Write, research and study Japanese

Whether your interest is in Japanese literature, culture, history or language, DePaul’s flexible Japanese MA and its customizable curriculum allow you to develop advanced, specialized expertise. This program is ideal for both those who wish to pursue careers in translation, teaching or cultural institutions and for those who are preparing for an academic career.

The program may be completed in two years. Core courses are offered in the evenings, while most elective courses are offered in the afternoon/evening.

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Gain real-world experience

As part of your service learning experience, you’ll have opportunities to apply your linguistic expertise across the city of Chicago. Work with organizations like the Japanese Cultural Center, the Japanese American Service Committee and the Consulate-General of Japan.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, though we encourage you to submit materials at least two months prior to the quarter in which you wish to enroll.

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, language proficiency test scores, letters of recommendation, letters of application, and complete an interview with a faculty member in our Japanese program.

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Required Courses

You’ll take three core courses and nine electives taught in either Japanese or English.

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93%

of College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Study with engaging faculty

You’ll gain insight from faculty with a variety of academic interests. Associate Professor Nobuko Chikamatsu’s interests include second language acquisition, Japanese peace education and Japanese-American history in Chicago.

Alumni Network

Alumni of graduate programs in the Department of Modern Languages are employed in a wide range of job sectors, including education and government and hold positions from teaching to translation to interpreting. With a network of over 8,900 fellow master’s-level graduates, you’ll have lots of opportunities to grow your professional and academic connections.

Scholarships & Aid

Graduate school is an investment in your future. Learn more about the fellowships, scholarships and grants available to you.

Admission Requirements

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.  All applicants to any of the MA Programs within the Department of Modern Languages must have, at the time of matriculation into the program:

• A completed BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or abroad,
• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a scale where A=4.0) in all undergraduate coursework, and
• At least 20 quarter credit-hours of advanced undergraduate coursework in the target language OR a rating of at least “Intermediate High” on both the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) for the target language.
  • For Spring 2021 and beyond, applicants to Arabic, Chinese and Japanese must rate at least "Intermediate Mid" on the ACTFL OPI and WPT.
• Ability to complete graduate-level coursework in both English and the target language.

In addition, applicants must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation, and

• A formal statement of purpose (500-750 words) written in English explaining the applicant's areas of professional interest, reasons for seeking advanced training in a language, and possible post-degree plans, and

• A formal statement of qualifications (500-750 words) written in the language of study describing the applicant's previous language experience and how it has prepared them for graduate study

After all materials are received, applicants will be contacted for an interview with a faculty member to help ascertain their ability to complete graduate-level coursework in both English and the target language. 

Applicants may transfer for credit to their chosen MA Program no more than 8 quarter credit hours of graduate-level coursework completed at other institutions, provided that:

1.  The courses have not already counted in satisfaction of requirements for another degree program, and
2.  The courses bear grades of at least B- or higher (coursework graded P/NP will not be acceptable).

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission.  Please click here for exact information.

 

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Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

The curriculum of the MA in Japanese consists of twelve courses (48 quarter credit hours), divided into two parts:

1. A core curriculum of three required courses (12 quarter credit hours), and
2. Nine courses (36 quarter credit hours) in the language area.  All courses in the language area must be courses taught in the target language of the student’s program (i.e. courses with prefixes JPN).  In exceptional cases, with the approval of the student’s advisor and the director of the graduate program, a student may count one or two courses taught in English from allied fields (such as art history, economics, education, geography, health sciences, management, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, etc.) among the nine “language area” courses in the student’s program.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum consists of the following three courses:

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
MOL 401	PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATIONS	4
MOL 402	LANGUAGE, SELF AND SOCIETY	4
MOL 496	MAMOL CAPSTONE	4

In addition, all 300-level language courses are offered simultaneously as 400-level electives to complete the MA program.  The 400-level courses have additional requirements.

Additional requirements include:

• Portfolio

The portfolio (completed while enrolled in MOL 496) consists of a compilation and critical assessment of select work done throughout the program and a capstone project.  Capstone projects may include a community service experience, internship, performance or creative work, teaching portfolio, thesis, or translation.

Graduation Grade Point Average Requirement

In order to graduate from the program, students must complete all program requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.000.

Thesis Option

A thesis option will be available for students who attain a GPA of at least 3.7 in the program after completing 24 credit hours of coursework. 

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