Japanese

Overview

Students studying the  Japanese program at The Ohio State University progress from an elementary working knowledge of the language to oral and written fluency. Once students are familiar with basic patterns of pronunciation and language structure, they are introduced gradually to the writing system and written Japanese. The rich body of Japanese literature is first studied in English translation; sustained study prepares students to read a variety of written genres in the original language.

Possible careers

Japanese is applicable in a variety of settings in the United States and abroad. Mastery of Japanese allows students to consider careers in such fields as education, government, international trade, banking, print or electronic media, tourism, or art. Many employers are eager to hire graduates who are fluent in Japanese because their businesses involve Japanese speakers.

Careers in which Japanese is the primary emphasis include teaching Japanese at all levels; interpreting and translating for the United Nations, government, or for private and public organizations; and a variety of positions in the travel and tourism industry at home or abroad such as flight attendant, travel agent and tour guide.

Careers in which proficiency in Japanese is a good secondary tool include banking and finance, business, sales, export purchasing, foreign market analysis, journalism, foreign correspondence, science and research, library science, hotel management, publishing, radio broadcasting, and teaching English to Japanese speakers. 

Graduates with language degrees have chosen job such as international management at Honda, language coordinator at Honda, president and founder of Languages Unlimited, Inc., trade specialist with the Ohio Department of Development, and networking programmer at Proctor and Gamble.

Students can explore career options by utilizing Career Connection as well as the Arts and Sciences Career Services. Providing complimentary services, Career Connection focuses on helping students establish a career direction, while Career Services assists students with finding internships—experiences that are essential to testing out the suitability of career fields they are considering.