Bachelor of Arts: Japanese

Charles Odlin

At AUT, Japanese is a major in the Bachelor of Arts programme. Approximately 70 per cent of the course is practical and includes tools such as computer labs for written Japanese and interactive digital language labs.

Students can also also include papers from other disciplines, such as tourism and business.

Graduates achieve fluency in all areas of the language, an awareness of cultural, social and business differences between New Zealand and Japan and become familiar with Japanese computer software and information technology.

First year students gain fluency in the Japanese language through practice of vocabulary and speech patterns in varying social and cultural contexts.

At second year, students develop increasingly complex language structures and specialist usage, which includes writing and presenting a large research project in Japanese.

The third year extends students linguistic abilities and has students apply their skills to realistic professional contexts. By end of the degree, students are expected to have mastered 1006 Kanji Japanese/Chinese alphabet). It is a three year, full-time course that can be taken on an equivalent part time ratio. The course has two intakes each year, February and July, with applications accepted until a couple of weeks before the course starts.

People without prior Japanese language can apply because the course has two streams; one for those with Level 3 NCEA Japanese and one for newcomers.

A number of students conjoint Japanese and business degrees, usually international business, marketing or tourism. However, a prior knowledge of Japanese is required for students wanting to do a conjoint degree.

THE GRADUATE

Charles Odlin, 31

AJ Hackett jump master and bungy Japan director/owner

Graduated this year

I currently work for the Harbour Bridge Bungy and Bridge Climb, where I've worked since 2003.

Each year around April I go to Japan where I have my own company, Bungy Japan. It's a great lifestyle.

I started doing the advanced certificate in Japanese at AIT (now AUT) in 1993, struggling a little because I was young and more interested in fun than study. So I went to Japan which was made easy by contacts I had made through the course.

While there I helped start Japan's first bungy jump site. I returned to New Zealand and studied diploma level in 1997, then went back to Japan until 2003. I came back to complete my BA in Japanese and complement it with business and tourism papers.

The first two years of the degree have an intensive language orientation with lots of practical applications and equal focus on speaking, reading and writing. This provided a great foundation for my time in Japan and although what you learn in school is different to what is spoken it was easy to adjust. Speaking Japanese opens up an amazing array of opportunities in Japan and is a definite advantage.

There are endless opportunities as Japan is New Zealand's third biggest tourist market.

I feel fortunate to get experience in Japan and then come back to finish my degree. I was able to apply what I had learned and pick up other papers - small business management, tourism and information engineering which have helped with my business objectives.

THE MANAGER

JP Boivin

Business manager for Auckland Bungy and Bridge Climb (AJ Hackett Bungy)

"We have a number of staff with second languages which is incredibly handy for us - about 40 per cent of our customers are international," he says.

"People find it reassuring to hear their own language when preparing for a jump. Charles can handle our Japanese customers from bookings through to the meet and greet and helping with the jump."

He has also taught other staff useful words and has compiled a folder of information in Kanji for Japanese customers, including costs, weight requirements and safety information.

THE QUALIFICATION

Bachelor of Arts: Japanese

Auckland University of Technology

Course cost: $3987 (2006)

Salary: BA graduate salaries range from $30,000-$60,000

Contact: 921 9999 ext. 6848