The MA program in Japanese is designed to offer students maximum general exposure to the history of Japanese literature and culture while also requiring intensive study of particular genres and periods. Each of the program's faculty members specializes in one or more of the major historical periods, including classical, medieval, early-modern, modern, and contemporary, and has additional competence in other areas. The program therefore provides a stimulating academic environment for students wishing to pursue advanced studies in Japanese literature and culture. <br><br>The program focuses on preparing students both for PhD study and for non-academic careers in a multiplicity of Japan-related fields. In recent years graduates of the Japanese MA program have gone on to doctoral study in Japanese literature, religion, and art history at institutions such as Harvard, Yale, UCLA, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin. They have also pursued careers in business, translation, secondary and post-secondary education, in governmental and non-governmental organizations, and in a variety of other institutions in both the public and private sectors of the United States and Japan.