SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
     DEPARTMENT OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Brief History | Departmental Objectives and Goals | Courses | Faculty | Facility | Academic Activity

Activities of Student | Body Activities of Cultural Exchange | Scholarship | Employment Status | Future Plans

▼ Brief History   Top

* In 1972, the Oriental Language Subdivision in Department of Foreign Language and Culture, the predecessor of this Department, was established.

* In 1975, the Department of Oriental Language was inaugurated as one of the departments in Soochow University; the Night School was established in 1976.

* In 1980, Master’s Program of Japanese Culture, the predecessor of the Department’s Master's Program, was set up.

* In 1981, the title was changed to Department of Japanese Language.

* In 1983, two classes were established.

* In 1984, the title was changed to Department of Japanese Language and Culture in the College of Foreign Language.

* In 1986, two classes were established in the Night School.

* In 1991, Ph.D. Program of Japanese Culture, the predecessor of the Department’s Ph.D. Program was established.

* In 1994, Department of Japanese Language and Culture was combined with Graduate School of Japanese Culture.

* In 1997, the Night School was transformed to the Second Division and the Professionals program.

* In 2000, the Second Division was merged into the Day School. There are 12 classes in the Day School and 4 classes in the Professionals program; there are almost a thousand students in the Under Graduate and 70 students in the Master’s and Ph.D. Programs.

* In 2001, the Master’s Program of the Professionals was established.

　

▼  Departmental Objectives and Goals   Top

※Instructional Objectives：

The Japanese Language and Culture stresses to foster students' abilities in Japanese Language skills, deeper understanding to the Japanese culture and affairs, and also bring up students' international vision, promote the talent for the culture exchange between Taiwan and Japan.

※Instructional goals：

The goal of the program is to cultivate the specialists of Japanese language, literature, and education and to foster the future instructors.
　

　

▼ Courses   Top
1) Undergraduate Programs

The Department offers a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students should complete a minimum of 136 credits, of which include 30 credits of University General Requirements, 76 credits of the Department, and 30 elective credits. The curriculum includes Basic Japanese courses, and specialized courses as Research in Japanese Language, Japanese Literature, Japanese Culture, and the research subjects in current issues of Japan; the curriculum also includes practical courses as Japanese Translation, Japanese Interpretation, Japanese Word Processing, and Operating Internet.

【Required Courses of Soochow University】

Chinese, Foreign Language (either English or German), Chinese History, Constitution of Republic of China, General Education, English language Lab, Physical Education, and Military Training.

【Required Courses of Department】

Japanese Conversation I, II, III, Primary Japanese, Intermediate Japanese, Advanced Japanese, Japanese Grammar I, II, History of Japanese Literature, Japanese Composition I, II, Japanese Audio-Lingual Practice I, II, III, Japanese-Chinese Translation, Applied Japanese Writing, Advanced Reading of Masterworks.

【Elective Courses of Department】

Japanese Pronunciation, Introduction of Japan, Japanese Stories, the Japanese History, Japanese Geography, Current Issues of Japan, Introduction of Japanese Culture, Contemporary Japanese Fiction, Special Topics in Japanese Grammar, Modern Japanese Literature, English Conversation, Special Topics about Japan, Introduction to Linguistics, Chinese-Japanese word processing, Journalistic Japanese, Guidance to Research Method, Classic Japanese Literature, Chinese- Japanese Translation, Business Japanese, Japanese Interpretation, Pedagogy of Japanese, Japanese Conversation IV, Business English, Applied Chinese-Japanese Internet, and the courses complied by the College of Foreign Language. The Department also encourages students of taking double major and the educational courses for preparing their special fields.


2) Master’s Program

The Master’s program requires a minimum of 36 credits of course work, including Japanese Language Study I, II, Modern Chinese Language Study, Japanese Grammar Special Research, Japanese Phonetics, Chinese-Japanese Comparative Language Study, Japanese Literature Study I, II, Modern Japanese Literature Study, Classic Japanese Literature Study, Chinese-Japanese Comparative Literature Study, Japanese Culture Study, and Chinese- Japanese Comparative Culture Study, Japanese Pedagogy, Japanese Computer Instruction, Japanese Curriculum Design, Japanese Curriculum Data Research, Japanese Practice Teaching, Translation Study, Research Method, and a thesis (no credit).


3) Master’s Program for Professionals

The Master’s program requires a thesis (no credit) and 36 credits. Course work includes 16 credits of Required Courses： Japanese Language Study, Japanese Literature Study, Japanese Grammar Special Research, Research Method, Bibliography Instruction; and 20 credits of Elective Courses： Introduction of Linguistics, Japanese Phonetics, Japanese Grammar Special Research, Chinese-Japanese Comparative Language Study, Pedagogy of Japanese, Japanese Practice Teaching, Japanese Curriculum Design, Modern Japanese Literature Study, Classic Japanese Literature Study, Chinese- Japanese Comparative Literature Study, Translation Study, Japanese Culture Study, and Chinese- Japanese Comparative Culture Study.


4) Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program requires a doctoral dissertation (no credit) and following elective courses： Special Lecture of Comparative and Contrastive Analysis, Special Lecture of Japanese Phonetics and Phonology, Special Lecture of Japanese Language History, Special Lecture of Japanese Grammar, Special Lecture of Japanese Language Documents and Studies, Special Lecture of Japanese Literature, Special Lecture of Comparative Literature, Comparative Studies of Taiwanese and Japanese Literatures, Special Lecture of Japanese Culture, Special Lecture of Comparative Culture, and Special Lecture of Language Teaching.

　

▼ Faculty   Top

The faculty of the Department is composed of 23 full time teachers and 60 part time teachers. All faculty members are experienced in their specialties and taking a genuine interest in instructing their students.

Title Name Academic Background Specialized Fields
Visiting Professor 蔡茂豐 Ph.D. in Treatise, National University of Tsukuba Japan
Japanese Language Study, 		Japanese Education
Visiting Professor 田中章夫  Ph.D., National Educational University of Tokyo Japan  
Japanese Language Study
Visiting Professor 湯廷池 Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Texas at Austin USA Linguistics
Professor 林錦川  M.A., Chinese Culture University Japanese Language Study, Gramma
Professor 陳淑娟 Ph.D. in Literature, Soochow University
Japanese 		Curriculum Design, Japanese Teaching Methodology
Professor 頼錦雀 Ph.D. in Literature, Soochow University  Japanese Language Study, Japanese Teaching Methodology
Associate Professor 林文賢 Ph.D. in Culture, Soochow University  Phonetics, Phonology, Japanese Education, Second Language Acquisition
Associate Professor 朱廣興 Ph.D., National University Of Osaka Japan Linguistics, Socio- Linguistics Chinese-Japanese Comparative Language Research
Associate Professor 盧月珠 Ph.D., Kurume University Japan Japanese Language Study
Associate Professor 鄭壹芬 M.A. in Area Study, National University of Tsukuba Japan Japanese Language Study, Japanese Education
Associate Professor 林雪星 M.A. in Area Study, Hiroshima University Japan Japanese Literature, Japanese Education
Assistant Professor 王世和 Ph.D. in Literature, Yasuda Women’s University Japan Japanese Expression Study
Assistant Professor 許夏珮
　		 Ph.D. in Human, University Ochanomizu  Japanese Language Study, Japanese Teaching Method
Assistant Professor 王淑琴 Ph.D. in Literature, National University of Nagoya Japan Japanese Language Study, Japanese Education
Lecturer 陳永基 M.A. in Area Study, National University of Tsukuba Japan Japanese Language Study
Lecturer 黄本元 M.A. in Culture, Soochow University Japanese Language Study
Lecturer 呉美嬅 M.A. in Literature, Waseda University Japan Japanese Language Study
Lecturer 尾久幸子 M.A. in Culture, Soochow University Japanese Literature
Lecturer 城戸康成 M.A. in History, Tunghai University Japanese Language Study
Lecturer 高橋恭子
　		 M.A. in Literature, Soochow University  Japanese Language Study
Lecturer 蘇克保 M.A. in Literature, National University of Osaka Japan Japanese Education, Phonetics
Lecturer
　		 塩入澄
　		  M.A. in Language, National University of Osaka Japan Japanese Language Study

　

▼ Facility   Top
1. Library Holdings

The Department subscribes to equivalently a million NT dollars of Japanese-related books and journals every year; and these books are collected in the Chungchen Library in Soochow University.
In the Department office, there are also more than 5,000 books available for students and teachers. Additionally, the display-library provides various volumes of textbooks, dictionaries, publications, magazines, and treatise in the Building of Graduate School.


2. Instructional Facilities

The Department is equipped with Japanese Educational audiocassettes, videotapes, and CD-ROM index for research on Japanese language study. Also, the telecast via satellite, VHS players, video cameras, overhead projectors, word processors, and NEC PC-9801 utilize the teaching in the classrooms. Through "The Audio-Visual Educational Center” and “Multi-media Center” of the University, the Department also purchases audio-visual teaching materials and other resources regularly.

　

　

▼ Academic Activity   Top

The Department has made considerable achievements in carrying out the following academic activities：

1. The Department faculty and professionals and experts from the fields publish the research treatise within the colloquia “Japanese Language Education Study” which are held three times a semester.

2. The Department invites Japanese scholars to give lectures every year.

3. In behalf of academic exchanges among the instructors of departments of the College of Foreign Language, “the Departmental Forum” is held once a year.

4. The Department regularly publishes two scholarly journals： “Soochow Japanese Educational Journal” and “Soochow Foreign Language Journal”.

5. The students of Graduate School publish mid-term treatise every year.

There are Japanese Language Academies, “Japanese Education Academy in Taiwan” and “Japanese Literature Academy in Taiwan”, give research meetings regularly. The faculties of the Department are actively participating in these Academies.

　

▼ Activities of Student Body   Top

The Student Body of the Department holds various kinds of activities, which help students cultivating the abilities, wisdom, and noble characters for carrying out their campus lives. The teachers of the Department actively support and instruct the student union. The main events and activities of the Student Union as follows：
1. Academic activities

(1) Japanese Speech Contest

(2) Japanese Translation Contest

(3) Japanese Composition Contest

(4) Lectures for advanced education and future careers

(5) Discussion Meetings

2. Athletic Activities

(1) Athletic Meet of the Department of Japanese Language and Culture

(2) Participating in University Cup of Japanese departments in Taiwan.

3. Cultural and Recreational Activities

(1) Welcome Party for Freshmen

(2) A week-long Japanese Festival

(3) Japanese Drama Contest

(4) Japanese Karaoke Contest

　

　

▼ Activities of Cultural Exchange   Top

The Department has two sister-school exchange programs to performing efficient academic Exchanges with Takushoku University and Meikai University. In addition, the Universities of Takushoku, Takachiho, and Meikai have entrusted our Department with Chinese Education, and Japanese Educational Training.

In the exchange programs, Meikai University provides a short-term study; and Takushoku University provides Summer Course for students from our Department. On the other hand, our Department gives long-term Chinese Course for the students from Takushoku University; Summer Course for Takachiho University; and Japanese Educational Training programs for Meikai University. Moreover, the students with their instructors from Universities of Gakushuin, Meijigakuin, Likkyo, Bunkajoshi are visiting our Department every year. And according to the custom, the students of our Department host and help the visitors from abroad.

　

▼ Scholarship    Top

1. Undergraduate

(1) Tuition Waiver

Tuition waivers are awarded to the students, who enter the Department as their first choice with scours on top three on the Joint College Entrance Exam (JCEE), in the first semester of the college year. Waivers are restricted to the payment of tuition charges only. The students who have a grade point average at least 80 in the first semester are tuition free in the following semester. For the student gains the highest score through Recommendation Exam, has the equivalent condition as above.

(2) Scholarship

There is scholarship for the top scour student every class per semester. Awards to undergraduate： $10,000NT, and to Professional students： $5,000NT.

(3) Part-Time Employment for Students
The Department provides a part-time general office work for 4 students every semester. The hourly pay is $100NT.


2. Graduate School

(1) Tuition Waiver

The students whose average grade is over 85 points in general courses, the tuition will be waived in the next semester.

(2) A Subsidy from Ministry of Education

Subsidy will be according to the provision of the Ministry of Education.

　

　

▼ Employment Status   Top

Majoring in Japanese language, the students of our Department develop the abilities in speaking, reading, listening, writing, and translating Japanese language. Through the special programs provided in minor, double major, and Educational programs of the University, graduates of the Department have been successful in many fields. Some of the main employments are as below：

1.Government Organization： The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Government Information Office, Academia Sinica, etc.

2.Academia： Japanese Instructors in the colleges, high schools, language institutes, etc.

3.Publishing Field： Planning, editing, translating, etc.

4. Business： Planning, editing, translation, sales in the trading corporations, information industry, etc.

5.Tourism

　

　

▼ Future Plans   Top

1. Short Term Plans

(1) To enrich the leadership of the Department by actively recruiting excellent educators.

(2) To promote the ethos in pursuing study and research in education.

2. Middle Term Plans

(1) To strive on making Japanese Education permeate into the general public society.

(2) To support the Japanese Language Teaching in high schools.

3. Long Term Plans

(1) To offer the environment for lifelong education of Japanese language.

(2) To cultivate persons talented in the cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan.