YukaMy Japanese friend asked me 「学部はどこですか？」and I didn’t know how to answer! What’s 学部 and how do I talk about my major or faculty in Japanese?
ReiGreat question! 学部 (gakubu) and 学科 (gakka) are the words you need for talking about your university faculty and department. Let me walk you through all the key vocabulary.
Talking about your university major and faculty is a common topic in Japanese conversation — especially when meeting new people. This guide covers the key terms 学部 (gakubu) and 学科 (gakka), plus a full list of faculties and departments in Japanese.
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 学部 | がくぶ (gakubu) | Faculty / School (large division of a university) |
| 学科 | がっか (gakka) | Department / Major (subdivision within a faculty) |
| 専攻 | せんこう (senkou) | Major / Specialization |
| 学部生 | がくぶせい | Undergraduate student |
| 大学院 | だいがくいん | Graduate school |
学部 (gakubu) vs 学科 (gakka): What’s the Difference?
学部 is the broad faculty or school — for example, the Faculty of Law or the Faculty of Engineering. 学科 is the department or major within that faculty. Think of 学部 as the umbrella and 学科 as what’s under it.
| Level | Example |
|---|---|
| 大学 (university) | 東京大学 |
| 学部 (faculty) | 法学部 (Faculty of Law) |
| 学科 (department) | 法律学科 (Department of Law) |
| 専攻 (major) | 国際法専攻 (International Law Major) |
Major University Faculties (学部) in Japanese
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 文学部 | ぶんがくぶ | Faculty of Literature |
| 法学部 | ほうがくぶ | Faculty of Law |
| 経済学部 | けいざいがくぶ | Faculty of Economics |
| 理学部 | りがくぶ | Faculty of Science |
| 工学部 | こうがくぶ | Faculty of Engineering |
| 医学部 | いがくぶ | Faculty of Medicine |
| 教育学部 | きょういくがくぶ | Faculty of Education |
| 農学部 | のうがくぶ | Faculty of Agriculture |
| 薬学部 | やくがくぶ | Faculty of Pharmacy |
| 経営学部 | けいえいがくぶ | Faculty of Business Administration |
| 社会学部 | しゃかいがくぶ | Faculty of Sociology |
| 外国語学部 | がいこくごがくぶ | Faculty of Foreign Languages |
| 芸術学部 | げいじゅつがくぶ | Faculty of Arts |
| 情報学部 | じょうほうがくぶ | Faculty of Informatics |
| 国際学部 | こくさいがくぶ | Faculty of International Studies |
YukaMy university doesn’t have all of these — is it OK to just say 学部 even if the name is a little different?
ReiAbsolutely! These are common names, but universities vary. The important thing is knowing how to combine 〜学部 with the right subject word.
Common Departments (学科) in Japanese
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 日本語学科 | にほんごがっか | Japanese Language Dept. |
| 英語学科 | えいごがっか | English Language Dept. |
| 心理学科 | しんりがっか | Psychology Dept. |
| 数学科 | すうがっか | Mathematics Dept. |
| 物理学科 | ぶつりがっか | Physics Dept. |
| 化学科 | かがっか | Chemistry Dept. |
| 建築学科 | けんちくがっか | Architecture Dept. |
| コンピュータ科学科 | コンピュータかがくか | Computer Science Dept. |
| 看護学科 | かんごがっか | Nursing Dept. |
| 国際関係学科 | こくさいかんけいがっか | International Relations Dept. |
How to Talk About Your Major in Japanese
Useful patterns for introducing your faculty and major:
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 私は〜学部に通っています。 | I attend the Faculty of 〜. |
| 専攻は〜です。 | My major is 〜. |
| 〜を専攻しています。 | I’m majoring in 〜. |
| 学部はどこですか？ | What faculty are you in? |
| 何を専攻していますか？ | What is your major? |
YukaSo I could say: 私は経営学部で、専攻はマーケティングです。Is that natural?
ReiVery natural! You could also say: 経営学部でマーケティングを専攻しています — both are correct and sound fluent.
Quick Quiz
Fill in the blank:
1. 医師になりたいので、___に進みたい。 (I want to become a doctor, so I want to go to this faculty.)
2. 大学で数学を___しています。 (I’m majoring in mathematics at university.)
3. 彼女は外国語___の学生です。 (She’s a student in the Foreign Languages Faculty.)
Answers: 1. 医学部 2. 専攻 3. 学部
Summary
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 学部 | Broad faculty | 工学部 (Engineering) |
| 学科 | Department/major within faculty | 電気工学科 |
| 専攻 | Specific major/specialization | ロボット工学専攻 |
Yuka今度、日本人の友達に「何学部ですか？」と聞いてみる！
ReiGo for it! And if they ask you back, you’re ready with the perfect answer now.
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