Japanese

Professional Code: 050207

Duration: 4 years

Program Objectives:

This program aims to cultivate outstanding Japanese language professionals who love their country, uphold the socialist path, and achieve comprehensive development in morality, intellect, physical health, and aesthetics. Graduates will meet the demands of socio-economic development and international exchanges, possess a solid foundation in Japanese and Chinese bilingual knowledge, demonstrate excellent professional application skills and cross-cultural communication abilities, and exhibit strong humanistic literacy and a broad international perspective.

(1) Cultivating a love for the country and adherence to the socialist path as the cornerstone of talent development.

(2) Promoting comprehensive development in morality, intellect, physical health, and aesthetics, and meeting the requirements of socio-economic development and international exchanges.

(3) Emphasizing a solid foundation in Japanese and Chinese bilingual knowledge, outstanding professional application skills, and cross-cultural communication abilities as the core focus of talent development.

Graduation Requirements:

Language Knowledge: Solid foundation in Japanese and Chinese bilingual knowledge, rich knowledge in humanities and social sciences, and outstanding language and writing skills.

Problem Analysis: Ability to analyze and interpret issues in fields such as economy and trade, education, and foreign affairs based on professional knowledge.

Design/Development of Solutions: Ability to set goals and design solutions for professional practice activities based on current conditions.

Application Skills: Proficiency in Japanese language knowledge and skills, applicable to fields such as economy and trade, business, finance, and foreign affairs.

Critical Thinking and Innovation: Ability to rationally understand society and innovatively integrate Japanese language knowledge with various social activities.

Global Awareness: Broad vision, clear awareness, and familiarity with international norms related to the profession in the context of globalization.

Professional Ethics: Well-developed professional qualification, adherence to professional ethics, and fulfillment of corresponding responsibilities in professional practice.

Individual and Teamwork: Ability to work harmoniously in teams and contribute effectively to collaborative efforts.

Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal, teamwork, planning, and organizational abilities.

Lifelong Learning: Enhanced awareness of lifelong learning and continuous self-renewal, coupled with innovative research capabilities.

Cultural Confidence and National Pride: Understanding the strengths of Chinese culture through foreign language learning and cross-cultural comparisons, fostering cultural confidence, inheriting revolutionary traditions, and cultivating a deep sense of national pride to better practice socialist core values.

Program Introduction:

To meet the talent demands of the new era of Sino-Japanese economic cooperation and the trend of internationalization in the 21st century, South China University of Technology officially established the Japanese program in 2003, enrolling undergraduate students that same year. The program later began admitting postgraduate students in Japanese translation in 2015. The Japanese Department boasts a faculty team with strong ideological and political awareness, solid academic expertise, rich teaching experience, and outstanding research capabilities. Faculty members are primarily engaged in teaching and research in fields such as Japanese linguistics, cross-cultural translation studies, Japanese-Chinese comparative studies, and Japanese society, with most having study or collaborative research experience in Japan. The department regularly invites renowned domestic and international scholars for academic exchanges and specialized lectures, fostering a vibrant academic atmosphere. To enhance the quality of talent cultivation, the department not only requires students to solidify their professional foundation but also actively encourages them to pursue double majors or dual degrees. In terms of internationalization, the department actively expands student exchange platforms with Japan, establishing stable partnerships with prestigious institutions such as Kyushu University, Hiroshima University, Kanazawa University, Tokyo Metropolitan University, and Hosei University. Regarding employment data, graduates of the Japanese Department are primarily active in Japanese-funded enterprises, government agencies, research institutes, and other fields.

Program Features:

Integrating traditional Chinese cultural elements essential to Japanese culture into overview courses, emphasizing the Chinese-origin attributes of the mainstream Japanese writing system in foundational intensive reading courses, and clarifying the principles and stances in translating key terms in translation and interpretation courses, thereby achieving effective integration of professional teaching and ideological-political education.

Degree Conferred:

Bachelor of Arts

Core Courses:

Basic Japanese, Advanced Japanese, Japanese Conversation, Japanese Audio-Visual-Oral Practice, Japanese Speech and Debate, Japanese Reading, Basic Japanese Writing, Translation Theory and Practice, Interpretation Theory and Practice, Introduction to Japanese Linguistics, Introduction to Japanese Literature, Overview of Japan, Cross-Cultural Communication, Academic Writing and Research Methods.

Featured Courses:

Freshman Seminar: Language Arts and Cross-Cultural Communication

Frontier Course: Special Topics in Japanese StudiesInnovation 

Practice Course: Japanese Speech and Debate, Translation Theory and Practice (I) (Three Ones Course), Interpretation Theory and Practice (I).Entrepreneurship 

Education Course: Translation Theory and Practice (II) (Three Ones Course), Interpretation Theory and Practice (II).

Labor Education Course: Professional Internship

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities consist of two components: humanistic quality education and innovation capability development.

1.Basic Requirements for Humanistic Quality Education

While fulfilling the credit requirements specified in the professional teaching plan, students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular humanistic quality education activities based on their interests. The cumulative credits earned from such activities must total no less than 5 credits. Specifically:

The University Physical Education Teaching Team offers extracurricular physical education courses, which are compulsory for senior undergraduate students. These courses comprise 72 class hours and 1 credit, counted toward the humanistic quality education credits of the extracurricular activities component.

Mental Health Education for University Students, worth 2 credits, is offered in a virtual third semester and is also included in the humanistic quality education credits of the extracurricular activities component.

2.Basic Requirements for Innovation Capability Development

In addition to meeting the credit requirements of the professional teaching plan, students must also participate in national or provincial innovation and entrepreneurship training programs, the Student Research Program (SRP), the Hundred-Step Ladder Climbing Plan, or engage in various extracurricular innovation capability development activities (such as academic competitions, lectures, etc.) for a specified duration. The cumulative credits earned from such activities must total no less than 4 credits.