Japanese Major: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Program Type: Undergraduate

Degree Awarded: B.A. in Japanese _{Select the degree to view its requirements and four-year plan.}

Department: World Languages and Literatures

In our Bachelor of Arts in Japanese, students develop language proficiency and critical thinking skills that are indispensable for a variety of career paths: linguistic proficiency to communicate effectively in informal and formal situations in a global environment, cultural awareness and intercultural competence, and appreciation of diversity both in the context of their home culture and globally. Additionally, the Japanese program and the World Languages and Literatures Department offer many international cultural experiences on campus and in the community throughout the school year that immerse students in the Japanese language and culture.

Program Contacts

Dr. Caryn Connelly
Department Chair
connellyc1@nku.edu

Students in the Spotlight

Kassi Bourne

Graduating Year: 2016

Education: International Studies Major and Japanese Minor

Career: Cybersecurity and Intelligence

Kassi now works at Aon Cyber Solutions, formally known as Stroz Friedberg. She is an Intelligence Analyst in the due diligence practice in her firm. Her job is based in corporate intelligence at the global scale. Her job has her tracking down records on subjects with a footprint in a variety of countries. Kassi is the only Japanese speaker in her team and she recently had to learn how to search and read Japanese litigation, as well as how to obtain Japanese corporate filings.

Kassi has plans to continue to learn international intelligence techniques. She has the ability to search in the US and Japan, but she now has the expertise to search in a variety of continents, even subjects based in African countries. She has a current goal of trying to learn Chinese in addition to furthering her Japanese knowledge. She hopes to expand her expertise of Asian intelligence gathering techniques and progress in the intelligence sector.

What they do: Intelligence Analyst at Aon Cyber Solutions

Necessary job skills: Fluent in Japanese, critical thinking, research skills

Career path: After graduating from NKU, Kassi obtained a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University. She specialized in the region of Asia, foreign policy and global negotiation and conflict management.

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Find Your Passions & Build Your Future

Co-curricular Opportunities: We have a very active Japanese Club that plans and organizes events such as the Flower Viewing Party in spring. Japanese exchange students from our partner schools in Japan regularly participate in club activities. The club collaborates with the Japanese School of Greater Cincinnati that is housed on NKU’s campus to promote Japanese cultural events during International Education Week at NKU.
The club also offers leadership opportunities on their executive board. Japanese majors and minors can also join the Phi Sigma Iota international foreign language honor society. Phi Sigma Iota recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the study of foreign language, literature, and culture. PSI offers local and national leadership opportunities, publication opportunities in The Forum, and scholarship funding for study abroad and graduate school. There are approximately 250 chapters of Phi Sigma Iota at institutions of higher learning in the US, Mexico, and France.

Study Abroad: Our Japanese majors and minors benefit from the partnerships that NKU has with Gifu University, Musashi University and Nanzan University in Japan, as well as NKU’s participation in KIIS (Kentucky Institute for International Study), a non-profit faculty-led study abroad consortium of colleges and universities in Kentucky and surrounding states. We also offer funding for study abroad through the Foreign Language Award for International Study (FLAIS). Since it was established in 2005, FLAIS has awarded nearly $40,000 to over 100 language majors and minors to support study abroad experiences. FLAIS is entirely funded by donations from faculty, staff, alumni and community members.
Career Explorations: Students gain practical skills and knowledge in our professions-oriented classes that include Introduction to Translation, Business Japanese, and Japanese for the Professions. We also invite our alumni and working professionals in various careers to speak with current students about job opportunities for language majors.

Keep exploring. Visit the department website.