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Japanese Studies with International Experience at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 20262026 - 2027
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Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

28Jun
Birkbeck, University of London - Undergraduate open day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Our BA Japanese Studies has been especially designed to offer you stimulating and critical academic expertise in Japanese culture, history and society based on the cutting-edge research we conduct on Japan. At the same time, you will have the chance to gain a near-fluent command of the Japanese language. Why choose this course?

  • This course is ideal for various levels of competence in Japanese, whether you are a complete beginner or an intermediate learner.
  • You will be taught by specialists in contemporary Japanese culture and native Japanese teachers.
  • It offers you the opportunity, if you opt for the International Experience route, to spend a year studying in Japan.
  • Our partnerships with Japanese universities give you access to online conversation exchange programmes and summer schools in Japan.
What you will learn You will gain a high level of proficiency in Japanese and develop your cultural understanding through modules exploring literature, film, popular culture, manga and anime, history, visual art, linguistics, translation and society. In cross-cultural modules you will learn from specialists in different cultures and analyse comparative themes across a variety of linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. You will also master transferable skills such as essay writing, oral presentations, video essays, critical and logical thinking, and translating. You may also have the chance to learn Korean. How you will learn Teaching takes place in small-group seminars. The course is available to study full- or part-time. It mainly follows an evening timetable, though some Japanese classes may take place on Saturday during the daytime. On the International Experience route you will spend your third year at university in Japan. Most classes take place in the daytime. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • We ranked first in Teaching Satisfaction in London for Asian Studies courses in the 2024 National Student Survey.
  • This course includes modules focused on employability for the cultural industries and an industry placement programme.
  • We offer joint honours programmes combining Japanese with another subject such as art history, English, film and media, law, linguistics, journalism, politics, or digital media.
  • Our library has thousands of books and resources on Japan and we are next to the SOAS library and British Library which both have an impressive collection of Japanese books, to which you can apply for free access.
  • We are surrounded by cultural institutes, theatres, museums and galleries such as the Japan Society, Daiwa Foundation, Japan House London, Japan Foundation, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and British Film Institute.
Careers and employability You will have access to an industry placement programme which offers you invaluable work experience at cultural or Japan-related organisations. On graduating, you will have gained transferable skills including:
  • a high competence in Japanese
  • the ability to analyse and engage critically with cultural topics
  • producing journalistic reviews, video essays and translations
  • increased confidence when presenting and debating complex issues
  • the ability to work independently and effectively manage your time and deadlines.
This course will prepare you for career paths in a range of fields and professions, including:
  • language teacher in Japan
  • editor or publishing role
  • translator
  • events manager for Japanese organisations
  • marketing manager
  • journalist
  • social researcher
  • digital content creator
  • positions in hospitality, gaming, telecommunications.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

In-class tests, oral presentations, essays and other written tasks.

How to apply

14Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
T211
Institution code:
B24
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential. You must normally have N5-level (JLPT) competence, or the equivalent, in Japanese, but students without prior knowledge of Japanese may also be accepted. Acceptance may be subject to an admissions test and/or interview.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
60%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
95%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

To be confirmed
Japanese Studies with International Experience at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS