BA Japanese

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

For students who entered the programme in September 2026, you can find the details of your programme: BA Japanese

This programme equips students with 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 modern Japanese along with a range of transferable skills and insights.

Students begin the language from scratch and follow an intensive language programme in their first year. We are also able to accommodate students with some prior learning. The second year is spent at a Japanese university 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. 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 Japan, and an understanding of the wider context of Japanese society.

Year 1

[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
EAST1290	Beginners Japanese	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST1295	Post-Beginners Japanese	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 20 and may study up to 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)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

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)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 2

[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
MODL9500	LCS Year Abroad	120	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Year 3

[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 40 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	Not running in 202627
EAST2714	Death in Japanese Society and Culture	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2715	Japanese Cinema in the World	20	Not running in 202627
EAST2716	Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST2006	China Since 1979	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2008	The Making of Modern Thailand	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2025	Global Korea in Context: Sociocultural and Political Dynamics	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2128	Contemporary East Asian Culture	20	Not running in 202627
EAST2148	Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2360	Chinese Cinema	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST2713	Buddhism: a Lived Tradition	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST2718	Topics in Contemporary East Asian Societies	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

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

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL2006	Social Class across Cultures	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL2070	Reception, Transmission and Translation: The Global Circulation of Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL2075	Global Environmental Humanities	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL2250	Digital Communications Across Cultures	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Year 4

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

At Level 3, students must study 120 credits. All students must take 40 credits as a Final Year Project (FYP) module.  
In order to be eligible for an Honours degree, students must meet the normal Rules for Award by passing all modules which are designated to be passed for award or progression and by passing the required number of credits at each level as specified in the Curricular Regulations (at least 200 credits at Level 2 or above, of which at least 100 should be at Level 3).

In order to be eligible for an Honours degree, students must meet the normal Rules for Award by passing all modules which are designated to be passed for award or progression and by passing the required number of credits at each level as specified in the Curricular Regulations (at least 200 credits at level 2 or above, of which at least 100 should be at level 3).

Compulsory Modules

All students will be required to study the following compulsory module:

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

[Basket 1 – Japan] Candidates will be required to study a minimum of 20 and may study up to 60 credits from the following optional modules. Candidates may not study a module they have already studied at level 2:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3017	Japan-Korea Relations in the Shadow of Empire	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3018	Death in Japanese Society and Culture	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3156	Nature and Technology in Japan: Cultural Images	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3200	Specialised Japanese Readings in Context	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
EAST3201	Modern Japanese History	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3350	Japanese Cinema in the World	20	Not running in 202627

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

[Basket 2- broader EAS] Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
EAST3015	Religion in China	20	Not running in 202627
EAST3016	East Asian Performing Arts	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
EAST3020	Civil Society and the Non-Profit Sector in Contemporary China	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3148	Trauma Narratives in the Contemporary Sinophone World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EAST3271	East Asia's Regional Political Economy	20	Not running in 202627
EAST3525	Globalising China and the Developing World	20	Not running in 202627
EAST3707	Buddhism: A Lived Tradition	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it

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

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL3130	Languages in Action: from Theory to Practice	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL3410	Contemporary World Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL3620	Decolonial Approaches	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL3650	Minoritised Languages, Dialects and Cultures from Past to Present	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

All students may take up to 20 credits of discovery modules in a third subject or pursue additional modules from the above list of optional modules. Finalists may only take Level 1 modules that are listed as Discovery Skills modules (skd) and only to the value of 20 credits.

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Last updated: 30/04/2026 15:58:03

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team