Nihongo (Japanese language) Web is an interactive, online Japanese language program from The University of Alabama. Nihongo Web is available for college credit, or dual high school and college credit. To receive credit, students must pass the course and finish within the term enrolled (Fall or Spring only). We offer JA 101-901 (Beginning Japanese I for 4 credit hours), JA 102-901 (Beginning Japanese II for 4 credit hours) and JA 201-901 (Intermediate Japanese I for 3 credit hours), equivalent to 3 semesters of college Japanese or 11 total semester credits. For more information on enrolling, please go to the Enroll link.

Our online language courses are a hybrid of private tutoring and self study of Web-based materials, textbook, workbook and live interaction with peers, Japanese tutors, and the instructor via web conference. Most of our successful learners are studying on their own, without any classroom involved. All that is needed is a good internet connection, a personal email address and an instant messenger (for live tutoring) with Voice Chat using a microphone headset or a web camera (optional).

To receive credit in the courses, you need to contact a local exam proctor (e.g., a teacher or administrator at your school or college who agrees to follow our procedures). The proctor does NOT need to know ANY Japanese, and all that is required is that he or she has an email account that can receive, open, and print PDF files. The proctor will mail, scan or fax tests back to us for grading.

Nihongo Web courses use the Nakama textbook series. These textbooks are widely used in colleges around the United States. JA 101 (Japanese 1) uses Nakama 1a, and JA 102 (Japanese 2) uses Nakama 1b. These textbooks are also used in our classroom courses at the University of Alabama. By the end of JA 101 you will have learned all hiragana, katakana, and 28 kanji. JA 101 covers basic grammar such as conjugation, particles, demonstratives (ko-so-a-do series), location words, te form, counters and time expressions. By the end of JA 102, you will have learned 99 more kanji for a total of 127. JA 102 builds on the grammar and vocabulary learned in JA 101. Examples of learning situtations include discussing likes and dislikes, shopping, dining out, visiting Japanese homes, family and the weather. JA 201 uses the new edition Nakama 2 textbook and workbook.