Contact Information
Paola Gilbert (Department Chair)
(831) 646-4101
pgilbert@mpc.edu

---

For Additional Info
• Download our Info Sheet
• Visit MPC Japanese
• Connect with a Counselor 

Program Overview

Studying Japanese promotes understanding of the world’s 11th largest country and fourth largest economy. The Japanese program prepares students to interact appropriately with Japanese-speaking people through coursework that includes oral and written language study and readings related to Japanese culture. Graduates communicate at an intermediate-high level as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and have the foundation for further study in languages, linguistics, and global affairs.

Job Outlook

Graduates can apply their Japanese language skills in a variety of job roles, from tourism to business and academia. Thanks to the West Coast’s popularity among Japanese visitors, the hospitality industry offers a number of local opportunities. More broadly, business demand is strong for Japanese translators, interpreters, and localization managers. Graduates may also pursue fields that value multilingualism and multiculturalism, from non-profits to government foreign relations.

Potential Careers

MPC Degrees and Certificates

• Japanese  - Certificate of Achievement (COA)

Year 1

Year 2

This is a suggested sequence of coursework and is one pathway for students to earn their degree/certificate. This is not an official educational plan. A counselor is able to assist you with creating a personalized education plan based on your academic, career, and personal goals. For more information about counseling and up-to-date program requirements, please visit www.mpc.edu/counseling. 

---

Testimonials 

Kyle Dalton Lipscombe

Attending MPC affected my entire career path. When I first enrolled in MPC I had been studying anthropology for three years and was fully invested in majoring in anthropology. MPC allowed me the opportunity to explore many different intellectual activities. Among those avenues was studying Japanese. Studying Japanese at MPC changed my entire career path. I would [find] myself intellectually challenged in a way that I had never been. I wanted to learn more and more. Furthermore, the teachers supported my educational desires. After transferring to CSUMB I changed my major from anthropology to Japanese and since than I’ve moved to Japan and am currently pursuing another degree in a Japanese university while working as an English teacher.