Japanese Course
Department of Japanese
We provide information on learning courses and class organization to step-by-step improve your Japanese language skills while looking ahead to academic advancement, employment, and future career design. At Shurin, we design learning according to each individual’s current ability and goals, and provide careful support for pathways after graduation, including further education, employment, or returning to your home country.
Course Information
Academic Advancement Course
General Japanese Course
April Enrollment (1 year) / July Enrollment (1 year 9 months) / October Enrollment (1 year 6 months)
Students study in classes tailored to their individual levels.
The Academic Advancement Course offers EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission) preparation classes.
Employment & Academic Advancement Course
April Enrollment (1 year – Shurin College of Digital & Languages, Dept. of Japanese)
This course starts from the intermediate level for those who wish to find employment in Japan.
Students also learn about manners and conversation in Japanese business scenes.
Special Advanced Course
April Enrollment
Targeted at second-year students of Japanese language schools who are considering further education in Japan, building their skills while receiving career counseling.
Pathways After Graduation
- Return Home: For those who return to their home country to find a job or continue education using the Japanese they learned.
- Further Education: For those who wish to go to Japanese universities, graduate schools, or vocational colleges. (If the destination is not decided by the graduation year, the student returns home.)
- Employment: For intermediate-level students who want to work in Japan. (Job hunting in the graduation year is only possible for those who have a university degree or higher from their home country.)
Class Organization at Shurin
At Shurin, we consider the course setting before admission to be tentative.
Living in Japan is a first-time experience for international students. Students who cannot speak Japanese well, which is a communication tool, will go through various experiences.
To match your Japanese level and speed of understanding, Shurin opens many classes and reorganizes them four times a year.
Regarding future goals, considering life in Japan and the degree of Japanese learning achievement, we conduct regular interviews several times a year, as well as individual interviews upon request at any time to adjust career paths.
Levels, Content, and Goals
Beginner
| Content | Systematically and carefully learn basic Japanese sentence patterns one by one. Classes are basically conducted using the direct method (in Japanese) without using a bridge language. Classes focus on oral practice, and by being conscious of the situations where basic sentence patterns are used, students practice repeatedly to use them in real situations. Students learn about 200 Kanji in the first half and about 500 Kanji in the second half of the beginner level. |
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| Goals | Be able to solve tasks using learned sentence patterns in specific situations (stations, workplaces, supermarkets, etc.). Be able to grasp the minimum necessary information from audio or written characters in specific situations. In the latter half of the beginner level, be able to have short social conversations using polite language and Keigo (honorifics). |
| Target Level JLPT |
First half: N5 Second half: N4 |
Pre-Intermediate
| Content | Review sentence patterns and vocabulary learned at the beginner stage and practice until they can be used reliably. Start learning N3 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. Ensure reading, writing, and meaning understanding of Kanji learned at the beginner stage, and start learning N3 level Kanji. Start practicing reading relatively short texts including Kanji without Furigana and sentence patterns/vocabulary not learned at the beginner stage. Practice combining several sentence patterns learned at the beginner stage to make slightly longer, cohesive utterances. |
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| Goals | Be able to explain daily life and personal matters simply using learned sentence patterns and vocabulary. Be able to continue a short conversation with Japanese native speakers about familiar topics. Be able to obtain necessary information from short texts about familiar or interesting topics. Be able to hear necessary information from audio expressions regarding familiar topics. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N4 |
Intermediate I
| Content | Learn all N3 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. Start learning N2 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. Learn vocabulary in various fields through reading classes. Learn grammar and sentence patterns necessary for understanding N3 level and above texts through reading classes. In conversation classes, set various functions and situations and improve conversation skills through role-playing. Learn conversation expressions and vocabulary necessary for functions and situations practiced in conversation classes. Repeat practice to solve N3 and N2 level listening comprehension problems. Practice writing compositions on familiar and specific themes. |
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| Goals | Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji reaches a level capable of passing JLPT N3. Be able to solve tasks using Japanese in a wider range of situations than at the beginner stage, though still familiar and specific. For familiar and specific topics, be able to start, continue, and end a conversation on your own. Be able to write sentences of a certain length that are understandable to Japanese native speakers. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N3 |
Intermediate II
| Content | Learn all N2 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. In reading classes, continue to increase vocabulary in various fields and learn grammar and sentence patterns necessary for understanding texts. In conversation classes, practice using linguistic expressions that perform higher functions, from fulfilling familiar and specific requests to more abstract and complex situational explanations and expressions of opinion. |
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| Goals | Repeat practice to solve N2 level listening comprehension problems. Practice writing compositions on social themes rather than just familiar and specific themes. Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji reaches a level capable of passing JLPT N2. Be able to obtain necessary information from relatively short and simple texts for adults to some extent. Be able to perform linguistic activities such as explaining slightly complex situations, complaining while considering human relationships, proposing/consulting, and expressing opinions/counterarguments, albeit insufficiently. If the speaking pace is relatively slow, be able to understand the main points from radio or TV broadcasts even on social topics. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N2 |
Upper-Intermediate
| Content | Start learning N1 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. In reading classes, take up documents on current, cultural, and social themes, and learn the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns necessary for understanding them. In conversation classes, conduct task-oriented role-playing learning. Mobilize current linguistic abilities and knowledge to tackle tasks, and learn by being conscious of missing abilities and knowledge. Conduct problem exercises to solve N1 level listening comprehension problems. Take measures for the EJU descriptive writing. Since some students wish to proceed to graduate school, learn expressions necessary for creating research plans. |
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| Goals | Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji reaches a level capable of passing JLPT N2 (stabilized). Be able to fully understand relatively short and simple texts for adults using a dictionary. Be able to naturally interact with Japanese people in most situations of daily life. Be able to state your opinion and give detailed explanations on various topics. If the topic is familiar, be able to hear and understand even if the story is complex. Be able to hear important points from regular news programs. Be able to write logical sentences. Be able to write your opinion along with reasons for support or opposition. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N2 |
Advanced I～II
| Content | Learn N1 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. Continue taking up documents on current, cultural, and social themes in reading classes to learn necessary vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns. Also read essays and literary works (prose). Practice making cohesive long speeches. For that purpose, practice while paying attention to whether the content is appropriate for the topic, whether vocabulary suitable for the topic is used, whether it has politeness suitable for the listener, and whether the composition is thought out for cohesion. Emphasize attitudes of mutually recognizing different ways of thinking and feeling. Since there are students wishing to enter universities/graduate schools, learn how to write short essays and expressions suitable for them. Use news produced as teaching material to gain listening comprehension by getting used to its vocabulary, composition, and speed. |
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| Goals | Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji reaches a level capable of passing JLPT N1. Be able to understand articles and essays on contemporary issues and relatively easy contemporary literature for adults using a dictionary. Be able to make cohesive long speeches on various scenes and themes while showing appropriate consideration for the listener. Be able to write short essays with proper format and expressions. Be able to partially hear detailed contents of radio news. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N1 |
Advanced III～IV
| Content | Learn all N1 level grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji. Conduct reading classes using documents on various themes (cultural, current, social, historical, scientific) and various types of writing (theses, reports, manuals, articles, essays, prose) as teaching materials. Continue practicing to make even longer cohesive speeches. Aim to level up by making themes and content more social, current, cultural, and specialized. Practice creating short essays with higher difficulty or high professionalism. Practice listening to long narratives with complex flows of discussion, such as interviews, presentations, speeches, and lectures, while taking notes and grasping the main points. |
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| Goals | Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji reaches a level capable of passing JLPT N1 with a high score. Be able to understand articles, essays, reviews on contemporary issues, contemporary literature, and various paperback non-fiction texts using a dictionary. Be able to make long, cohesive speeches suitable for an adult regardless of the theme. Be able to write short essays that are not only well-formatted but also substantial in content. Be able to understand long interviews, presentations, speeches, university lectures, etc. |
| Target Level JLPT |
N1 |
Textbooks (Reference)
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
