How to choose your level of Japanese

Native Speakers

1. If you are a native Japanese speaker from Japan, you cannot take any Japanese courses.
2. If your parent(s) are a native Japanese speaker(s), please contact your instructor.

Studied Japanese Before

1. If you have taken INTS 121 before, register INTS 122 or the next higher level. (For consulting, contact your instructor.)
2. If you have studied Japanese at a University in North America, check if you have received transfer credits with that course and take the next higher level with instructor’s permission.
3. If you have studied Japanese in high school:
   • Japanese 9 or 10, register INTS 121 with instructor’s permission.
   • Japanese 11 or 12, register INTS 122 with instructor’s permission.
4. If you have studied Japanese by yourself or a Japanese language school, please contact your instructor.

To contact your instructor, send an email to ami.hagiwara@unbc.ca.

Course Information

INTS 121: Beginning Japanese I
An introductory Japanese language course for beginners that focuses on the elementary fundamentals of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students learn two phonetic alphabets, hiragana and katakana, as well as approximately sixty kanji (Chinese characters). Various aspects of Japanese culture are also introduced. This course is designed for students who have no prior knowledge of the Japanese language. It is not open to native speakers or students who have completed Grade 10 Japanese or equivalent courses.

INTS 122: Beginning Japanese II
INTS 122 is a continuation of INTS 121. Through topics related to everyday life, students further develop their Japanese language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This course is more grammar intensive than INTS 121; and strengthen the foundation of Japanese grammar. As part of their final grade, each student is required to participate in a group project. Sixty additional kanji are introduced. This course is not open to native speakers.

INTS 221: Intermediate Japanese I
INTS 221 is a continuation of INTS 122. It is designed to enhance a student’s functional skills in the Japanese language. Through materials and activities related to daily life, students learn to express themselves and communicate with others more effectively on familiar topics. As part of the final grade, all students complete an individual project. Sixty additional kanji are introduced. This course is not open to native speakers.

INTS 222: Intermediate Japanese II
INTS 222 is a continuation of INTS 221. Students acquire a deeper understanding of Japanese language and culture. As part of the final grade, all students complete an individual project. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to pass level N5 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (a globally recognized exam that measures Japanese language proficiency). This course is not open to native speakers.

INTS 321: Japanese Conversation and Composition I
INTS 321 is a continuation of INTS 222. Students acquire advanced skills in all four areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and learn to communicate effectively and sensitively in different social contexts. As an upper-division course, students are expected to actively participate in discussions and interactive presentations, and to write in a variety of styles, including academic. Sixty additional kanji are introduced. By the end of the course, students will be able to accurately organize and describe more abstract concepts. This course is not open to native speakers.

INTS 322: Japanese Conversation and Composition II
INTS 322 is a continuation of INTS 321. It is designed to further develop and reinforce the practical use of the Japanese language in different social contexts. This course facilitates the development of conversational fluency and academic writing skills. Students complete an individual project and learn an additional sixty kanji. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to pass level N4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. This course is not open to native speakers.

Your Instructor

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