Japanese Language
About Japanese
Our Program and Courses
With small class sizes and close collaboration between students and professors, you will develop the tools to reflect critically on the cultural practices, products, and perspectives of the Japanese-speaking world and your own. Through intensive language training in the classroom, you will grow your confidence and fluency in Japanese, including mastery of the Hiragana and Katakana Japanese writing systems and an introduction to Kanji characters.
Wondering what a Japanese course is like? Take a look at our course catalog to explore what’s available to you.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Off-Campus Study
When learning a foreign language, it’s important to experience its use in communities
that speak it natively. Studying in Japan lets you experience the Japanese language,
culture, and people first-hand. The six-week summer program at Tohoku Gakuin University
in Sendai, Japan, includes homestays with Japanese families. You may also choose to
participate in off-campus study programs in Japan for a semester or year.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Research Opportunities
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led
research.
Explore research at F&M
Success Beyond F&M
The interpretive skills, practical skills, cultural knowledge and awareness, and the intellectual connections you gain by studying Japanese at F&M are valuable for any post-college plan.
Event Spotlight
“One of the reasons I asked the group to come here was so students could see an authentic
performance.”
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Japanese language program at Franklin & Marshall
College, world-renowned Tamagawa University Dance and Taiko Group performed for the
first time on campus. The group culminated its day at the College by delivering its
thunderous taiko (drum) and dance performance that evening. "One of the reasons I
asked the group to come here was so students could see an authentic performance,"
said Kumi Omoto, assistant director and associate teaching professor of the Japanese
language program. "Our Japanese students can talk to them in Japanese, ask about their
college life, and the experience of performing in the United States."
Read More »
What does art of the past tell us about the transformation of visual and material
experience over time? By studying art history at F&M, you’ll actively engage with
this living dimension of the past through its artifacts, images, architecture, and
relevant texts. Embark on an enriching journey through time, exploring a vast range of geographic
regions, topical themes, and time periods. By studying history at F&M, you’ll gain
a deeper understanding of history and historical processes, and develop keen insight
into how they have shaped the present and will influence the future. International studies is an innovative program that combines off-campus study in a
non-English-speaking location with on- and off-campus coursework. As a student of
international studies at F&M, you will develop a global perspective and immerse yourself
in the languages and cultures of non-English-speaking countries and regions.Related Fields of Study
Art History
History
International Studies
November 3, 2021 On a cool autumn afternoon outside Franklin & Marshall's Brooks College House, dozens of students gathered around as Ken-ichi Miura explained shibori, a Japanese tie-dyeing technique.
Miura,...Franklin & Marshall College offers students a hands-on education that emphasizes close relationships with faculty. Students flourish in a supportive community that treats them as an individual, and their successes continue long after F&M. The College is a national leader in launching students and alumni to opportunities where they make a difference in the community and the world. February 7, 2020 Although 31 states have declared English as their native tongue, and roughly 21 percent of the population is, at various degrees, bilingual, the United States has no official language. Meanwhile, 75...Franklin & Marshall College offers students a hands-on education that emphasizes close relationships with faculty. Students flourish in a supportive community that treats them as an individual, and their successes continue long after F&M. The College is a national leader in launching students and alumni to opportunities where they make a difference in the community and the world. April 1, 2019 To celebrate this year's 25th anniversary of the Japanese language program at Franklin & Marshall College, world-renowned Tamagawa University Dance and Taiko Group will perform for the first time...Franklin & Marshall College offers students a hands-on education that emphasizes close relationships with faculty. Students flourish in a supportive community that treats them as an individual, and their successes continue long after F&M. The College is a national leader in launching students and alumni to opportunities where they make a difference in the community and the world.F&M Japanese in the Spotlight
Dye Magic Changes Yellow to 'Japan Blue'
Speaker Argues for Dual Language Education So No Child Is Left Monolingual
Celebrating F&M Japanese Language Program with Dance and Drum