The Department of Japanese Studies offers three courses of study for undergraduates:

The Major in Japanese Studies combines intensive training in Japanese language with a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives into Japanese history, literature, society, and culture. Students follow a core language pathway for three years, developing a high level of proficiency in Japanese while simultaneously enriching their understanding of Japan through a diverse selection of elective courses taught in Japanese and English.

The Minor in Japanese Language follows the first three years of the core Japanese language pathway, presenting an attractive option for students wishing to learn Japanese to complement other courses of study.

The Minor in Japanese Culture is taught entirely in English. It allows students to explore Japanese society and culture through a rich variety of academic perspectives, without requiring study of the Japanese language.

For details, please consult the Japanese Studies Handbook (2023–24) as well as the Programme Learning Outcomes for the Major in Japanese Studies and the Minor in Japanese Culture.

Note: Students who joined HKU in 2020 or earlier wishing to complete the Major in Japanese Studies are required to choose between the Japanese Language Stream and Japan Studies Stream. However, we encourage these students to contact the Director of Japanese Studies if they would like approval to count courses from outside their chosen stream towards the requirements for the Major.