Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis)) in Japanese
Dunedin, New Zealand
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis)) in Japanese
The MA by thesis
The thesis option normally requires at least one year of full-time study and entails completion of a thesis. The thesis is a major piece of supervised research of up to 40,000 words on a topic of current interest.
The primary aim of the MA by thesis Program is to develop in a candidate skills needed to identify a significant topic, design and implement an extended piece of research, and present the findings in a form acceptable to an expert readership.
Why study Japanese?
Japan is one of New Zealand's major trading partners and one of the world's richest and largest markets, therefore your knowledge of Japanese language and culture will be highly valued by many New Zealand or overseas employers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, primary and secondary schools, tourism industries, research institutes, law firms and translation services, and the many New Zealand businesses that trade with Japan, all require university graduates not only proficient in Japanese language but familiar enough with Japanese customs and culture that they are able to interact successfully with Japanese people.
Your study of Japanese language and culture will also be immeasurably enriching to you on a personal level. Whether you're interested in anime cartoons or Zen meditation, in the novels of Haruki Murakami or the films of Hayao Miyazaki, in the high aesthetics of Japanese food or Tokyo fashion, in flower arrangement, rock gardens, martial arts, tea ceremony, or all of the many other fascinating aspects of Japanese culture, this culture has so much to offer. It will enrich you intellectually and spiritually for the rest of your life.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
- The degree can be undertaken as a 240-point Program of study comprising papers and a thesis for students with a bachelor's degree or as a 120-point thesis-only Program for students with appropriate postgraduate level study (see Section 1(c)).
- The degree may be awarded in any of the subjects listed in the MA(Thesis) Schedule. With the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) the degree may be awarded in a subject not listed in the MA(Thesis) Schedule.
- The student's course of study shall be approved by the Dean, Head of School, Program or Department. In the case of the 240-point Program, the Dean, Head of School, Program or Department will confirm that the combination of papers will provide adequate preparation for the thesis component.
- A candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Dean, Head of the School, or Head of Program or Department concerned for the topic, the supervisory team, and the proposed course of the investigation.
- A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.
- A candidate taking the degree by papers and thesis must pass both the papers and the thesis components.
- For a thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.
Subject areas
The degree may be awarded in any of the following subjects:
- Anthropology
- Childhood and Youth Studies* (thesis only)
- Chinese
- Classics
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Development Studies* (thesis only)
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Film and Media Studies
- French
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- German
- History
- Human Services* (thesis only)
- Indigenous Development / He Kura Matanui
- Information Science
- Japanese
- Linguistics
- Māori Studies
- Mathematics
- Music
- Peace and Conflict Studies* (thesis only)
- Philosophy
- Politics* (thesis only)
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Theatre Studies
Program Outcome
Level of Award of the Degree
The degree may be awarded with distinction or with credit.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
There are many opportunities open to students who major in Japanese. While some opt for careers in foreign relations, trade, commerce and tourism, others choose an academic path, such as teaching Japanese at schools in New Zealand or going on to MA and PhD degrees at Otago or elsewhere. A number of our graduates have also spent time in Japan under the Japanese government's JET Program. They work as assistant language teachers at Japanese schools or as coordinators for international relations at local government offices.
Program delivery
Application Details
Applicants must apply online. They should also attach all the necessary supporting documents which includes scanned copies of their previous official academic transcripts (awards gained, marks, grades) with their application, and provide proof of their identity this is usually achieved by providing a certified copy of the personal details page of their passport or a birth certificate (in English). Applicants must also submit detailed research proposal that shows they are familiar with current literature surrounding their topic; an up-to date curriculum vitae; and name of the academic staff member with whom they have been in contact; and with an approximate start date. They may also be required to submit an Educational Credential Evaluators report (ECE). As soon as applicants have completed their online application, their proof of identity document must be posted to International Office, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. International student applications for semester 1/summer school study close: Oct-31; Semester 2 study close: Apr-30.