Interview with Sophia (left), Nathan (centre), and Tyler (right)
Learning a new language is a powerful way to gain fresh perspectives and deepen your understanding of diverse cultures. At our Department of Languages and World Literatures, we offer a rich selection of programs that go beyond language skills.
Courses in Japanese studies are especially vibrant, combining language courses that build essential speaking, listening, writing, and reading abilities with English-taught courses that explore Japanese culture through pop culture, anime, manga, food culture, film, and more. These courses don’t just teach language—they develop critical thinking and writing skills that prepare you to engage thoughtfully with the world.
To give you a sense of what these courses offer, we spoke with three students currently studying Japanese at UBCO. Here’s what they shared about their experiences and why they believe studying Japanese has been transformative.
Sophia is a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in sociology. She was born and raised in Japan until she was six years old, and was very happy to see that they had Japanese courses offered at UBCO.
“I took both 100 level courses for my language requirement in my first year, and that was really fascinating to learn more about the Japanese language, some of which I had not used growing up in Canada.”
This past summer, Sophia took part in the Go Global seminar to Japan, and in those two weeks of the course, says she learned a lot more about the cultural and historical aspects of Japan.
“It was really interesting to learn specifically about the aspect of food and how that has developed over time and how important it is to people in their day-to-day lives. We actually had the opportunity to take a professional cooking class by chef and that was very interesting seeing first hand and seeing it right in front of you, how they make meals.”
Nathan, a fifth-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in Biochemistry, grew up with a passion for Japanese media like games and anime. In the summer of his third year, he took an introductory Japanese language course as an elective, excited to finally learn Japanese.
“I absolutely loved the course. I just found it so interesting to learn Japanese in a university environment. The classes are such a great environment – you’re in a room where everyone’s interested in learning a new language, and I think it’s great being in smaller classes where you have more connections with your professors and classmates.”
Tyler is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student working on a major in computer science. He says that one of the main reasons he decided to take Japanese is that he has always had an interest in history and the culture of many different regions of the world.
“I had previously taken Spanish and French in high school, and when I saw that there was Japanese offered at UBCO, I found it super intriguing because I also had an interest in Japanese culture, such as anime. I personally think it’s very important to explore outside of the faculty that you’re getting your degree in. I think that learning another language or just seeing something where you can express yourself in a different way is really important and it shapes how you see the world.”
Tyler has found that really being interested in a subject helps you learn so much quicker, and that learning to study a language also helps you in other aspects.
“Going through the Japanese courses, learning which methods of study work best for me like listening to someone else speak, going through a textbook, or practicing speaking myself has helped me study in other aspects of my degree.”
Each of these students has discovered something unique and rewarding about taking Japanese courses at UBCO. Whether you’re interested in the language, culture, or both, the Japanese program here offers you the chance to explore, connect, and broaden your horizons in ways that can shape your academic journey—and your life—forever.
“I think that learning another language or just seeing something where you can express yourself in a different way is really important and it shapes how you see the world.”