The certificate in Japanese Professional Communication provides students with the opportunity to develop proficiency in Japanese while pursuing majors in other subjects across the university. It emphasizes the development of communication skills that are applicable to various professional contexts that students may encounter in their future careers.
Study Abroad in Japan
Students may receive residence credit for study abroad through a variety of different programs sponsored by the department. Please contact International Academic Programs for details.
Students may also receive credit, or gain experience, through various internship opportunities abroad. Please contact International Internship Programs for details.
How to Get in
Placement Exam
The Asian Languages and Cultures department offers placement exams for students with prior language study or experience as a speaker of Japanese. For more information, see the department’s website.
Declaring the Certificate
Declaring the certificate is as easy as meeting with the undergraduate advisor, make an appointment to review requirements and discuss course plans on Starfish.
Students declared in the Japanese major are not eligible to declare the Japanese Professional Communication certificate.
Required Prerequisite Language Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ASIALANG 103 | First Semester Japanese | 4 |
| or | ||
| ASIALANG 113 & ASIALANG 114 | First Semester Elementary Japanese and Second Semester Elementary Japanese | 4 |
| and | ||
| ASIALANG 104 | Second Semester Japanese | 4 |
| ASIALANG 203 | Third Semester Japanese | 4 |
| ASIALANG 204 | Fourth Semester Japanese | 4 |
Requirements
15 credits distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Language Course | ||
| Required course: | ||
| ASIALANG 377 | Business Japanese Communication | 3 |
| Advanced Japanese Language Courses | 9 | |
| Complete three courses, from: | ||
| Fifth Semester Japanese | ||
| Advanced Japanese: Solidifying the Foundations | ||
| Japanese Conversation | ||
| Advanced Readings in Japanese | ||
| Advanced Japanese through Audio-Visual Media | ||
| Japanese Studies Course | 3 | |
| Introduction to East Asian History: Japan | ||
| Japanese Popular Culture | ||
| Introduction to East Asian Civilizations | ||
| Gender, Work, and Family in East Asia | ||
| Lovers, Warriors and Monks: Survey of Japanese Literature | ||
| Early Modern Japanese Literature | ||
| Modern Japanese Literature | ||
| Japanese Ghost Stories | ||
| Language in Japanese Society | ||
| Love and Politics: The Tale of Genji | ||
| Haiku | ||
| Topics in Japanese: Study Abroad | ||
| Manga | ||
| Anime | ||
| Introduction to Japanese Linguistics | ||
| Teaching of Japanese | ||
| Samurai: History and Image | ||
| Pearl Harbor & Hiroshima: Japan, the US & The Crisis in Asia | ||
| Readings in Early Modern Japanese Literature | ||
| Readings in Modern Japanese Literature | ||
| Readings in Classical Japanese Literature | ||
| Classical Japanese | ||
| Introduction to the Anthropology of Japan | ||
ART HIST 475 | ||
| Topics in Japanese Literature | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses
- At least 8 certificate credits must be completed in residence
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain in the target language their academic and professional experiences, and articulate their career objectives, both in writing and speaking.
- Manage basic everyday workplace (face-to-face, telephone, and email) communications in the target language (e.g., greeting, introducing oneself, making/changing appointments, making and receiving requests, obtaining permission, reporting, thanking, apologizing).
- With preparation, deliver a clear, concise, and connected presentation in the target language, with the effective use of visual images, on a subject they researched through online resources and/or interviews.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the significance of honorific and formulaic expressions and etiquette observed in the workplace within the target culture, which can be applied to their life-long learning.
- Demonstrate an awareness of diverse cultural perspectives, which may influence business and other professional practices, and a disposition to approach unfamiliar contexts with an open mind.
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Program
Please follow the process described on the Asian Languages and Cultures website.
Advising
Seeing your advisor is very important for choosing courses that fit your interests and graduating on schedule. Many students also try to complete more than one major or certificate, and discussing how you might be able to reach this goal is another primary role of your advisor. Advisors can speak to you about course content, which courses fit best with your interest areas, and what kinds of courses might work best with your learning style. Any and all of these discussions can occur during your advising appointment.
The advisor is happy to meet with students as they explore the degree options, prepare for study abroad, or advance through their four-year plans. Schedule an appointment in Starfish.
Exploring Classes before Declaring
Students interested in the Japanese Professional Communication certificate can start exploring through any of these courses. The courses in these lists are open to first-year/freshmen students and have no prerequisites.
Students may declare the Japanese Professional Communication certificate at any time. Those students who have studied an Asian language prior to coming to UW–Madison will have to take a placement test for a language offered during the academic year to determine the best class to enroll in on campus.
Interested in the Japanese major? Try these courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ASIAN 100 | Gateway to Asia: Special Topics | 3-4 |
| ASIAN/HISTORY 104 | Introduction to East Asian History: Japan | 3-4 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 236 | Asia Enchanted: Ghosts, Gods, and Monsters | 3 |
| ASIAN 253 | Japanese Popular Culture | 3 |
| ASIAN/HISTORY/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations | 3-4 |
| LITTRANS 231 | Manga | 3 |
| LITTRANS 232 | Anime | 3 |
| LITTRANS 263 | Survey of Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| LITTRANS 264 | Survey of Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| LITTRANS 373 | Topics in Japanese Literature | 3 |
| The language courses below are open to first-year/freshman students and have no prerequisites: | ||
| ASIALANG 103 | First Semester Japanese | 4 |
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Resources and Scholarships
Department Scholarships
The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures has various scholarships to support meritorious students in our programs. Application information and deadlines.
Other Campus Resources
Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships
East Asian Studies FLAS Coordinator: Laurie Dennis, Assistant Director, ldennis@wisc.edu, 325 Ingraham Hall
FLAS fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by UW–Madison's National Resource Centers to assist students in acquiring foreign language and either area or international studies competencies. FLAS awards are only available for specific languages and are contingent on federal funding. Please direct any questions to the FLAS Coordinator of your chosen language.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Applications by students in professional fields are encouraged. Preference will be given to applicants with a high level of academic ability and with previous language training. Academic Year and Summer FLAS awards are two separate competitions requiring two separate and complete applications.
Wisconsin Scholarship Hub
This is the primary portal for applicants, current students, and everyone looking for scholarship opportunities on campus.
Undergraduate Academic Awards Office
We help UW–Madison undergraduates and recent graduates pursue nationally competitive scholarships and campus-wide awards for research, service, and leadership — activities at the heart of the Wisconsin Experience. We can help you:
- Find scholarship opportunities that match your goals and interests
- Navigate the scholarship application process
- Review scholarship essays
- Prepare for national scholarship interviews
Contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss which opportunities are right for you.
National Scholarships
Boren Scholarships
Campus Representative: Undergraduates with questions should contact Matt Geisler, Associate Director of International Academic Programs
These scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. (Full list of preferred countries) Additionally, all programs must include formal study of an appropriate foreign language. (Full list of preferred languages).
Critical Language Scholarship Program
Campus Representative: Mark Lilleleht, Assistant Director for Awards at awards@iris.wisc.edu
The Critical Language Scholarship Program is part of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is a fully funded overseas intensive language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and to build relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, the Critical Language Scholarship Program provides opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning. Critical Language Scholarship Program languages are: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu.
The Critical Language Scholarship Program seeks participants with diverse interests, from a wide variety of fields of study, backgrounds, and career paths, with the purpose of representing the full diversity of the United States. Thus, students from all academic disciplines, including business, engineering, law, medicine, science, social sciences, arts, and humanities are encouraged to apply.
Gilman Scholarship Program
Campus Representative: Andy Quackenbush
The Gilman Scholarship Program is an undergraduate grant program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to assume significant roles in the increasingly global economy.