"japanese studies" BA available by DL ?

my work is now centered around the Japanese language and culture and the country itself (I work in the tourist industry, in Tokyo).

I thought that I could improve my knowledge and get some kind of certification (if possible BA since I don't have one yet - still studying to get one with UoL, but it will take a couple of more years) at the same time. I am looking for a degree centered around the Japanese language, culture, society, etc available by DL.

I could not find much info on the net. Sheffield university is rather expensive.

any idea ?

thanks,

H.

 

You may have run into difficulty because you've narrowed it down a bit too much. If you broaden your search to "Asian Studies" you'll find that there are several programs from which you can choose:
Central Queensland Uinversity
Murdoch University
University of New England (Australia)
University of Southern Queensland
Good luck,
Jack

 

By "studying to get [a BA] with UoL," do you mean your still"thinking?" I mean, if you're still not enrolled there, are you still weighing your options?

Cheapest and most flexible are likely to be COSC and Excelsior. If you can broaden your search, as Jack usefully suggests, consider Area Studies as at the latter
http://www.excelsior.edu/pdf/cat_la.pdf
Here you can almost self-design a major; you can call it Japanese Studies if you can find and complete a sufficient number of appropriate courses. Or else you can broaden it, call it East Asian Studies by including courses on China, the Phillipines, SE Asia (e.g., DANTES exam on the Vietnam War).

Area studies means integrating courses in the humanities, social sciences, and aesthetics in the required depth and amounts. Thus, language, anthopology, literature, history, art history, economics, sociology, could all be included. (The list is long! Religion, Pili Sci, Philosophy....See Link above.) Interdisciplinary cultural studies, in short.

So I'd inquire. They may even have suggested courses since Excelsior mentions area study of Japan with this nation and culture as a "target" or focus.

The only courses by Ind Study in your area of interest that I know of are offered through either the University of Arizona or ASU. And the University of Washington and Wash State U may have one or two as well, and University of Colorado has Asian art history. NYU's Proficiency Testing in Foreign Languages program
http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2795&highlight=Giancarlo+and+proficiency
[see Giancarlo's comments at bottom of thread and link to NYU site--there are others with comments about it on the board.]

Peterson's Guide to Independent Study should be consulted, and Ohio University's options to take advantage of their many course choices at a distance ought to be explored.

So, the short answer to the question "can I do this?" is "Yes indeed."

--Orson

 

I am registered with UoL (BA French). Passed the first year exams and some of the second year. I am a French native, so that helps

UoL is not flexible at all and one has to study *all* the subjects listed (almost no choice). Very different from US etc. Also, exams are held once a year in May. I will probably need 3-4 more years until I graduate.



I have to look more into some Australian universities (Macquari, New England, Tasmania). Found a good search tool for Australian universities (http://www.dest.gov.au/tenfields/). So far, not so lucky with NZ.

some more research to do ...

thanks,

H.

 

I note from the subject index to my book that there is a non-resident Master's in Japanese language and literature at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.