Japanese Minor

The minor in Japanese Language offers students a powerful framework to engage deeply with Japanese culture, society, and global business. Because the curriculum assumes completion of intermediate-level prerequisites, you will begin your minor coursework at an advanced level. This flexible program allows you to pair rigorous language study with interdisciplinary courses exploring Japanese and broader East Asian cultures. Ultimately, the minor equips graduates with the high-level linguistic fluency and cross-cultural acumen necessary for both personal enrichment and international career advancement.

⚑ Minor Self-Service Portal

You do not need an advising appointment to declare or manage this minor. Use the quick links below to handle your requests online:

⚠️ Critical Deadline

You must submit your online minor declaration prior to the first day of classes of your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For Summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. Late declarations will not be accepted by the college.

Prerequisite Coursework

Before advancing into upper-division coursework, students must complete or demonstrate equivalence for the completion of the intermediate level:

  • Required Course: JAPAN 10B (Intermediate Japanese)
  • Grading Options: May be taken for a letter grade (C or higher) or as Passed/Not Passed (P).
  • Transfer Credit: This course may be taken at another college or university. If the course is not automatically articulated on Assist.org, you can submit an online substitution request for departmental review.
  • Placing Out: To ensure you get a spot in our courses, please enroll immediately in the class that you think best fits your skill level. Final placement will be verified when you complete the placement exam at the beginning of the semester. For schedules and instructions, visit the Japanese Language Program Placement Page.

Minor Requirements

To complete the minor, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 within the minor coursework and complete five letter-graded courses (minimum of 20 units) consisting of:

1. Japanese Advanced Core Courses (3 Courses)

  • Take three upper-division JAPAN courses.
  • Special Allowance: You may use JAPAN 7A (Introduction to Pre-modern Japanese Literature and Culture) or JAPAN 7B (Introduction to Modern Japanese Literature and Culture) to satisfy one of these three course requirements, even though they are lower-division courses.

2. Departmental Electives (2 Courses)

  • Take two upper-division elective courses offered by the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures (EALC).
  • Eligible electives include any upper-division courses with the following prefixes: CHINESE, EALANG, JAPAN, KOREAN, MONGOLN, or TIBETAN.

Important Minor Policies

  • Letter Grades Only: All five courses used to satisfy the minor requirements must be taken for a letter grade. (Only the prerequisite JAPAN10B allows P/NP).
  • Major Overlap Rule: Only one required course may be used to simultaneously satisfy both your major and minor requirements.
  • Outside Coursework & Study Abroad: You may count one related course taken in another UC Berkeley department or through an approved study abroad program toward your Japanese minor, subject to departmental approval. You must submit an Online Course Substitution / Outside Coursework Request before this course can apply to your minor tracking.

Stay Connected!

Sign up for the EALC Undergraduate Email List to receive announcements about upcoming department events, special guest lectures, and student opportunities.

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