Japanese in Uni? (1 Viewer)

[Lexicographer]

Right, we know we like Japanese. But do we like it enough to keep doing it?

If I haven't already mentioned it, I'm hoping to get into Med/Arts, with arts being International Studies (Languages). This way I'll get to keep doing Japanese in uni, go to Japan for 6 months AND work it into my career.

Does anyone else have a grand plan for their linguistic skills? Any ideas, aspirations, or (most importantly) et cetera?

 

[Toodulu]

oh you mean unsw?
i think international studies is under the arts faculty but it's not the same as an arts degree. you can only do an international studies combined degree with law. but you can study japanese with an arts degree and go on exchange.

and the languages discipline under international studies require you to study 2 languages. you can just study japanese plus a social science discipline under international studies (asian studies)

 

[Newbie]

YES I WANA DO IT!

 

[Lexicographer]

I loved EXPO

Originally posted by Toodulu
oh you mean unsw?
i think international studies is under the arts faculty but it's not the same as an arts degree. you can only do an international studies combined degree with law.

Not so, according to UNSW! I asked both faculties today, and neither raised any objections to my proposed degree structure. Apparently it fits in very well with the new medicine procedures for next year, because they have been made more flexible. Students are now allowed to completely withdraw from medicine for whole semesters at a time to focus on their arts degrees, and the year overseas will just be tacked on in the middle of my degree.

Therefore, my only real difficulty will be gaining entry.

As for the Languages specialisation, I specifically chose that so I could concurrently pick up German or Russian. So I'm a linguophile.

 

[Newbie]

if i didnt do japanese at school
do i need to do a bridging course or something?

 

[Lexicographer]

Oh, while on the topic, at UNSW the offshore time for language study is one semester [eg BA(Japanese)] but for international studies you spend two semesters overseas. The stream you take isn't important because you have to take a language in all of them.

 

[Toodulu]

Originally posted by Newbie
if i didnt do japanese at school
do i need to do a bridging course or something?

no, i think you go in and start on the level that suits you

 

[still ill]

i want to do asian studies at unsw and keep learning japanese
also want to learn chinese, also want to do fine arts...
maybe some sino-japanese fine arts course eh?

 

[Lexicographer]

For uni languages, they first see if you've done that language before. If not, they put you in a beginners course, so it's like TAFE but more expensive (but there's more in-depth analysis of lingual structure as opposed to TAFE's pure focus on comprehension). If you've done the language before they test you to see how good you are, and that's where you start. For HSC students they just need to know which course you've taken and how well you did.

Taking myself as an example, I'd probably end up in level 6 because I did Japanese extension (and might even pass).

 

[karnevil]

I'm hopin to do Bachelor Business / Bachelor Arts in International Studies @ UTS

only program of its kind, from what i've heard. what i mean is, a more comprehensive focus on culture and societal change within the country, on top of studying the language. Lexicographer, how much of your trip to Japan will you have to pay for ? At UTS all you pay is your accomodation and day-to-day expenses. everything else (including tuition, insurance, airfares etc) are covered by the Uni.

Can't wait !!!!

PS. And as with UNSW, depending on your previous experience, you start at a different level. there are 7 japanese subjects, HSC students start at 4 and go to 7 I think (ppl with no experience start at 1 and go to 4)

The one big point they stressed at the info day with regard to the intl studies program is that your language proficiency is the sole determiner of where you can go in japan and what you can do (ie. someone who's started jap in uni isn't going to go to some tiny countryside village where no foreigners ever go.. they'll probably end up in osaka / tokyo [which are more expensive as well!] I want to go to Yamanashi .. its so picturesque yet it's still a reasonable distance from Tokyo)

 

[Lexicographer]

Haha I want to go to Waseda, cos it's like a big fake Toudai! Amongst other reasons, of course.

At UNSW they pay for airfare, insurance etc. You pay HECS instead of offshore tuition fees (SOOO cheap that way! ) and if you don't get some faculty assistance (ie you're crap) you pay living expenses (food and board). I think that's it, can't remember details.

 

[Newbie]

do you have to find a host family?

 

[Lexicographer]

Nah, usually the host university will help you find some student accomodation. Kinda like the housing service at USyd etc. Then you have to fork over a truck full of money (cause that's how they do it over there) as well as three months rent in advance. Then you play bow-tag and go drinking in Roppongi.

 

[Newbie]

fuck yeah thats the life!

 

[Toodulu]

the cost of living in japan is a fair bit higher than other countries though so hmm yea.

 

[Newbie]

hmm
i reckon having a host family is better, like an exchange program

at least they know their way around and stuff
and you can live off them
and meet their daughter
and meet her friends
and...........

 

[karnevil]

thats another reason why im goin to a smaller town... $$$$

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by Toodulu
the cost of living in japan is a fair bit higher than other countries though so hmm yea.

Yes indeed! In two weeks I spent 50,000 + US$120 in less than a fortnight, it was SO expensive.

 

[Lexicographer]

Newbie, you're, like, a guy, right? I wouldn't know, because I'm more noob than you.

 

[Newbie]

yeah i am

50000 yen.......hmm.....thats like 800 bucks?

i suppose thats ok since you were on holidays?
it wouldnt cost that much if you live there on a day-to-day basis......WITH A BUDGET!