Japanese

About you 

You are someone with an interest in Japanese culture or non-European perspectives, or you are interested in picking up a language different to the ones you may be familiar with. Maybe you want to learn Japanese as a gateway to other Asian languages and cultures. Perhaps you want to continue with Japanese because you liked in school, or you may want to pick it up as a beginner because you like the idea of standing out in the job market. Perhaps you want to benefit from the excellent job prospects that knowledge of Japanese language and culture can give you in Ireland, Japan and beyond. 

Learning languages has been proved to improve language and cultural awareness, problem solving skills, collaborative skills, critical thinking, digital skills, memory and concentration, empathy and open-mindedness, among many other benefits. Learning Japanese can be the gateway to developing these skills and helping you become a more adaptable, global citizen while gaining access to a linguistically distant system, a complex writing structure, and a new way of communicating across cultures. 

Why study Japanese? 

• Japan and Ireland share many similarities. They are both island nations with strong literary, musical and sports traditions. They are both export-oriented economies and have similar communication styles. 
• Ireland is the country in the European Union with the highest number of students learning Japanese per capita. 
• Japan is the fourth largest economy in the world, and major names in a variety of sectors such as Mitsubishi, Canon and Toyota have infiltrated the Irish market.  
• Ireland is attractive to Japanese companies as it is the main English-speaking country in the European Union. 
• Japan has 122 companies located in Ireland, and there are 300 Irish companies doing business in Japan.  
• Japan is the first source of foreign direct investment in Ireland from the Asia Pacific region. 
• Japan invests regionally in locations such as Limerick, Clare and Kerry. 
• Japanese grammar rules are regular, and its phonetic system is very simple. 

Why study Japanese in UL? 

The University of Limerick has the second longest tradition of teaching Japanese in Ireland, with Japanese being on offer since 1990. We have an excellent track record of helping students acquire high-level language skills, and a sound knowledge of Japanese culture and society. All Japanese language modules are mostly taught through Japanese, using up-to-date teaching methods and resources and the latest educational technologies. We also offer culture and literature modules, both through Japanese and English. Our class sizes are small, with plenty of opportunities for collaboration, active learning and individual support. 

Outside of the classroom, we offer support to help you navigate your Japanese language learning journey. In addition to the one-to-one and group discussions offered by the Language Learning Hub, the Japanese Section hosts a Lunchtime Games Club 3-4 times per semester. These sessions serve to play and chat in Japanese with speakers from Japan. We also offer a Language Buddy Programme to partner you with a Japanese speaker so you can make friends through the target language. 

UL is the only higher education institution in Ireland to be a member of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to this partnership, we offer a mentorship scheme for fourth-year students to help navigate the transition between university and the job market. 

You can find up-to-date information in our social media.