BA East Asian Studies and Japanese (Not recruiting from 2025/26)

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

This programme equips students with a broad knowledge and in-depth understanding of the politics, economies and societies of the contemporary East Asian region alongside the linguistic skills needed to understand a range of written, spoken and broadcast material in Japanese and the ability to communicate effectively with Japanese speakers. The deliberately modern bias of the programme aims to produce graduates with an all-round proficiency in Japanese along with a range of transferable skills and competencies.

Students begin the language from scratch (although there is provision for those with prior learning) and follow an intensive language programme in their first year. Students will also take modules which provide them with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the history, geography and culture of both Northeast and Southeast Asia. The approach of the level 1 modules is comparative and thematic, while also allowing for country-specific focus on Japan, China and Southeast Asian countries, providing a strong foundation for upper-level modules.

The second year is spent at a university in Japan where students follow a prescribed course of study in language, and in some cases non-language courses. Students return to Leeds in their third year to follow advanced upper-level language and non-language modules. Modules at level 2 and 3 enable students to deepen their knowledge of particular aspects of the region, again largely from a comparative perspective. The economic development, international politics and history of the region are key elements of the programme at this level, but other issues such as culture and society, nationalism, democratisation, security, regionalism and globalisation are also covered.

By the final year of the programme students should be able to interpret relevant material in a wider sense, fitting it into the broader social, political, economic and cultural context of present-day Japan and the East Asian region.
Students are expected to graduate with a sound knowledge of the Japanese language, invaluable experience of life in Japanese society, and an understanding of the wider context of the East Asian region.

Year 1

(Not recruiting from 2025/26)

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST1252	Modern Japan	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Candidates with no prior knowledge of Japanese will be required to study the following modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST1210	Basic Japanese Language (1)	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1220	Basic Japanese Language (2)	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Candidates with prior knowledge of Japanese will, subject to a placement test, be required to study the following modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST1280	Intermediate Japanese (1)	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1281	Intermediate Japanese (2)	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Candidates will be required to study a minimum of 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST1110	Modern China: History and Culture	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1241	Premodern East Asia	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST1450	Foundations of East Asia	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST1510	Introduction to East Asian Religions and Philosophies	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL1050	Introduction to Audio-Visual Culture	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1060	Language: Structure and Sound	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL1070	World Histories	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1090	Intercultural Competence: Theory and Application	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL1100	Politics, Culture and Society	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1150	Worlds of Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1401	Discourse, Culture and Identity	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Year 2

(Not recruiting from 2025/26)

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will spend the year abroad in Japan. Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL9500	LCS Year Abroad	120	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Year 3

(Not recruiting from 2025/26)

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST2719	Japanese 2: Pre-Advanced Communication Skills 1	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2720	Japanese 2: Pre-Advanced Communication Skills 2	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST2007	Japan's International Relations	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2480	Japanese Development Assistance in a Globalising World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2714	Death in Japanese Society and Culture	20	Not running in 202526
EAST2715	Japanese Cinema in the World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2716	Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits, and may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST2008	The Making of Modern Thailand	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2025	Global Korea in Context: Sociocultural and Political Dynamics	20	Not running in 202526
EAST2128	Contemporary East Asian Culture	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2718	Topics in Contemporary East Asian Societies	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST2006	China Since 1979	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2148	Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2360	Chinese Cinema	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2711	Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2717	Society, Culture and Environment in Early Modern China	20	Not running in 202526

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Year 4

(Not recruiting from 2025/26)

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3285	Japanese 3: Advanced Communication Skills	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
MODL3050	Final Year Project	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 and may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3016	East Asian Performing Arts	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3017	Japan-Korea Relations in the Shadow of Empire	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3271	East Asia's Regional Political Economy	20	Not running in 202526
EAST3707	Buddhism: A Lived Tradition	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Advanced Japanese in Context: Social Science - 20 credits

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3286	Advanced Japanese in Context: Culture and Identity	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3287	Advanced Japanese in Context 5: Japanese Diplomacy and Foreign Policy in Historical Context	20	Not running in 202526
EAST3580	Advanced Japanese in Translation	20	Not running in 202526

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3018	Death in Japanese Society and Culture	20	Not running in 202526
EAST3156	Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3252	Modern Japanese History	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3350	Japanese Cinema in the World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3355	Death and Religion in Japan	20	Not running in 202526

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Last updated: 13/10/2025 17:08:08

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