Asian Studies – Japan Concentration – Major and Minor

The Japan concentration combines language training with interdisciplinary study to give students a solid background in one or more areas of Japanese studies. Students are offered courses to an advanced level in the following: interdisciplinary studies, economics, business, political science, history, art, literature, and language. Advanced language training is available through the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, of which the University of Washington is a sponsoring member.

Learn more:

• Major
• Minor
• Faculty
• Courses

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Major in Japan Studies

Course #	Title	Credits	Quarter
JSIS 203 or JSIS A 207	Rise of Asia or Asian Traditions	5	Autumn Winter (sometimes)
JSIS 201	The Making of the Twenty-first Century	5	Winter or Spring
JSIS A 241 or JSIS A 242	Japanese Civilization or Introduction to Contemporary Japan	5	Varies
2nd Asian Civilization Course	One Asian Civilization course chosen from: HSTAS 201, 202, 211, JSIS A 206, 212, 221	5	Varies
JSIS A 423	History of Modern Japan	5	Autumn
Japan Electives3-400 level	Choose (3-400 level) to include: min. 15 cr. from Japan Social Science,and additional 10 cr. from Social Science or Japan Humanities/Arts & Literature Japan Electives List Current Quarter Courses	25	Varies
Research Paper	Asian Research Paper written with Jackson School Professor 15 pgs.
Minimum Grade	Minimum grade 2.0 in all courses applied to major.
Japanese Language	Japanese Language proficiency through 2nd year college level or 3rd quarter of 2nd year college level.(For first- and second-year language courses, grades must average 2.00)
	Total Credits (not including language):  50
Click here for an online checklist of course requirements

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Minor in Japan Studies

30 credits, to include the following:

1. JSIS A/HSTAS 241 or JSIS A 242 and one additional introductory Asian civilization course from those listed above (10 credits)
2. 10 credits of electives taken at the UW, chosen from the Japan history/social science electives list*
3. 5 credits of electives taken at the UW, chosen from the Japan history/social science list or the Japan arts/literature electives list*
4. 5 additional credits in Japanese language beyond second-year level, or in upper-division transfer courses on Japan, or in additional electives chosen from the Japan history/social science electives list*
5. Minimum grade of 2.0 required in each course applied toward the minor.

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JSIS & Affiliate Japan Studies Faculty

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Japan Studies Courses

Quarterly Course Lists

List A (Social Sciences)

• JSIS A 415 National Security of Japan 5 
• JSIS A 423 History of Modern Japan 5
• JSIS A 424 Japan Since the Early 20th Century 5
• JSIS A 435 Japanese Government and Politics 5
• JSIS A/POL S 436/POL S 429 Political Parties in Japan and East Asia 5 
• JSIS A 437 International Relations of Japan 5
• JSIS A 440 Japanese History in Ecological Perspective 5 
• JSIS A 449 Anthropology of Modern Japan 5
• JSIS A 472  Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies in East Asia  5 
• JSIS A 473 Political Economy of Japan 5
• JSIS A 474 Civil Society in Japan and East Asia 5 
• JSIS A 475 Japanese Society 5 
• JSIS A 477 Readings on Political Economy of Japan and Northeast Asia  5 
• JSIS A 478 Japanese Business and Technology 5
• JSIS A / HSTAS 484 Korea in the Japanese Empire 5 
• JSIS A 487/POL S 418 Japanese Trade Politics 5 
• JSIS A/LAW B 540 Law in East Asia: Japan 5 
• JSIS 484 Special Topics East Asia (depending on theme) 1-5, max. 15 

List B (Humanities/ Other)

• JSIS A 478 Readings in Social Sciences in Japanese 5 
• ART H 315 Buddhist Art of East Asia 5 
• ART H 318 Japanese Prints 5 
• ART H 321 Arts of Japan 5, Max. 15 
• ART H 419 Japanese Architecture 5 
• ART H 420 Art of the Japanese Print 5 
• ART H 421 Topics in Art and Visual Culture: Japan 5 
• JAPAN 321 Classical Japanese Literature 5 
• JAPAN 322 Modern Japanese Literature 5 
• JAPAN 325 Intro to Japanese Cinema and Media 5 
• JAPAN 360 Topics in Japanese Culture 5 
• JAPAN 361 Topics in Japanese Cinema and Media 5 
• JAPAN 431 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5 
• JAPAN 380 Contemporary Japanese Art and Society 5 
• JAPAN 432 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5 
• JAPAN 433 Readings in Modern Japanese Literature 5 
• JAPAN 460 Topics in Japanese Popular Culture and Literature 5 
• JAPAN 431 Advanced Topics in Japanese Popular Culture and Literature 5 
• JAPAN 473 Readings in Classical Japanese Literature 5 

One of the following:

• ART H 204§ Survey of Asian Art 5 
• ASIAN 202§ Literature and Culture of Japan: Traditional Japan 5 
• ASIAN 205§ Literature and Culture of Japan from Trad. to Modernity 5 
• JSIS A/HSTAS 241†§ Japanese Civilization 5 
• JSIS A 242†§ Introduction to Contemporary Japan 5 

Japan Studies Minor Elective Lists