Japanese Program

Welcome to the Japanese Program - University of Arkansas. The Japanese Program employs a unique set of pedagogical methods that is gaining not only popularity among the students but a reputation for producing a large number of internationally certified students.

Missions of the Japanese Program
The basic language component of the Japanese Program at the University of Arkansas offers a set of credible foreign language courses by a nationally recognized standard based on the principle of students' constructive language production in and out of class. Its non-language component aims to offer a credible insight into aspects of contemporary Japanese people and culture. The following statements list the philosophy of the Japanese Program - University of Arkansas:

  • Japanese Program is open to all students
    The Japanese Program offers classes at all levels including those designed for true beginners (i.e., students who have never seen or heard the language before).
  • Enter as ordinary students, emerge as extraordinary individuals
    The Japanese Program designs its curriculum for all students, not just for a handful of talented individuals. As a foreign language program in a state university, we strive for a program wherein the extraordinary come out of the ordinary. As long as they work hard, students who do not know a word of Japanese on Day 1 of the elementary class will be able to achieve not only good grades but internationally certified levels of Japanese language proficiency.
  • International certificates are logistically accessible and realistically achievable
    The Japanese Program is designed to help the students achieve the levels of Japanese language proficiency to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). The JLPT, an international certification examination of Japanese language proficiency (see below), is logistically accessible to students at the University of Arkansas, and students in the Japanese Program have a realistic chance to pass the JLPT because of the quality instruction in the program.

    Japanese Language Proficiency Test
    The University of Arkansas has been designated as a U.S. test site of the official Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT; administered by The Japan Foundation). The JLPT is an international certification examination of Japanese language proficiency that is designed to measure the examinees' Japanese language skills. The Japanese Program considers the JLPT to be a very important instrumental goal for its students, as a JLPT certificate will give the students the most internationally recognized credential of their Japanese language proficiency, something that truly stands out in the list of their accomplishments. To prepape the students for the JLPT, the Japanese Program includes JLPT Practice Exams in language courses at intermediate and higher levels.

    Core Member of Sakura Network
    The Japanese Program at the University of Arkansas is designated as a Core Member of the JF Nihongo Network (a.k.a. Sakura Network). The JF Nihongo Network aims to promote Japanese language education outside of Japan through support and cooperation between the Japan Foundation and educational institutions, and the Core Member designation means the Program's recognition as a regional hub of Japanese language education. The Japanese Program is extremely honored by the distinctive recognition as one of the 12 Core Members among 85 member institutions in North America (as of June 2009).

    Minor in Japanese
    The Japanese Program now offers a Minor program in Japanese with Business Orientation. Students in this program will take five upper-level Japanese courses to earn a Minor (see the [MINOR in JAPANESE] section for details).

    Study/Work-in-Japan Programs
    Moreover, students taking Japanese will have opportunities to participate in various study/work-in-Japan programs, including the one with Kansai Gaidai (Kansai Institute of Foreign Language Studies) in Osaka, Kanto Gakuin University in Yokohama, and those sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education and various non-profit organizations (see the [Study/Work in Japan] page for details).

    The Japanese Program - University of Arkansas is looking forward to welcoming highly motivated students like you. We strongly encourage you to participate in this wonderful educational opportunity.