MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale
Council on East Asian Studies

The Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies

The Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC) program is intended for students who are embarking on careers in Japanese studies or a profession in which fluent Japanese is necessary. The program is designed to bring each participant to a level of proficiency sufficient for academic or professional use. Training focuses on development of the ability to converse in Japanese on specialized subjects, to comprehend and deliver public presentations, and to read and write materials in Japanese in order to function professionally in academia, business, government, and other fields. Many graduates occupy positions of leadership in their respective disciplines and professions.

The Center is the premier American program for the teaching of advanced Japanese and has provided language training to more than 2000 individuals. First established in Tokyo in 1963, the Center now resides in Yokohama, Japan with space, services, and various amenities provided by the municipal government. The program is governed by an Inter-University Governing Board of scholars representing fifteen universities with strong, established graduate programs in Japanese Studies.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Admissions are made without regard to gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual preference, disability, or religious affiliation.

The IUC immersion program in Yokohama provides indispensable career training for future leaders of the U.S.-Japan relationship.

Students enter with high-intermediate Japanese and Japan-focused career goals. They depart with the advanced skills to:

  • Read, write, and converse in Japanese on a par with educated adult speakers;
  • Understand and use the Japanese terminology of their chosen career specialties; and
  • Become leaders in their chosen fields.

IUC is the only program in the world that:

  • Focuses exclusively on advanced Japanese language training; and
  • Offers specialized language courses in seven disciplines: business, economics/politics, law, history, literature, anthropology and art.

More information about their programs can be found here.