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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. I am interested in taking a Japanese language class. How do I know which class is right for me?
2. How do I go about taking a placement exam for Japanese?
3. If I cannot get into the language class I want, can I take a higher level for now and take a lower class later?
4. I have been placed into JPN 113 after a placement test and do not need to take JPN 111 and 112. Does this mean that I have completed 3 of the 6 upper-division required courses for the Japanese major?
5. I have taken JPN 112. Would enrolling in JPN 10 or JPN 101-102-103 be considered "back-tracking"?
6. Can I take a literature class out of sequence? For instance can I take JPN 103 in the Spring quarter and take JPN 101 the following Fall quarter?
7. I am interested in majoring in Japanese. What courses do I need to take?
8. How do I declare Japanese as my major?
9. When should I declare Japanese as my major?
10. Is there any advantage to declaring Japanese as my major early?
11. I am interested in getting a Japanese minor. What do I need to do?
12. Can I take courses required for the major P/NP (pass/non-pass)?
13. I am an Economics major and want to declare Japanese as my second major. What should I do?
14. When do I declare Japanese as my second major?
15. I'd like to study in Japan. What do I need to do?
16. I took some courses in EAP. Can they be transferred toward my Japanese major or minor?
17. I studied in Japan for a year at a university that is not part of the EAP. Can I still have some credits transferred toward the major or minor requirement?
18. Can I take courses other than those listed in the catalog as substitutions for the Japanese major or minor?
19. I am planning to declare Japanese as my major. Can I seek High/Highest Honors for graduation?

I am interested in taking a Japanese language class. How do I know which class is right for me?

If you have no background in Japanese, you should sign up for Japanese 1. All other students must take a placement test before enrolling in a Japanese language course.

Be advised that Japanese language courses are offered sequentially. For example, JPN 1 (first-year), JPN 4 (second-year), and JPN 111 (third-year) are offered only in the Fall quarter, while JPN 2, 5, and 112 are offered only in the Winter quarter and JPN 3, 6, and 113 are offered only in the Spring quarter. Consequently, it is best to have your proficiency assessed at the beginning of the Fall quarter. Another option is to take the beginning sequence in Japanese as an intensive summer session course (see the Summer Catalog for details). Fourth-year reading courses (JPN 131-136) are not sequential and may be taken by qualified students during any quarter.

How do I go about taking a placement exam for Japanese?

Placement exams are administered at the beginning of each quarter at The Language Learning Center (LLC) in the basement of Olson Hall. You may register for placement tests with your student ID in 53 Olson Hall. Placement tests take approximately two hours and are comprised of four sections. Part one is an oral exam in which your responses will be recorded for later assessment. Part two is a computerized test composed of listening, vocabulary, kanji, grammar, and reading questions. Part three is a fill-in-the-blank listening test, and part four assesses writing skills. You should contact the LLC (752-1508) for the dates and times of scheduled test sessions, and see their website for details.

You may contact Ritsuko Shigeyama, the Japanese Language Coordinator, if you have any questions about the process. Contact the LLC if you cannot take the placement test during the scheduled times.

If I cannot get into the language class I want, can I take a higher level for now and take a lower class later?

No. This is called "back-tracking" and is against university policy. For example, if you were placed in and completed JPN 6 and then take JPN 5 in a subsequent quarter, the lower class would become invalid. In the same way, you cannot take JPN 131 (a fourth-year reading course) then take Japanese 111, 112, or 113 (third-year Japanese) later. Fourth-year reading courses (JPN 131-136) may be taken in any order by qualified students, and literature-in-English (JPN 101, 102, 103) courses may be taken at any time (there is no language requirement and they may be taken out of sequence).

I have been placed into JPN 113 after a placement test and do not need to take JPN 111 and 112. Does this mean that I have completed 3 of the 6 upper-division required courses for the Japanese major?

No. You need to take two more upper-division Japanese courses in place of JPN 111 and 112. These two courses can be chosen from the list of "upper-division elective courses" and the list of "recommended lower-division courses" as shown on the checklist of Japanese Major Requirements.

I have taken JPN 112. Would enrolling in JPN 10 or JPN 101-102-103 be considered "back-tracking"?

No. JPN 10 and other literature-in-translation courses do not have a language prerequisite. Language classes you have taken have no bearing on your eligibility for these courses. You MUST, in fact, take JPN 101-102-103 (in any order, though they are usually offered sequentially) to complete the major in Japanese.

Can I take a literature class out of sequence? For instance can I take JPN 103 in the Spring quarter and take JPN 101 the following Fall quarter?

Yes. Upper-division literature classes can be taken out of sequence. As another example, you may take JPN 106 first and then take JPN 101-102-103. If you have taken the upper-division literature-in-translation series, you should not take JPN 10 since the lower-division course is a more basic version of the combined upper-division courses.

I am interested in majoring in Japanese. What courses do I need to take?

You should first pick up a checklist of "Japanese Major Requirements," a purple sheet available in two places: next to the Japanese bulletin board on the 5th floor of Sproul Hall, and in a folder outside of 316 Sproul.

1. Your first step is to fulfill the lower division language requirements by completing first-year (JPN 1-2-3) and second-year (JPS 4-5-6) Japanese. If the results of your placement exam enable you to skip any or all of these courses, those courses will count toward your lower division requirement, but you will NOT receive unit credit for the courses you tested out of. There is no minimum number of lower division units you must take for the major.
2. Linguistics 1 and History 9B are highly recommended, but not required for the major or the minor in Japanese.
3. You must take 40 upper-division units to complete the major in Japanese. There are 24 non-elective units of upper-division courses: JPN 111-112-113 (third-year Japanese) and JPN 101-102-103 (survey of literature in translation). These six courses are mandatory. If you test out of JPN 111-112-113, you must take three other upper-division courses from the elective list below.
4. You must take 16 additional units of upper-division elective courses. 8 units must be from a list of Japanese language and literature courses, and 8 units must be from a list of courses related to Japan or China offered in other departments such as History, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Religious Studies, and Art History. These courses are listed on the checklist of Japanese Major Requirements and in the UCD General Catalog on p. 192.

How do I declare Japanese as my major?

You will need to submit a Petition for Change of Major. This petition should be used whether you are declaring the Japanese major from being undeclared or from another major. The form can be obtained from The University Registrar [pdf].

You should pick up and refer to a checklist of "Japanese Major Requirements," available near the Japanese bulletin board on the 5th floor of Sproul Hall, and in a folder outside of 316 Sproul. Have the major advisor sign your petition as well as your checklist and confirm that the department has made a copy of them so that we may make a file for you for graduation purposes. Submit your original Petition for Change of Major to the Letters & Science Dean's Office located in Room 200 of the Social Science and Humanities Building. Check the UCD General Catalog, pages 182-184 (04-06 edition) for the major requirements and as well as course descriptions in for Japanese and Chinese.

When should I declare Japanese as my major?

You may declare a Japanese major after having completed two upper-division Japanese courses, and generally after you have completed 90 units (giving you upper-division standing). If you declare earlier, it may be difficult to forecast the completion of your major (due to course offerings, your other graduation requirements, etc.)

Is there any advantage to declaring Japanese as my major early?

Yes. You should declare as soon as you know you can finish the major requirements before your planned graduation time. Consulting with the major advisor to plan your courses early is a good idea, especially since you may not be able to get in to the exact courses you want, which may delay your graduation.

Lower division language courses are highly impacted and it may be difficult to enroll. Priority consideration will be given to students with declared Japanese majors in courses required for the major. It is important for the department to know the number of students majoring in Japanese to plan accordingly and to offer courses to accommodate all those wish to take them.

I am interested in getting a Japanese minor. What do I need to do?

1. The lower-division requirements are the same as for the major. Instead of 40 upper-division units, you need only 20 units to complete the minor. If you complete third-year Japanese (JPN 111-112-113), you only need two more upper-division courses in Japanese to complete the minor. If you test out of third-year Japanese, you still need to take 20 upper division units to complete the minor.
2. You should complete and submit a Petition to Declare a Minor [pdf] after completing 2 upper-division courses.

After you have completed all your courses, see the Japanese advisor for his/her signature. There is no need to declare the minor before your courses are completed. You are welcome to seek advice early about what courses to take from the faculty advisor. After confirming that the major/minor advisor had made a copy of the form for our files, you should submit the completed minor form to your college no later than the beginning of the quarter when you plan to graduate. Be aware that if you declare Japanese as one of your majors, or as your only major, you will need to submit the proper documents a quarter earlier.

Can I take courses required for the major P/NP (pass/non-pass)?

The department strongly recommends you take all courses required for the major for a letter grade. Upper division elective courses may be taken pass/no pass or for a letter grade. Refer to the university limitation on units taken pass/no pass.

I am an Economics major and want to declare Japanese as my second major. What should I do?

You need the advisor for your first major to sign the "Change of Major" form. Then fill in Japanese as your second major on the same form and list all the Japanese courses you have taken and their grades as well as courses you plan to take. See the Japanese advisor to get his/her signature and then confirm that we have made a copy of your form so that we may make a file for you for graduation purposes. Submit the original form to your college. The same applies to those students declaring Japanese as their third major. Information about declaring a second major can be found with the Multiple Major Approval form [pdf] from the College of Letters and Science.

You will also need to complete a Petition for Change of Major form [pdf] from the Office of the Registrar.

To be eligible to file a petition to declare a double major, you must have first completed at least two upper-division courses in each of your proposed majors. It is not necessary to have completed all of the preparatory subject matter in the two majors in order to declare a double major, but you will be asked to list any preparatory courses you have remaining at the time you submit the double major petition.

A student may have a maximum of two courses overlap between majors. There is no problem if the two courses needed to declare happen to be overlapping between majors. The latest date a student can choose a major is the end of the quarter prior to the final quarter before graduation. Some students choose a major in their final quarter and then must postpone their graduation for one quarter because the Office of the Registrar needs one quarter to ascertain the appropriate graduation information.

You should complete forms as instructed and obtain the signature of the faculty advisor for each of the majors you propose on the "Multiple Major Approval Form" and the "Petition for Change of Major." After a copy has been made of these documents for your file, you will then submit them to the College of Letters and Science for final approval (Room 200, Social Sciences and Humanities Building).

When do I declare Japanese as my second major?

The first major should be declared after 90 units have been taken. You can choose Japanese as your second or third major after you have successfully completed at least two upper-division courses in Japanese.

I'd like to study in Japan. What do I need to do?

UC Davis offers various opportunities for study in Japan and we encourage all students to take advantage of them. The programs range in length from a month in the summer to a whole year. The best place to get information about them is our Education Abroad Center (EAC). You can go there in person (207 Third Street, Suite 120) or visit their Web site. They are responsible for all official study programs in Japan, including UC-wide Education Abroad Programs (EAP), plus our own Summer Session and Quarter Abroad programs. There is more informaton about programs for study in Japan on the bulletin board for the Japanese Program on the 5th floor of Sproul. The Internship and Career Center in South Hall may have information about other opportunities in Japan.

See the Registrar's Web site on the Education Abroad Program for further information.

Internships are another option. We have a regular program of internships at children's homes in Japan, for which you can get academic credit. For further information, see: Undergraduate Services at the Internship and Career Center

I took some courses in EAP. Can they be transferred toward my Japanese major or minor?

For courses part of EAP, the unit credits will be automatically tranferred. You must, however, consult with a faculty advisor about whether those units can count toward the major or minor. To determine the transferability of the credits from another institution, you must have the Japanese advisor's approval. Whether you are transferring units from another school in the U.S. or from abroad, you should make an appointment with the advisor to go over the official transcripts, syllabi, and sometimes course material (textbooks, exams, and homework) to discuss transferability.

Keep in mind that there is also a University "in-residence" requirement:

1. You must have been registered for 3 quarters at UC Davis
2. 35 of your final 45 units must be at UC Davis
3. 18 upper division units in the major and 27 upper division units overall must be at UC Davis.

In the Japanese major, this requirement generally means you may have up to four courses tranferred from another institution (or abroad), and the other six must be taken at UC Davis. For the minor, you may have up to two courses transferred, and the other three must be taken at UC Davis. (Note: summer and quarter abroad units are considered "in residence" at UC Davis).

To determine the transferability of the credits from EAP toward the major or minor, you should make an appointment to get approval from the Japanese advisor. For the transfer of language courses, please see Ritsuko Shigeyama, coordinator of the Japanese language program, for evaluation. For transfer credit of other courses, such as literature or culture courses, please see the faculty advisor.

I studied in Japan for a year at a university that is not part of the EAP. Can I still have some credits transferred toward the major or minor requirement?

You will find many programs for study in Japan that are not connected with the UC system. Some of them are quite good and you are welcome to participate in them, but you need to be prepared for complications when you try to get UC credit for them. It is, of course, possible, but the process may be time consuming and in the end there's no guarantee your courses will be accepted either for UC credit or the major. The same is true for Japanese courses taken at other schools in this country. Whether transferring from another school in the U.S. or from abroad, you should make an appointment with the advisor to go over the official transcripts, syllabi, and course material (textbooks, exams, and homework) to discuss transferability. Transfer of these credits is not automatic.

Can I take courses other than those listed in the catalog as substitutions for the Japanese major or minor?

It is your responsibility to take all the required courses and the qualifying electives of your choice when they are offered.  You cannot take substitution courses without prior approval by the Japanese advisor.

I am planning to declare Japanese as my major. Can I seek High/Highest Honors for graduation?

Yes. See the department description of our High/Highest Honors Program in the University Catalog. If qualified, you are strongly encouraged to consult with department faculty in your junior year to undertake an honors project during the first two quarters of your senior year.

Updated 1/22/07