Subject area: Japanese
Why choose Japanese at the University of Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is the only university in Scotland to offer undergraduate honours programmes in Japanese. It is also one of the few in the UK with integrated course offerings in China and Korea. All our four-year honours programmes include a year abroad studying in Japan.
We are ranked 3rd in the UK and 7th in the world for modern languages in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
You will study in the heart of a world-leading festival city filled with cinemas, theatres, galleries, libraries and collections. Highlights include the University’s own East Asian Studies Collection, of which over 5,000 holdings are in Japanese.
There's lots going on in our tightly-knit community, from our peer support group to film screenings and an Anime Society. We also host performances and workshops with visiting Noh masters and a regular Asian Studies seminar series featuring visiting speakers from around the world.
Studying Japanese at the University of Edinburgh is so rewarding. Even though I already had a keen interest in Japanese culture, there is always more to learn. The teachers and lecturers are all very down-to-earth people so, even though learning the language can be challenging, they are always there to support you through it and help you reach your potential.
Introducing Japanese
Over the past 150 years, Japan has experienced change at a rapid pace, but has nevertheless retained its fascinating cultural heritage.
Study with us and you will develop the linguistic and analytical skills to engage critically, and in a truly interdisciplinary way, with this dynamic society.
You will also learn about Japan's place in East Asia, now one of the world's most important and influential regions.
We specialise in teaching students with little or no prior knowledge of Japanese. You can take Japanese as a single honours degree programme, or jointly with Linguistics or International Business.
Helping you bridge the gap between school and university learning, we introduce skills and knowledge step-by-step, encouraging you to see the connections between language, history, politics, culture and international relations.
Language classes are active, innovative, inclusive, and always informed by the best practice in the field.
We have received Edinburgh University Students' Association awards for innovative teaching, use of student feedback, and overall course excellence.