The goal of the major is not so much to produce students with language skills equivalent to those of an educated native speaker, but rather to build the capacity to work between languages and cultures. This kind of translingual and transcultural competence demands the capacity to think critically about the Japanese language and about cultural products written in Japanese; the study of linguistics gives students the tools to reflect on the form and function of the language, and the study of literature provides ways of appreciating and analyzing in cultural context what the Japanese have written over time. The major is designed for those who plan to eventually pursue Japan-oriented careers in the public and private sectors and the academy, as well as those who wish to explore and enjoy the Japanese language as a medium of social and cultural meaning.