Consecutive Master - Japanese Studies
Course Offering
The Master's degree program in Japanese Studies offers you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of Japan and your Japanese language skills. Japanese Studies can be studied at Master's level as a major (90 ECTS) or minor (30 ECTS). In the major, you can choose between three specializations, depending on your personal interests. With the “Japanese Philology” specialization, you will focus on philosophy, intellectual history, literature and cultural history from antiquity to the present day; with the “Social Science of Japan” specialization, you will concentrate on the society, politics and economy of modern and contemporary Japan. The specialization in “General Japanese Studies” allows you to study both areas equally. In addition to content-related aspects, you will study and engage with Japanese-language research literature, as well as historical and modern sources. Furthermore, the Master's degree program imparts theoretical and methodological knowledge and enables you to conduct independent research on Japan.
| Specialization | Modules (selection) |
|---|---|
| Scientific Japanese | - Japanese Scientific Writing - Japanese Scientific Presentation -Kanbun/Kundoku |
| Japanese Philology | -Japanese Philology -Japanese Source Texts: Translation and Commentation - Japanese Source Texts: Cursory Reading - Research seminars on changing topics |
| Social Science of Japan | - Reading of Japanese Research Publications - Introduction to Research Methods (in Social Sciences) - Research seminars on changing topics - Research projects (Colloquium Ma thesis) |
The subject-specific course offerings are regularly supplemented by modules from other AOI programs as well as other UZH programs
Regular offerings from other programs (selection):
General Philosophy of Science (Philosophisches Seminar)
Culture and Society in Asia and the Middle East (AOI MAMES)
Introduction to Medieval Studies (Zentrum Zürcher Mediävistik)
Literary Theory (Romanisches Seminar)
Medieval Studies Colloquium (Zentrum Zürcher Mediävistik)
Theories of Morality (Philosophisches Seminar)
Professional Perspectives
A Master's degree in Japanese Studies opens up career opportunities in many fields. The profession of “Japanologist” does not exist, but the core competences acquired - methodically analyzing and understanding Japan - can be used in various professional fields. Graduates go on to work in diplomacy and administration, journalism, cultural exchange, as specialized translators, in the private sector or pursue an academic career. Actively supporting students in their transition to professional life is a particular concern of Zurich Japanese Studies.
