page last updated Spring 2024
The Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) does not confer degrees directly. Our mission is to provide administrative support for Japan-related programs within the instructional system of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM).
Those wishing to pursue Japan-related studies would at UHM would do so within one of the University’s regular departments or programs. While there is no academic degree in “Japanese Studies,” some two dozen disciplinary fields confer bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees with a complete or partial Japan-related component in the curricula, theses, and dissertations.
The following list is not exhaustive but highlights the most common fields and degrees of study. Please click on the links for more information on respective department and program.
- Art History (concentration: Japan)
- Graduate program: M.A.
- Asian Studies (concentration: Japan)
- Undergraduate program: B.A., minor
- Graduate program: M.A.
- East Asian Languages & Literature
- Undergraduate Japanese program (language and literature): B.A., minor, certificate
- Graduate programs: Japanese language and linguistics (M.A., Ph.D), Japanese literature (M.A., Ph.D)
- History (concentration: Asia/Pacific-focus)
- Undergraduate program: B.A., minor
- Graduate program: M.A., Ph.D
- Second Language Studies (concentration: Japan):
- Graduate program: M.A., Ph.D.
Of particular interest to many students interested in Japan is the Asian Studies Program, which offers a multidisciplinary curriculum, and the Japanese language and literature curricula in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures.
There are also Japan-related courses available through other disciplines at UHM, but these programs do not offer a concentration in Japan. Some of these departments include:
- Anthropology
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Religion
- Sociology
- Theatre