Complete an entire year of Japanese study in only ten weeks. Our Japanese courses teach communication skills with a curriculum that integrates all fours pillars of language: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In addition, our classes will allow you to take a dive into Japanese culture!
Courses (taught online in Summer 2024)
Beginning Japanese I and II - JPN 1011-1012 (10 credits for 10 weeks)
Beginning Japanese for Graduate Research I and II – JPN 4001-4002
Intermediate Japanese I and II - JPN 3021-3022 (10 credits for 10 weeks)
Intermediate Japanese for Graduate Research I and II – JPN 4003-4004
Mondays through Fridays, June 3 - July 5: 9:05 am – 12:20 pm, followed by July 8 - August 9: 9:05 am – 12:05 pm
Textbook Materials
JPN 1011/4001 - 1012/4002: GENKI I Chapters 1-12
JPN 3021/4003 - 3022/4004: GENKI II Chapters 13-23
Extra-Curricular Activities
Take your language practice beyond the classroom by participating in a Japanese conversation exchange. Or venture into town and visit the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival (also called Obon Festival) in Como Park in August!
What Our Students Are Saying
"The summer Japanese program was the perfect start to my language learning. The class schedule and class size helped me dive right into the language with zero prior experience and find success. My professors were supportive enough to overcome all my initial challenges and kept class fun and engaging. I liked that my classmates and I shared a strong drive to learn the language and bonded through the experience. Some of us are still meeting up to study together for JPN 3022. I took the summer course to accelerate my Japanese by an entire year and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. When I entered JPN 3021 in the Fall I felt completely prepared and everything was still fresh in my mind."
- Eric Liffrig, JPN 1011-12, Summer 2019
"The Summer Program was an amazing opportunity that allowed my Japanese to substantially improve. The course is structured well, the professors are great, and I had a lot of laughs. While there was a lot of studying involved, the class was so much fun and I made great friends. Also, the fall semester was a lot easier to get accustomed to due to the fact that we practiced Japanese every day over the summer. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested!"
- Trae Larson, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2019
"Summer courses might seem intimidating at first, but my experience was nothing less than positive. Everyone else in the class was just as committed, and socializing with them during the breaks was one of the highlights of my days. You will have a definite advantage in the fall semester because you won't be struggling to remember material from three months ago --you'll already be in shape to get ahead in learning. If you are serious about learning Japanese, I highly recommend the experience."
- Diane Li, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2019
"The summer semester of Japanese is a great way to keep yourself busy and engaged with Japanese. Though it is intensive, it’s extremely rewarding, and you’ll be able to see yourself making a lot of progress. Most of all, it’s a ton of fun!"
- Jake Walters, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2019
"When first signing up for the University of Minnesota's Summer Japanese Course, I was intimidated by the idea of such rigorous, intense study over the course of a few weeks. In retrospect, these fears were completely unfounded. The curriculum is well-designed and is perfect for jump-starting any student's study of the Japanese language. The instructors are supportive and clear, providing ample support and feedback to ensure the success of students. I also made some amazing friends along the way, who have made my studies enriching and enjoyable. I would recommend this course to anyone!"
- Jackson Mullett, JPN 1011-1012, Summer 2018
“I took the summer intro to Japanese class (JPN 1012) during the summer of 2018. It was an absolute blast having such an interactive class where everyone is so passionate about the course material. The professor's lessons were well-structured and very well thought out. Overall it created an environment that I was comfortable in, and able to succeed in learning a new language in a short period of time.”
- Zachary Rankin, JPN 1012, Summer 2018
“I highly recommend the Summer Japanese Course to anyone who doesn’t want a gap in their learning process. It's an intensive course, but everyone was passionate about learning the language, so the time passed quickly. The professors are also encouraging and sincere; they want to see you improve as much as you do.”
- Wendy Chu, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2018
“The summer semester of Japanese, whilst fast-paced, is one of the best decisions you can make with regards to your immersion into the language. You may need to dedicate a fair amount of time, but if you are serious about learning Japanese it is very rewarding. It can also speed up your progress towards graduation!”
- Tyler Brown, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2018
“The intensive summer Japanese language program was a great experience! Although challenging, I could see my Japanese improving week after week. If you want to jumpstart your Japanese language learning, I recommend this program!”
- Sean O'Malley, JPN 3021-3022, Summer 2018
Have Questions?
Questions and inquiries about the Summer Japanese Program can be directed to Fumiko Matsumoto, Director of the Japanese Language Program, [email protected].
