The University offers Japanese language courses as part of the Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP). It was established to provide foreign-language tuition for members of the University (staff and students) in all disciplines who wish to improve their language skills for academic or other purposes. Within the current University modular system courses are available as credit and non-credit modules, and students from every year can take this module, subject to timetabling. Each course counts as a 20-credit module (1/6 of the total number of credits to be taken each year). The Japanese language is taught at beginners' levels (Level 1 to Level 3 in 2007-2008) and each course has 4 contact hours weekly in the Autumn and Spring Terms, and revision classes in the Summer Term.
The aim of the programme is to develop the ability to communicate effectively in the target language, with particular emphasis on practical language skills, so class work involves active use of the language.
Assessment is by continuous assessment of written and oral/listening comprehension work, with an oral exam at the end of the Spring Term and an official written examination in the May/June examination period. For more information, visit the IWLP web site: www.rdg.ac.uk/IWLP .

Japanese is also offered as a minor component of degree courses such as International Management with Japanese, Linguistics with Japanese and Philosophy with Japanese until July 2008.

All the students on a Japanese minor programme spend one or two semesters in Japan, studying the Japanese language and Japan-related subjects at either Hosei University or Sophia (Jochi) University. The students on the Institution-Wide Language Programme may also have an opportunity to study in Japan, subject to the approval of their home Department. Any interested student should contact Akiko Furukawa ( a.furukawa@reading.ac.uk ) or Heather MacKeever of the International and Study Abroad Office ( h.mckeever@reading.ac.uk ).

Postgraduate students can take the Institution-Wide Language Programme (see above). Japan-related subjects may be studied in subject areas such as Film, Theatre & Television and Applied Linguistics.