I`ve not done post-grad Japanese studies, but I done undergrad and I can tell you that it means nothing compared to 1kyu (or N1 as it is now). Companies won`t even look at you unless you have 1kyu but even then any jobs that aren`t english teaching there is fierce competition. The job market isn`t great in Japan either. So working for a Japanese company I`d say 1kyu is a must, but it`s no guarantee I know a few people with 1kyu working in eikaiwa for lack of anything else.
As you said the only career path a post grad would help with is teaching at a uni. I work part time as a freelance translator, and really experience is required alot of the time or some jobs require a post grad but in engineering or medical sciences etc for translation in that technical field.
Well, the goal of this year would be to do 3rd year level papers in order to be able to take PostGrad studies the year after (cross-crediting, etc, troubles). If I study online as well, I could hopefully get to 1kyu by the end of this year.
3rd level? N3? Sorry I don`t know what you mean by 3rd papers, but I got N2 and to be honest I`m better not putting it on my CV cos it just looks like I`m not good enough to get N1, so better of with N1 or nothing ._.;
Oh, sorry! I already have a Bachelor of International Studies from a different university, but because some of the papers don't cross-credit, I would have to take some 3rd year papers this year in order to take PostGrad papers next year. I didn't get JLPT 2kyu, but that's mainly because I didn't actually study for it at all. Also, that was a few years ago now and I've been in Japan for a while since then. I'd say at my current level I'd pass 2kyu if I worked on my kanji a little, so I want to spend this year mostly studying to try get up to 1kyu or at-least nearer than I am now. I figured if I did this at the same time as university papers, it would get my over-all Japanese up as well.
I thought JLPT2 was good for hotel/receptionist jobs though?
I have a MA in Japanese Studies from SOAS in London, and am currently pursuing a second MA, this time in Art History, as I was told that my lack of any degree (BA or MA) in Art History would be a severe hindrance to my pursuit of a career in the art/museum world. Also because I failed to get into any PhD programs and thought, well, another MA can only help boost my credentials for the next time around, right
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I was getting a bit worried, as it seems there's a severe lack of need for Japanese university lecturers in NZ. A university near me recently cut their PostGrad Japanese courses and now doesn't offer anything other than part-time Honours, as all the universities are having their funding cut. Unfortunately, languages/arts programmes often tend to be the first to go.
I still get confused over the differences between Honours, Masters and PhDs!! ^^; So you can definitely get into Masters if your grades are high enough, etc, but a PhD applicant might be declined from lack of funding, lack of need, etc?
Goodluck with your MA! That much be so interesting to study :)
Post-grad Japanese credentials are pretty much useless, in my experience, to get jobs. This of course depends on the jobs you're looking for. From what I understand you can have as many diplomas, certificates etc in Japanese as you want but if you don't have the 1-kyuu then they don't mean a lot unless you want to do research based jobs at unis
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Well, I was thinking becoming a researcher sounded rather interesting, so at-least that option would be open to me.
I'm the same in that I COULD take an online course to get to 1kyu, but I'm not very good at making myself study. A classroom setting where I have a schedule to follow means I'm much less likely to procrastinate (or not do it at all) ^^;
I think I'm definitely going to go back to uni for this year at least, just to try and get my Japanese up to 1kyu, and then decide from there whether I want to pursue Masters because I enjoy it or if I would be better employed in a different line of work.
Yes, I worry sometimes that if I go study Japanese, I'm just going to get tired of it! I'm planning to do an online JLPT course too, so I can imagine wanting a break sometimes from Japanese... It also means that if there's suddenly too many Japanese teachers, my only back-up skill is working in a bar! I think I'll have to try get part-time work as-well while studying, just for the work experience.
I'm currently enrolled in a Master's programm in Japan, though it's not really related to Japan (I study horticulture). In my case, I don't want to live in Japan forever, I just wanted to have the experience here and it turned out I found a supervisor who is a specialist in my preferred research field
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It's not so much that I just want to make money, as I am quite interested in Japanese language, culture and linguistics so would probably enjoy doing research anyway - it's more I'm worried I'll graduate with a Masters and find myself working in a coffee shop in NZ >>; I currently have a Bachelor of International Studies specialising in Japanese but with hardly any work experience it's very hard to find a job here or in Japan
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I don't really know about other countries, but at least in Germany, a Masters degree or Ph.D. is required for most research areas and teaching (at universities). Also, in business areas, a Master comes in quite handy. Some people on the other hand say that if you have a Masters dgegree, you'd be "over-qualified" for a "normal" working job, in an office or so
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It's also whether or not a Masters in JAPANESE will help - if I get 1kyu, it seems most people think that a Ma in Jp won't make a difference ^^;
Research is interesting though, but the PostGrad research seems to be more on cultural/anthropological/linguistical basis, so just knowing Japanese might not be enough to get a good research project.
Definitely!! :) I tend to be more into indies now, but I just spent all week catching up on the oldschool bands as I did a post on them for my blog - I started a Visual Kei New Zealand blog for my friend's forums, so it's starting off super-basic because not many people here know about VK, but once I get the major bands done then I can get onto indies bands! Yeyey!! I'm on Facebook more than LJ now though ^-^;
I was actually thinking more of interpretation, if anything :) That would be another option for next year - if I can get 1kyu this year, there's a translation and interpretation course in Auckland I could take. No idea if it would help or not, of-course
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It's okay :) Written translation is definitely easier!
Yeah, I didn't think about what I could research... Cultural/anthropological/linguistics research definitely seems more common, so it's entirely possible I couldn't go on to a PhD or anything...
I suppose you do get more free time with ALT - it's just so frustrating standing there while a Japanese teacher who can't speak English mispronounces the whole lesson and has spelling mistakes you can't comment on because they're the teacher >< I get frustrated very easily with that lol
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As you said the only career path a post grad would help with is teaching at a uni.
I work part time as a freelance translator, and really experience is required alot of the time or some jobs require a post grad but in engineering or medical sciences etc for translation in that technical field.
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I know a lot of people with 1kyu in eikaiwa too >
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I didn't get JLPT 2kyu, but that's mainly because I didn't actually study for it at all. Also, that was a few years ago now and I've been in Japan for a while since then.
I'd say at my current level I'd pass 2kyu if I worked on my kanji a little, so I want to spend this year mostly studying to try get up to 1kyu or at-least nearer than I am now. I figured if I did this at the same time as university papers, it would get my over-all Japanese up as well.
I thought JLPT2 was good for hotel/receptionist jobs though?
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I still get confused over the differences between Honours, Masters and PhDs!! ^^; So you can definitely get into Masters if your grades are high enough, etc, but a PhD applicant might be declined from lack of funding, lack of need, etc?
Goodluck with your MA! That much be so interesting to study :)
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I'm the same in that I COULD take an online course to get to 1kyu, but I'm not very good at making myself study. A classroom setting where I have a schedule to follow means I'm much less likely to procrastinate (or not do it at all) ^^;
I think I'm definitely going to go back to uni for this year at least, just to try and get my Japanese up to 1kyu, and then decide from there whether I want to pursue Masters because I enjoy it or if I would be better employed in a different line of work.
Yes, I worry sometimes that if I go study Japanese, I'm just going to get tired of it! I'm planning to do an online JLPT course too, so I can imagine wanting a break sometimes from Japanese... It also means that if there's suddenly too many Japanese teachers, my only back-up skill is working in a bar! I think I'll have to try get part-time work as-well while studying, just for the work experience.
Thank you very much for your comment
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Research is interesting though, but the PostGrad research seems to be more on cultural/anthropological/linguistical basis, so just knowing Japanese might not be enough to get a good research project.
Definitely!! :) I tend to be more into indies now, but I just spent all week catching up on the oldschool bands as I did a post on them for my blog - I started a Visual Kei New Zealand blog for my friend's forums, so it's starting off super-basic because not many people here know about VK, but once I get the major bands done then I can get onto indies bands! Yeyey!!
I'm on Facebook more than LJ now though ^-^;
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Yeah, I didn't think about what I could research... Cultural/anthropological/linguistics research definitely seems more common, so it's entirely possible I couldn't go on to a PhD or anything...
I suppose you do get more free time with ALT - it's just so frustrating standing there while a Japanese teacher who can't speak English mispronounces the whole lesson and has spelling mistakes you can't comment on because they're the teacher >< I get frustrated very easily with that lol ( ... )
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