Students planning to obtain certification for secondary-school teaching in Japanese are required to take the following courses: JPN-211, 212, 301, 328; ENGL-224; HIST-243 or POL-346; and EAS-299, 314, or 401. In addition to the course requirements, students are required to pass a qualifying examination before they will be admitted to candidacy for certification and a competency examination before being certified.

These tests will examine students’ linguistic competence, orally and in writing, testing phonetics, conversation, grammar and composition. The exit exam will also check their knowledge of Japanese literature and culture, including the arts, history and geography. Students and their advisers should consult the Education Department. Language majors and students preparing for certification are required to supplement their work at Ursinus by spending a summer, a semester or an entire year in a foreign country with a program approved by the department. Exceptions to this policy may be made by petition to the department chair.