I’m currently at the point where I have to decide where to spend my next 4 years in an Undergraduate Program (in Japanese) for a Bachelors’ Degree, to say the least.
Does anyone have any regrets picking certain undergrad courses (job hunting vs the Japanese), have any advice to which courses/subjects would be highly beneficial for the future? Or did you have fun throughout your Uni life picking a certain course with no regrets?
Just a little more info, I have recently gotten my JLPT N2 and am studying for the EJU to take IT Courses at Japanese Universities. I’m struggling with maths and sciences, love the language, so I’m not sure whether I should switch out to arts before I sign 4 years of my life away drowning in stress and depression.
3 comments
In Japan it’s not so much about what you study but where you study. Reputable university degree key to getting interviews, pretty much regardless of grades. If you are not Japanese, Japanese skill will also be of crucial importance.
IMO, the name/reputation of the university you graduate from does seem to matter within Japan, but less so outside of it. Some of the better universities also have a “university recommendation” system for job hunting. If you plan to work in Japan after graduation, it could be advantageous to choose a university with close connections to the industry you would like to get into. If you plan to work outside of Japan after graduation, then possibly what you study would be more important than where…
It doesn’t usually come up, and I tend to keep it to myself; but I have often observed a marked (positive) difference in attitude when someone hears that/finds out I graduated from a “good” university here.
That said, I’ve friends who work in HR/hiring, and they’ve previously shared that the applicant’s alma mater is one of the first “culling” criteria they use. There is a “scale” of universities (between 1 to 6, or 7?) and pretty much all the “bottom ranked” university applications are tossed, and the “top ranked” are usually the first that are looked over for consideration, regardless of their course of study; and a D-average student from good university is preferred over an A-average student from a lower-tier university.
To be honest, I don’t think you’ll get a “better” education/knowledge from a “good” university – but rather, the leg up is the alumni network and connections that you’ll become a part of upon graduation. Another way to get on this ride, would be to do a postgraduate degree with one later.
If you decide to read a course in English instead, you might find this useful:
[University Degree courses offered in English](https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/by-style/english-program/)
** This data was collected through a survey of universities and junior colleges in May 2021, and may be out of date. For the latest information, please contact the respective universities.*
I don’t think your priority should be majoring in a subject which is fun rather you should major in a subject that you wish to see yourself developing a career for i.e you have a genuine interest in.
Whatever your choice I don’t recommend you major or enroll in an undergraduate course on Management as they don’t make managers out of new graduates.