MA in Jpanese Studies: Non-Thesis Track

(Please note: In consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, the student elects either the thesis track or the non-thesis track for his or her course of study. All plans for fulfilling the following requirements are subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. All requirements may be fulfilled in one to three years of study, depending on the student’s fluency in the Japanese language. The non-thesis track requires additional core courses and research/writing courses in lieu of the thesis.)

Students must achieve a minimum grade of B in Third-Year Japanese, or placement into Fourth-Year Japanese. Students are encouraged to continue language study beyond the minimum requirement. Language credits needed to complete this third-year competency requirement cannot count toward the 24 credit hour requirement, however up to 8 credit hours of Japanese language at 4th-year level or above may be counted toward the 24 credit hour requirement.

Students must complete 24 credit hours at 5.0 or B grade point average, in addition to any credit hours that are needed to satisfy the language requirement. The 24 credit hours must include courses which meet the minimum Core Courses, Distribution, and Research/Writing Requirements. Additional language courses (see option that follows), courses focused on other Asian countries, or comparative courses with a Japan component may make up the remainder of the 24 hours. (Up to 8 credit hours of Japanese language at 4th-year level or above may be counted toward the 24 Credit Hours Requirement).

Students must complete 6 core courses totaling 18 credit hours. Please note: Core courses form the substance of the non-thesis track. To qualify as a core course, 1) the course’s primary focus must be on Japan, and 2) the course must be one approved by Rackham for graduate credit. Core courses must be selected to meet both the Distribution Requirement (see below) and the Research/Writing Requirement (see below). (Option: With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, up to 2 core courses may be replaced by cognate courses [courses that are primarily theoretical and/or methodological but relevant to Japanese Studies and to the student’s particular program]. However, a cognate course may not be used to fulfill a Research/Writing Requirement.)

Core courses must cover 3 disciplines. A list of appropriate disciplines is given below:
Anthropology
Buddhist Studies
Business/Engineering
Economics
History
History of Art
Japanese Literature
Law
Music
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology

Students must complete 4 core courses with a substantial research and writing component. Independent Study courses and cognate courses may not be used to fulfill the Research/Writing Requirement. Please note: undergraduate courses at the 400 level may be used to meet this requirement with prior approval of the instructor and the MA Program Advisor if and only if the student is required to complete additional research and writing tasks.

Students may pursue topics not offered by regular courses through independent study under the supervision of a CJS faculty member. Up to 4 credit hours of independent study, which need not be taken in a single term, may be counted toward the degree. Students may register for an independent study through the faculty sponsor’s department or by registering for Asian Studies 499.

All students in Rackham Graduate School programs must follow general academic requirements and procedures. The most up-to-date edition of Rackham Student Handbook is available online at: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/StudentInfo/Publications/GSH/

This link summarizes and highlights those requirements pertaining to the MA Program in Japanese Studies: General Academic Requirements and Procedures

UM has diverse opportunities for funding graduate education. CJS students are eligible to compete or be nominated for Rackham Graduate School and International Institute funds as well as CJS fellowships. Our MA students have found work as teaching and research assistants, and graders in a variety of departments throughout the university. In addition, CJS itself has a limited number of employment opportunities. UM’s Office of Financial Aid provides financial assistance to qualified applicants in the form of work-study awards and federal loans, and will coordinate other financial resource offerings to form a comprehensive package. Students in joint-degree programs should consult the appropriate professional school for additional financial support information. Please see Funding for UM students for applications for CJS funding.

Graduates of the MA Programs in Japanese Studies find positions in a wide variety of fields and organizations. In the last 50 years our alumni/ae have made careers as scholars, language teachers, lawyers, business analysts and executives, entrepreneurs, translators, interpreters, international bankers, engineers, writers, researchers, journalists, and artists, to name just a few. UM’s Office of Career Planning and Placement offers many services to prepare students for a successful job search, and helps students find positions. A roster of recent MA graduates have found jobs at NHK (Japan’s national television network), in the U.S. Department of State, at Mitsubishi Electric, in the investment firm of Morgan Stanley, and in the Japanese educational system; others have gone on to pursue Ph.D.s in sociology, history, and literature.