Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

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Why choose Japanese at PCC?

The Portland Community College Japanese program boasts the second-largest enrollment in Oregon for first and second-year courses. All PCC Japanese courses are taught using an immersion method. The objective of all Japanese courses at PCC is to help you develop communicative proficiency and cultural awareness.

Japanese classes at PCC feature:

• Language immersion with an emphasis on speaking skills.
• Supportive and fun classroom environment.
• Instructors with Masters degrees, native/near-native fluency, and several years of teaching experience.
• Full integration of speaking, grammar, writing, listening, and culture at every level.
• Pair and small group activities during class every day.
• Cost-effective textbooks ¨C which enable you to use for 4 terms (volume 1) & 2 terms (volume 2)
• Japanese tutoring on each campus where Japanese is taught.
• Classrooms with computer podium, large screen, and stereo system for viewing videos, as well as a new language computer lab for student and class use.

Degrees and certificates

PCC offers classes in this program but not a degree. These classes can be used as electives and as part of the following university transfer plans:

What will you learn?

PCC offers a wide range of Japanese courses. At the first-year level, we offer First-Year Japanese as a three-course sequence (JPN 101, 102 and 103), which are all 5-credits each.

The JPN 101 course is offered every term. At the second-year level, we offer Second-year Japanese as a three-course sequence, 5- credit series JPN 201, 202, 203. This series begins each year in the fall. 201 is a very popular course for which an early pre-registration is highly recommended.

In both the First and Second year, we recommended that you engage in extra conversational practice outside of class by attending tutoring, available in-person and on the campuses where Japanese is taught. For more information on Japanese tutoring, visit PCC’s Tutoring website.

We also offer 3-credit courses in Japanese culture (JPN 260A) and Japanese Popular Culture (JPN 262A). These courses are typically offered in spring term. The Japanese Culture courses are conducted in English to allow for in-depth discussion.

Typically there are also opportunities for you to expand your Japanese abilities and earn PCC credit through a PCC Education Abroad program to Japan. These programs take place during summer. For more information, please check out PCC’s Education Abroad website.

What will you do?

Japanese has been designated a language of “critical need” by the U.S. government.

You may find your appreciation of Japanese culture or supports the pursuit of degrees in art, Asian studies, engineering, or international business. Your knowledge will enrich your experience if you study abroad in Japan.? Or you may wish to study Japanese language and culture as it is your heritage.