Evening language classes

The University is running in-person Japanese language courses on campus, open to anyone aged 18 and over. There are two courses available, one for beginners and the other for those who have previous basic knowledge of the language.

The courses will run for 20 weeks during term time only, starting 9 October 2024:                                              Fees per year

• Students:  £162
• Staff, Alumni, Campus Partners: £182
• General Public:  £202

Japanese 1, Wednesdays 4-6pm

Japanese 1 is designed for beginners with little or no knowledge of the language. The course covers a variety of everyday situations such as:

• Introducing yourself and others
• Telling the time
• Shopping

Classwork will emphasise listening, speaking, and practice of sentence structure. Self-study will consist of reviewing work done in class and practicing language skills, as advised by the tutor. Writing and reading Japanese letters (Kana) are also part of self-study, using the handouts provided and with the tutor’s support.

Japanese 2, Wednesdays 2-3.30pm

Japanese 2 is for learners who have previous basic knowledge of the language, such as verbs (masu form) and their conjugation with appropriate particles and adjective conjugation and how they modify nouns. Learners are expected to have had approximately 80 hours of previous study, 40 hours of contact time, and 40 hours of personal study.

Knowledge of Hiragana (reading and writing) is required, and knowledge of Katakana is desirable. Learners are expected to have covered ‘Japanese for Busy People I’ Level 1-14, or equivalent. The course will introduce new grammatical structures and focuses on how to express topics relevant to daily life, such as:

• Giving and receiving
• Inviting someone to do something together
• Making suggestions and offers
• Talking about one’s possessions, habitual action, ongoing action, and states
• Giving and asking for permissions and prohibitions
• Talking about one’s skills, preferences, symptoms etc

The course also introduces cultural aspects to understand the background of the language and people. For more information, get in touch. 

Terms and conditions

• There are no classes during the University’s winter examination period, Easter vacation, or on Bank Holidays.
• A £20 cancellation fee will be applied before courses start.
• Please note that fees cannot be refunded once courses have started.