To earn an IJS certificate, a student must be in attendance for one year and satisfactorily complete 28 credits of coursework, including 8 credits of Japanese language courses. The Institute uses the credit system as described here. All IJS students, including new students, must take a placement test at the beginning of each term. Students will be placed in a Japanese language course according to their test scores. Registration Courses are divided into Japanese Language courses and Japanese Area Studies courses.
Language courses are determined on the basis of the placement test.
Students are required to have continuous registration to maintain their student status at the University. Consequently, Winter Interim Session is required for anyone not graduating in December. Japanese Area Study Courses are elective. Regular students need to register for at least 12 credits each term. 28 credits or more are necessary for completion of the program.