After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• read, write, and speak fluently in standard modern Japanese, at least at the B2 level (according to JF Standards for Japanese Language)
• comprehend the socio-cultural context of spoken Japanese, apply theoretical knowledge in praxis with the help of a natural adaptability to various situations and diverse levels of spoken and written communication
• become familiar with an unknown Japanese text, analyse its linguistic structures, and comprehend the written word
• interpret and produce texts in Japanese, as well as formal scholarly texts in Czech (or Slovak) and English
• contextually analyse and critically interpret various phenomena in Japanese history, religion, culture, and society
• be well-read in basic scholarly literature and research relevant sources and information required for further growth within the field
• apply fundamental methods of academic work, state thoughts and arguments clearly and precisely, and observe the formal norms of a scholarly text

A graduate of this study programme has basic philological knowledge and skills, having mastered contemporary standard Japanese language in its spoken and written form, at least at the N3 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Graduates are capable of a respectable presentation in both oral and written forms and are knowledgeable in various fields concerning Japanese studies, mainly in Japanese history, culture, society, and politics.

In addition to the option of working directly within the field of study (translations, language services, editing work), graduates of this study programme can apply for employment in a number of areas that demand fine skills in self-reliant and critical thinking and the ability to express oneself competently in Japanese as well as one’s mother tongue (tourism, international business, cultural sphere, journalism, media, etc.). Graduates can also further pursue their studies in graduate schools within the field or in any related study area in the Czech Republic or abroad.

The study programme is available as a major and as a minor. The standard duration of studies is six semesters. However, it is important to mention that outbound students opting for a study year at one of the partner universities in Japan often prolong their study period by another academic year. For admittance to the final state examination, students must obtain a minimum of 180 credits for type A/required, type B/selective, and type C/elective courses. Students are required to enrol in some of the general courses within the period of their study at the Faculty of Arts.

As a Japanese Language and Culture major, students aiming for the final state examination are required to reach a minimum of 180 credits within the entire period of their study. Out of these 180 credits, 153 credits are for type A/required courses. Scheduling and registration of type B/selective courses are arbitrary and must reach a minimum of 40 credits. With the exception of mandatory language courses, each student is responsible for their own organization of their respective subjects and courses of study based on individual preference and interest.

As a Japanese Language and Culture minor, students are required to reach a minimum of 90 credits in the entire study period before applying for the final state examination. Of the 90 credits, 83 credits are for type A/required courses, which consist of basic language courses as well as theoretical courses on Japanese history, literature, and society. Other language courses or theoretical culture courses are registered additionally as type B/selective or type C/elective courses.

During the course of their studies, students should follow the study catalogue valid for their year of matriculation. The study catalogues for the individual years of matriculation are available at the Faculty of Arts website.

Practical training in companies or organizations has not been designated an obligatory part of the study curriculum.

The final state examination in Japanese Language and Culture has a written and an oral form.

The written part of the exam verifies a general mastery of the Japanese language and consists of three parts: 1) the translation of a short text from Japanese to Czech (or Slovak); 2) the translation of a short text from Czech to Japanese; and 3) a written short essay in Japanese on one of the selected topics. The oral exam takes place before a committee of a minimum of three members, and consists of 1) a conversation in the Japanese language; 2) the defence of the Bachelor’s thesis in the Czech or Slovak language; and 3) the presentation of academic knowledge in Japanese Language and Culture.

Graduates can (after completing the necessary requirements) proceed to further study at the Master’s level in Japanese or a related subject (general philology, Japanese studies, international relations, history, religious studies, art history, geopolitics, or Asian sociology, etc.). Combination with another study area substantially enhances the possibilities for future employment.