think, with a minor that equips you to build your future in Japan and other overseas locales.

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