Do I need prior Japanese to start the Diploma in Japanese Language?

No. The Diploma in Japanese Language is built as an intensive beginner-to-upper-intermediate course. Students with some prior Japanese take a placement task at admission and may be placed in an accelerated track or directed to a more advanced option.

How many kanji will I learn on the Diploma in Japanese Language?

Approximately 600 to 800 kanji — the practical reading load for everyday and entry-level professional Japanese, broadly equivalent to JLPT N4-N3. You also master hiragana and katakana in the opening weeks.

Can the Diploma in Japanese Language be studied online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus course with live small-group teaching, recorded grammar and writing lectures and asynchronous drilling and reading exercises. Distance learners join the same JLPT-aligned target syllabus.

Does the Diploma in Japanese Language prepare students for JLPT?

The course aligns with JLPT N4-N3 levels and provides preparation materials. Students sit JLPT independently through Japan Foundation London or equivalent centres; the Diploma in Japanese Language is academic credential separate from JLPT certification.

Is the Diploma in Japanese Language useful for gaming and tech localisation?

Yes — at entry level. Combined with subject expertise and further study, Diploma graduates often move into junior localisation roles in gaming, software and media. The Diploma in Japanese Language provides the language foundation that further specialist training builds on.

Diploma in Japanese Language in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in Japanese Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month intensive UK qualification that takes you from beginner or near-beginner Japanese to working upper-intermediate competence. You will cover the writing systems — hiragana, katakana and core kanji — and the grammar, vocabulary and registers you need to read, write and converse in everyday and professional contexts.

The Diploma in Japanese Language is taught around the practical use of Japanese — for travel, work, study and cultural engagement. Cohorts are small and language teaching is intensive; the course assumes you are willing to drill writing systems, study vocabulary outside class and speak Japanese for as much of every session as possible.

Key Features

UK-recognised diploma in Japanese aligned with Japan Foundation pedagogical frameworks and CIOL preparatory standards.
Intensive language teaching from beginner to CEFR B1 equivalent / JLPT N4-N3 by graduation.
Writing systems mastery — hiragana, katakana and approximately 600-800 kanji.
Business and media Japanese — entry-level introduction to commercial and news registers.
Cultural literacy module covering modern Japan, contemporary society and intellectual life.
Top-up pathway into BA Japanese Language Studies or related degrees at LSJHML and partner universities.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Japanese Language is structured around the working competencies a learner needs to use Japanese at upper-intermediate level — language, writing systems, cultural context and entry-level professional applications. You leave able to read short Japanese articles, hold a structured conversation, and write basic business and personal correspondence.

Japanese phonology and pronunciation — pitch, intonation, clarity.
Writing systems — hiragana, katakana and core kanji (600-800 characters).
Grammar — particle use, verb conjugation, polite and casual registers, keigo basics.
Everyday vocabulary — daily life, travel, work, social interaction.
Business Japanese basics — meeting language, written correspondence, formal speech.
Media Japanese basics — newspaper headlines, short articles, broadcast clips.
Cultural literacy — contemporary Japan, intellectual life, social conventions.
Translation fundamentals — short-form Japanese-English and English-Japanese.

Who This Diploma Is For

Career-changers planning roles in Japan-facing business, cultural or diplomatic work.
Working professionals upgrading Japanese for technical, design, gaming or media roles.
International students wanting a UK Japanese-language credential below degree level.
Heritage Japanese speakers consolidating informal language into formal credentials.

Career Pathways

Diploma in Japanese Language graduates use the qualification to support entry-level roles in Japan-facing UK and international organisations. Typical roles include:

Japanese Translator (junior, post-further-study)
Japan Markets Analyst (consultancy, financial services post-experience)
Bilingual Editor (JP/EN — junior, publisher or gaming)
Cultural Affairs Officer (embassy, cultural body)
Business Development Assistant (Japan-facing UK or international business)
Localisation Assistant (gaming, software, media)

Graduates progress to BA-level Japanese routes or specialist translation, business or East Asian studies pathways.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.