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For students joining in the academic year 2008/09 & part time students joining in the academic year 2007/08.

Programme Aims

The aim of the programme is to equip graduates with an understanding of the concepts and skills that underlie the use of Japanese in professional contexts. These include:

• a critical awareness of how communication functions;
• an improved understanding of the principal language systems of Japanese, politeness rules (keigo) and sociocultural rules in effectively interacting in Japanese, particularly in multilingual contexts;
• an effective repertoire of practical communication strategies and negotiation strategies in spoken and written Japanese (including computer-mediated communication); and
• the research skills that are needed to write academic essays in Japanese, focusing on authentic communication in professional contexts.

Characteristics

The programme will equip students with key theoretical knowledge, together with practical skills such as negotiation skills and discourse strategies in Japanese written and spoken communication, through authentic business tasks and business simulation.

Programme Structure

• Full time mode: 1 year
  Students are required to complete 5 subjects (a total of 15 credits) each semester. In semester I students are required to study 2 compulsory and 3 elective subjects, and 3 compulsory and 2 elective subjects in semester 2.
• Part time mode: 2 years
  Students are required to take 2 compulsory subjects each in both semesters of their first year's studies. The students should take the fifth compulsory subject in the second year together with other elective subjects.

There are three possible study outcomes and qualifications:

1. Postgraduate Certificate in Japanese Studies for the Professions (PgCJSP) (12 credits); students study the following compulsory subjects No. 1 - 4.
2. Postgraduate Diploma in Japanese Studies for the Professions (PgDJSP) (18 credits); students study the following compulsory subjects No. 1 - 4 and 2 elective subjects.
3. Master of Arts in Japanese Studies for the Professions (MAJSP) (30 credits); students must complete 5 compulsory subjects and take either
   i) 5 electives, or
   ii) 2 electives, Research Design and Methods and Research Project for Applied Japanese Studies.

CORE AREA OF STUDY

Information on the subjects offered can be obtained at http://www.engl.polyu.edu.hk/Courses/MAscheme-electives.html.

Other Information

Class Times
Classes are held on 2 weekday evenings and/or Saturdays

Entrance Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree with Honours in any discipline or equivalent; and
• Pass in the Grade Two test of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test devised by the Japan Foundation and the Association of International Education, Japan, or the equivalent.
• An appropriate standard of English (e.g. 550 in TOEFL, or the equivalent). ***
• A minimum of one year's relevant post-qualification work experience. #

If you hold a PgD in Japanese Studies for the Professions (with preference given to those with a Credit or Distinction), you may enter the final stage of the programme and earn a MA degree upon completion of the required credits.

*** Those who graduated from English-medium universities need not submit English language proficiency certificates, but the English competence of shortlisted applicants will be assessed in a written test.

# This requirement is waived for applicants with first degree major in Japanese Studies

Application Period

Admission for September Intake : Mid-December to August

Information Seminar

For September Intake :
23 April 2007 (Monday), 7:00-8:00pm , Room AG434

Enquiries

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the programme leader, Dr. Hideaki Sugai (tel: 2766 7563; email: egsugai@inet.polyu.edu.hk ); or Ms Zoe Mak (tel: 2766 7573; email: egzoemak@inet.polyu.edu.hk ).

Remarks