2020 Summer M.A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy At Columbia University

Has it been your dream to teach the Japanese language to others?  The Summer M. A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy at Columbia University may be perfect for you!  Columbia University is a world-renowned Ivy League university in the heart of New York City.  The Summer M. A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy is an extremely competitive program, attracting the best students and professors from around the world.  In fact, the M. A. Program is limited to no more than thirty students and accepts only ten to twelve students each year.  Over a typical three-year period, you will be taught by professors from Columbia, Harvard and Princeton, as well as from other top universities in America, Japan, Europe and Australia.  Live in New York, take classes each summer for three years, and you can earn your Masters degree in Japanese Pedagogy.  You will learn about the Japanese language as well as about teaching and acquiring foreign languages, and you will gain a highly marketable Masters degree from one of the world’s best universities.  So apply today for the Summer M. A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy at Columbia University!

Admissions Information (GSAS, Graduate School of Arts and Science)

Please go to: Frequently Asked Questions (UPDATED 11/20/2019)

2020 Details

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) invites applications for the summer M. A. program in Japanese Pedagogy. The 2020 program will begin on Monday, June 1st and last until Friday, July 31st, during which the following courses will be taught:

I. Three-week Pedagogy Course (6/1-6/19):

– Elementary Japanese Pedagogy, Prof. Naomi Fujita Geyer of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Dr. Fumiko Nazikian of Columbia University

II. 3 MA Courses (6/22-7/31):

–       Pedagogical Linguistics I (Syntax), Prof. Weskey Jacobsen of Harvard University

–       Pedagogical Linguistics II (Semantics), Prof. Michio Tsutsui of University of Washington

–       Pedagogical Linguistics III (Phonetics, Phonology, and Morphology), Prof. Manami Hirayama of Seikei University

Tuition is reviewed on a yearly basis; the tuition for 2020 will be finalized in March. Students who have previously taken Elementary Japanese Pedagogy at Columbia University may transfer those three credits and are exempt from attending the first three weeks of class. In addition, non-degree students who wish to attend only the 3-week Japanese Pedagogy course may do so at a reduced rate. On-campus housing is available.

Masters Requirements

Obtaining the M. A. degree in Japanese Pedagogy requires three summers of study, which can be completed either consecutively or over a six-year period. Students must earn a total of 36 credits by completing eleven courses and write an M. A. thesis focusing on a particular area of Japanese Pedagogy. The Japanese Pedagogy Program does not accept credits from other institutions. Students who are not seeking an M. A. degree are also welcome to attend classes.

Required Application Materials

1) Graduate School of Arts and Sciences on-line application

2) Non-refundable application fee

3) Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended

4) Two letters of recommendation

5) Resume

6) One-page handwritten statement of purpose in Japanese on a single sheet of plain paper, outlining the applicant’s reasons for applying to the program and how the program is connected to the applicant’s career objectives. The statement should specify whether the applicant seeks to enroll in the M. A. Program or solely in the Elementary Japanese Pedagogy course. Because of limited space in the M. A. program, some students who are not selected for the M. A. Program may still be given the opportunity to enroll in the Elementary Japanese Pedagogy course. Please mention in your statement of purpose whether you would be willing to take part in the Elementary Japanese Pedagogy course if you are not accepted into the M. A. Program.

7a) Non-native speakers of English must have a TOEFL score of 570 (IBT88/CBT230) or higher. Exceptions: 1) Students applying only for the Elementary Japanese Pedagogy course do not need a TOEFL score.2) Non-native English speakers who hold a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college in the United States do not need a TOEFL score. However, students who have only a two-year degree (such as an MA) from an American university are NOT exempt from submitting a TOEFL score.

7b) Non-native speakers of Japanese must achieve a rating of “Advanced-High” or higher in the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) by ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). Applications must be postmarked by February 20, 2020.

For further information, please contact:

Shigeru Eguchi,

Administrative Director of the 2020 Summer M. A. Program in Japanese Pedagogy

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALAC)

407 Kent Hall, Columbia University

New York, NY 10027.

Email: se53@columbia.edu (in English or Japanese)

Telephone: 212-854-5500

FAX: 212-678-8629

Successful applicants will be notified by the middle of March. We look forward to receiving your application and hope to see you in New York this summer!

Frequently Asked Questions (UPDATED: 11/20/2019)

Japanese Language Program

The Japanese language program at Columbia University has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the best in the United States. Dedicated language faculty and instructors are recognized innovators in classroom pedagogy and the study of the vibrant Japanese language. The program emphasizes both accuracy and creativity in the use of language across six distinct levels of academic-year instruction. Classes are learner-centered and highly interactive, enabling students to master practical language and intercultural communication skills. An annual Japanese festival showcases student progress, creativity, and facility with the language. All students use their developing skills to explore the rich traditions and contemporary culture Japan is noted for, as well as the current events shaping the country in the twenty-first century.

Additionally, the program proudly serves the Japanese-language needs of the Department’s extensive cadre of graduate students in East Asian studies, supporting their efforts to master Japanese for analysis, research, and literary criticism. Finally, the highly competitive Summer MA Program in Japanese Pedagogy exemplifies the program’s devotion to Japanese-language instruction and its commitment to fostering future generations of knowledgeable, capable teachers.