Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

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Why choose Japanese at PCC?

The Portland Community College Japanese program boasts the second-largest enrollment in Oregon for first and second-year courses. All PCC Japanese courses are taught using an immersion method. The objective of all Japanese courses at PCC is to help you develop communicative proficiency and cultural awareness.

Japanese classes at PCC feature:

• Language immersion with an emphasis on speaking skills.
• Supportive and fun classroom environment.
• Instructors with Masters degrees, native/near-native fluency, and several years of teaching experience.
• Full integration of speaking, grammar, writing, listening, and culture at every level.
• Pair and small group activities during class every day.
• Cost-effective textbooks – which enable you to use for 4 terms (volume 1) & 2 terms (volume 2)
• Free Japanese tutors, active Japan-related student clubs (Anime, board game Go, and Japan are the three most popular clubs on campus.)
• Classrooms with computer podium, large screen, and stereo system for viewing videos, as well as a new language computer lab for student and class use.
• Course web pages and also online activities for extra practice at the free publisher website.

Degrees and certificates

PCC offers classes in this program but not a degree. These classes can be used as electives and as part of the following university transfer plans:

What will you learn?

PCC offers a wide range of Japanese courses. At the first-year level, we offer First-Year Japanese in two formats: as a three-course sequence, 5-credit series, or in the summer as a two-course sequence, 6-credit series. We also offer a preview course of Japanese Conversation JPN 211B so that students can maintain their language skills over the summer months.

The JPN 101 course is offered every term. At the second-year level, we offer Second-year Japanese as a three-course sequence, 5- credit series JPN 201, 202, 203. This series begins each year in the fall. 201 is a very popular course for which an early pre-registration is highly recommended.

In both the First and Second year, we recommended that you engage in extra conversational practice outside of class by attending free tutoring and conversation hour. Tutoring is supported by international students from Japan and free to all students.

The Japanese program’s 200-level specialty courses focus on Japanese culture and film. The Japanese Culture course is conducted in English to allow for in-depth discussion. Although it is not offered every year, Japanese Culture JPN 260, 261, and 262 are film courses that examine both traditional and contemporary Japan social and cultural issues through English-subtitled Japanese language films.

Want to deepen your knowledge? Consider the Asian Studies focus award.

What will you do?

Japanese has been designated a language of “critical need” by the U.S. government.

You may find your appreciation of Japanese culture or supports the pursuit of degrees in art, Asian studies, engineering, or international business. Your knowledge will enrich your experience if you study abroad in Japan.  Or you may wish to study Japanese language and culture as it is your heritage.