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I somehow managed to get a MEXT scholarship. Now I've got to make a self-
presentation, but I've been struggling with it since I'm more used to reading
than writing (which is one reason I could get this scholarship - the tests had
no essay or whatever)

In this self-presentation I need to tell my name, the university I graduated
and the academic degree, the Japanese university I'm enrolling, field of study
and research theme.

I started writing but somehow it felt unnatural, maybe too simple, or maybe
out-of-context. So far, it goes like:

> はじめまして。 ジョン・スミスと申します{もうします}。

OK so far, a simple introduction and stating my name.

> 私{わたし}は去年{きょねん}Foo大学の{だいがく} 〇〇 学部{がくぶ}を卒業{そつぎょう}しました。

Not sure how to say "I graduated in X".

> Bar大学{だいがく}で勉強{べんきょう}して修士{しゅうし}を取る{とる}つもりです。

I want to say I want to go for the Master's program of the university. Should
I use 研究{けんきゅう} instead of 勉強{べんきょう}? I'll be a research student anyway if I
fail the exam to enter the Master's program.

> 専攻分野{せんこうぶんや}は〇〇です。

I'm in doubt whether to use 専攻分野{せんこうぶんや} or 専門分野{せんもんぶんや}. I know there is
something crucial that differs these two but I wasn't able to fully
understand.

> 研究課題{けんきゅうかだい}は△◇です。 [And then some explanation about the research subject]
>
> どうぞよろしくお願いします{おねがいします}。

This self-presentation should not take more than 2 minutes, but it looks like
it won't take even one. Maybe I was too direct? Maybe should I tell something
else about myself before finishing?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-10T02:51:52.997
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2015-03-11T11:44:12.567
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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question
word-choice greetings
A self-introduction for academic purposes
This introduction sounds fine. As self-introduction for university/work, it is
common in Japan to talk about personal stuff like your hobbies, your family
...etc so maybe you can add this.

For some of your questions :

"I graduated in X" > X年に卒業しました

"I want to go for the master program" > 今後の勉強（活動）としてBar大学の修士課程を目指しています

専攻分野 is more specifc for field of study, 専門分野 is specilizaiton in a more
general way
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-10T04:42:15.053
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2015-03-10T04:42:15.053
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answer
Not sure if you are expected to write like a native speaker in this
assignment, but "as a native speaker" is the only way I could correct your
writing.

First off, I would surely drop 「私は」. Everyone who reads this will know exactly
who you are talking about.

I would use 「[昨年]{さくねん}」 instead of 「去年」 as the latter would sound slightly
too informal or conversational.

I might change the plain 「しました」 to the humble 「いたしました」. I used "might" because
this is what I meant in my first sentence above. I just do not know how
"native-speaker-like" you are expected to sound.

「修士」 is barely O.K. but 「修士[号]{ごう}」 will sound better because, strictly
speaking, the former refers to the person and the latter, the degree.

「つもりです」 is conversational. I would recommend 「[予定]{よてい}です」.

「専攻分野」 ＞ 「専門分野」 Use the latter and you will sound like you are already an
established professional in that field (rather than a grad student). I may be
being too picky here, though.

Again, 「いたします」 ＞ 「します」 at the end.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-10T12:14:36.073
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2015-03-10T12:14:36.073
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answer