I have to start thinking about college and all that, and I really really want to go to Japan eventually. If I minor in Japanese at an American university, will I be proficient enough in the language to go to a Japanese university to get my Master's degree? Or would it be better to go to a language school in Japan?
Studying Japanese at University vs Language School
- Thread starter Setsu
- Start date
- 4 Jun 2006
- 561
- 39
It depends. I took two years of Japanese in college, kept up with study after college, had some Japanese friends in grad school, but I still only really speak rudimentary Japanese. I can get by without a lot of difficulty in Japan.
You're talking about a Masters, though. What do you want to get your Masters in? Japanese? If so, why not major in Japanese in the first place? A close friend of mine who is fluent got his Masters in Japanese from the University of Massachusetts but he had majored in it and studied his rear end off during his undergraduate experience.
And nothing, absolutely nothing, can replace actually being in Japan and being surrounded by the language. Learning a language is a lot like learning to play an instrument--practice makes perfect. Same goes for reading the language--just like reading music and being able to play what you read.
Money is a concern for just about everyone trying to learn a new language. You've got to weigh potential cost with potential benefit. If you study Japanese in college, you can gradually achieve fluency but it won't be as fast or effective as being in Japan. The thing is, if you go to Japan to study, you can't just be there for one semester or so--it will take at least three months before you speak "survival Japanese" and a year of being in-country to get used to basic Japanese and have the ability to discuss a variety of conversational topics. I spent THREE YEARS in South Korea learning Korean and I still couldn't have complex conversations about abstract topics like politics, history, art, or literature but I could make small-talk about the local baseball team like a champ.
You're talking about a Masters, though. What do you want to get your Masters in? Japanese? If so, why not major in Japanese in the first place? A close friend of mine who is fluent got his Masters in Japanese from the University of Massachusetts but he had majored in it and studied his rear end off during his undergraduate experience.
And nothing, absolutely nothing, can replace actually being in Japan and being surrounded by the language. Learning a language is a lot like learning to play an instrument--practice makes perfect. Same goes for reading the language--just like reading music and being able to play what you read.
Money is a concern for just about everyone trying to learn a new language. You've got to weigh potential cost with potential benefit. If you study Japanese in college, you can gradually achieve fluency but it won't be as fast or effective as being in Japan. The thing is, if you go to Japan to study, you can't just be there for one semester or so--it will take at least three months before you speak "survival Japanese" and a year of being in-country to get used to basic Japanese and have the ability to discuss a variety of conversational topics. I spent THREE YEARS in South Korea learning Korean and I still couldn't have complex conversations about abstract topics like politics, history, art, or literature but I could make small-talk about the local baseball team like a champ.
- 20 Aug 2003
- 4,910
- 416
May we know why?
Lots of background questions here first.
You aren't even in undergrad school yet (from what you wrote, that's how it appears), but you're thinking of grad school? That's pretty far thinking. What do you plan to major in, in both situations?
Minoring in a language often means studying its history and culture, not just learning the language itself. Is that what you plan (the former, not the latter)?
You can start studying the language tomorrow all on your own. Find an Internet site with the hiragana and katakana characters and learn them and their pronunciation. Should take you about 7-10 days. Might as well get your penmanship down, if nothing else. Then find what kanji are in the lowest JLPT level and start learning them, even if all you do is learn their meaning and stroke order. If you want to go a huge step further and learn grammar, there are tons of references available for self-study. If you have a tutor around now, consider using them. Or join the Japan American Society and attend meetings/gatherings. Or hang out with Japanese people. Or once you have some of the written characters down, pop into a J restaurant occasionally to read what you can on a menu. Is there a J center (like Chinatown) or Asian bookstore/video shop in your area? Drop by to see what other resources they have.
As for studying something in Japan, will it require a lot of Japanese? Most universities will, but some don't. Depends on your major. Start looking around a little to see what the actual requirements are, so you have a target/goal to shoot for.
Then study, study, study your butt off.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you guys for replying!!! It makes me so happy 
I wanted to focus more on the language, rather than history and such. I've considered self-study, but I'd probably get too lazy. I can speak conversational Japanese, and I can read hiragana and katakana, but I need to practice writing more, and I can only read the very simplest, easiest kanji. I was hoping that studying in college would help me speak more formal Japanese that would be useful in a work setting, as well as to read and write.
I wanted to get my Master's in something else. Not exactly sure what I want yet, though. I can speak conversational Japanese, and I was hoping to improve my reading and writing skills, but I guess a minor in a language isn't really what I thought it'd be....
I used to live in Japan, and I consider it home. I've always dreamed of going back ever since I moved to the U.S.
I wanted to focus more on the language, rather than history and such. I've considered self-study, but I'd probably get too lazy. I can speak conversational Japanese, and I can read hiragana and katakana, but I need to practice writing more, and I can only read the very simplest, easiest kanji. I was hoping that studying in college would help me speak more formal Japanese that would be useful in a work setting, as well as to read and write.
AmerikaJin5
Sempai
- 12 Nov 2014
- 174
- 99
Hi Setsu,
Such a small world, we're both living in Virginia but you used to live in Japan and I'm trying to get to Japan next year
I can't say that a minor (or in some cases, even a major) for a language is as meaningful as living in that country. I'm still a beginner with the Japanese language, but I'm focusing on learning grammar and 'linguistic etiquette' through Skype conversations with a Japanese professor I know (Saitama University)...I figure that these can be very difficult to learn, especially from Western instructors, so practicing with a (well-educated) native is great.
I bought tons of kanji flashcards and I'm just going through those -- slowly but surely. If I get the MEXT scholarship, then I'll be living in Tokyo next October and then I'll finally be able to seriously improve my language.
Are you an undergraduate student right now? If so, at which university in the US? What do you plan to study for undergrad, and for masters?
Such a small world, we're both living in Virginia but you used to live in Japan and I'm trying to get to Japan next year
I can't say that a minor (or in some cases, even a major) for a language is as meaningful as living in that country. I'm still a beginner with the Japanese language, but I'm focusing on learning grammar and 'linguistic etiquette' through Skype conversations with a Japanese professor I know (Saitama University)...I figure that these can be very difficult to learn, especially from Western instructors, so practicing with a (well-educated) native is great.
I bought tons of kanji flashcards and I'm just going through those -- slowly but surely. If I get the MEXT scholarship, then I'll be living in Tokyo next October and then I'll finally be able to seriously improve my language.
Are you an undergraduate student right now? If so, at which university in the US? What do you plan to study for undergrad, and for masters?
