[bluegabs]

(Original post by iSoftie)
Anything such as a Japanese A level? Do it as AS but if you've got the balls: A level in one year. Apart from that, you are all set!
If you can't find a Japanese A level settle with another Oriental language. 4.5 A levels isn't much of a hassle if you really love your subjects.

I would do Japanese as an A level, but my school doesn't offer it or any other oriental language as an option so I'm a bit stuck

[bluegabs]

Does anybody know what the structure for lessons and tutorials for oriental studies (japanese) are?

apparently they're different but I don't understand how

[Durara]

Hey guys so I'm applying for Japanese at Oxford and I would like to know how the course is and how intensive it actually is

Also... I'm predicted AAAC is that good enough or not?

[cpchem]

The likelihood of you getting a meaningful response is, in all honesty, pretty low. In four years I met one person studying Japanese and Korean, and I don't know of any Orientalists on the forum. Best of luck, all the same, and the official line is to be found here: http://www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/general/u...dmissions.html.

[Hizzu]

Hey,
I'm starting the course this year. I can tell you all about it in a few weeks :P From what I've heard it's pretty intensive.
I took the french baccalaureate, not A levels, but I can tell you that my offer was pretty low. I said in interviews that I expected to get 16 or 17 out of 20, but then the offer was for 15 (which is considered "rather good" but not "really very good" in the french scoring system).

x Grace

[Scottish Shinigami]

I have been invited for an interview for Japanese Studies at Oxford, I am ecstatic. I will be at Hertford College and travelling down from Bonny Scotland. I really want to do my best, getting into Oxford would be a dream come true for me.

I take it the panel will contain course tutors who do in fact speak Japanese? Is it a good idea to drop the odd phrase in, "Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu" (It is a pleasure to meet you) or something along those lines? Or is that just a terrible idea altogether?

I am quite secure in my Japanese and it's role within the interview. I am worried about the role of my written work. One of the pieces is a 2 year old discursive essay on the ASEAN alliance and its military role in the region; I am not so secure on it. The other bit was a French hand in and had a few corrections to be made but I think it's ok. None of them are in Japanese due to all my Japanese work being self-study and JLPT exams so I am also concerned that the school work pieces I submitted aren't relative to the course.

Finally, are there any other tips and pieces of advice you can give me, what to expect and what to completely avoid doing altogether?

Thanks in advance,
Scottish Shinigami

[mranderson]

I'm an international student and just finished my Skype interview. It ended up rather messy, both technically (video going on and off) and with my responses, which I stuttered through. They didn't ask me any questions like the type people report for other subjects -- it was stuff to do with my personal statement and essays. Took about half an hour over Skype.

[TheMouseyS]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to apply for Oriental Studies at Oxford in the coming year, with a particular emphasis on the Middle East and Arabic (perhaps even with a subsidiary language such as Hebrew, Farsi or Turkish). Could anyone (orientalists themselves or other) please give me an insight into what I should be reading or doing in preparation for the interview stage of the application (provided of course that I am invited back). My interests are predominantly revolved around contemporary issues facing the region, such as politics and international relations (now especially with the Arab Spring, the recent Arab-Israeli conflict with Operation Pillar of Defense and mounting tensions between the West and Iran). Is there, also, anything I should be doing extra-curricula (debating, public speaking, activism etc).
I'm just slightly confused as to what makes a successful application for this kind of course at a university which is notorious for its ambiguity when it comes to applications.

Any advice would be much appreciated