MSc in Japanese Studies

MSc in Japanese Studies

The Oxford School of Global and Area Studies and the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies are pleased to announce their partnership in providing a programme in Japanese Studies.

The MSc in Japanese Studies is a twelve month masters programme that provides students with a combination of courses about Japan, mainly the social sciences, an intensive language programme and a research methods course. It culminates with a 12,000 word dissertation submitted by 1st September.

Native speakers of Japanese or those with native speaker competence are also encouraged to apply for a place on the programme.

It is taught by full time members of the Nissan Institute and the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and all the courses are designed for masters level students.

The components of the course are:

  • Research Methods for Area Studies
  • Dissertation about Japan (12,000 words)
  • Either three courses about Japan chosen from the options listed below (for Japanese native speakers)
  • Or two courses about Japan chosen from the options listed below, and a Japanese Language course.

Please note that not all options may be offered every year.

The optional courses are:

  • Classical Japanese Language - (There are Prerequisites for studying this course)  - Dr Jennifer Guest
  • Media, Journalism and Democracy in Japan - Dr Yosuke Buchmeier
  • Economy and Business of Japan - TBC
  • Japanese Anthropology - Professor Roger Goodman
  • Japanese Linguistics (The History and Structure of Japanese) (There are Prerequisites for studying this course) - Professor Bjarke Frellesvig
  • Japanese Politics and International Relations - Dr Kristi Govella
  • Modern Transnational History of Japan - Professor Sho Konishi
  • Queer Japan: Literature, Media, and Culture - Dr Patrick Carland-Echevarria
  • Reading the Supernatural in Japanese Literature - Professor Linda Flores and Dr Jennifer Guest

Transferring from the MSc to the MPhil Programme or from the MPhil to the MSc Programme

MSc and First-year MPhil students considering changing their programme of study to the MPhil or MSc respectively must submit the “Application for Change of Programme of Study” by the end of week 4 of either Michaelmas or Hilary Term.  Students should make their decision to switch programmes in consultation with their supervisor.  Some students will be required to return home in the next holiday period following their application to apply for a new visa for the MPhil.