The Needs for Master's Degree Studies for Japanese Study in Thailand

Abstract

This study is a survey research project examining the effects of age, Japanese
language proficiency, and living experience in Japan on the demands on pursuing a
master’s degree in Japanese Studies (i.e., Japanese Culture and Communication,
Japanese for Specific Purposes, Japanese Teaching). The sample comprised 162
government officers, corporate employees, teachers, and fourth year students who
possessed an N3 or higher of language proficiency. The data were analyzed through
descriptive statistics and inference statistics by using the Decision Tree program. The
results reveal that participants had a higher demand of pursuing a master’s degree in
Japanese for Specific Purposes than that of other programs. Particularly, the
participants who were 26 years old or older had a desire to learn the Japanese for
Specific Purposes more than those who were under 26 years old. Also, the former
showed their desire to improve their Japanese skill for work the most.