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Home > International Exchange > Special Programs for Foreign Students
Special Programs for Foreign Students
Japanese Studies Summer Program
Duration: 5 weeks (late May through June)
Objective: The program aims to provide students with an understanding of contemporary Japan and improve their Japanese language skills. This course is designed for students who have want to start studying or who have studied Japanese language, society and/or culture for 2 years or less.
Outline: During the first three weeks of the course, students are required to take daily Japanese language classes. Two Japanese classes are provided: Japanese Language I for students who have studied Japanese for less than one semester; and Japanese Language II for more advanced students. Students are also required to attend a series of lectures titled "Japanese culture and society" conducted in English. These lectures in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business and Economics provide students with the necessary background to gain a greater understanding of Japan's historic sites, culture and society today which they will experience during the course. The lectures given are as follows:
- Introduction to Japanese culture and society
- Japanese history
- Religion (Shintoism, Zen) and Japanese culture
- Japanese culture (Japanese tea ceremony, ikebana, shodo)
- Japanese architecture, gardens and the environment
- Japanese literature
- Japanese politics
- Japanese economy
- Japanese management practices
- Japan culture and society today and how it is changing
(Lectures are subject to change due to faculty availability)
The combination of the Japanese language instruction in addition to the lecture series makes it possible for participants to approach a wide variety of study areas during their stay in Japan.
This is followed by two weeks of travel in Japan during which participants visit historical sites at Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Tokyo.
Extracurricular activities: Various extracurricular activities in the afternoon and excursions at the weekends during participants stay in Sendai will also be arranged. These include
- Field trip to Yamagata (Yamadera, Tendo Onsen (hot spring), and Shichiemon pottery experience)
- Sendai city tour (Zuihoden Temple, Osaki Hachiman Shrine, and Katsuyama Sake brewery)
- Japanese martial arts experience (kendo, judo)
- Japanese culture experience at Shifukuji Temple (Zen meditation, Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), lunch (traditional Zen Buddhist meal), Kado (Japanese flower arrangement - Ikebana), and Sado (Japanese tea ceremony))
Accommodation: While in Sendai, students are housed with Japanese families.
Through living with a Japanese family, students will have the opportunity to experience daily life, interpersonal relationships, and a home atmosphere that simply cannot be taught in the classroom and they would not be able to experience living in a dormitory or a hotel. Yet sacrifices must be made. Living with a family requires adjusting to the rules of the household (e.g. curfews etc), interaction with others, sensitivity to others' needs, and a certain amount of frustration at feeling as if you are not be treated as an adult or receiving different treatment to that you receive at 'home'.
After living on your own or in a dormitory before coming to Japan, it is hard to live with a strange family, adopt their rules, curfews, and so on. The apparent "overcare" of host parents is simply a part of Japanese life. The "trade-off" is, however, is worthwhile. Living with a host family gives you more chances to eat traditional meals, practice speaking Japanese, and learn about Japanese culture.
Students should realize that the unique opportunity of staying with a Japanese family is a privilege, and that the time spent with the family is a valuable experience that enhances intercultural communication and their understanding of Japanese lifestyle.
Japanese Studies Fall Program
Duration: 15 weeks (mid-September to mid-December)
Aim: This program aims to provide students with (1) the Japanese ability to be able to live and work in Japan; and (2) an in-depth understanding of Japanese culture, society, economy and management. This course is designed for students who have completed more than 1 year of Japanese language study and who are interested in learning more about Japanese culture, society and economy. As all the courses are taught in English (excluding Japanese Language), students with limited previous Japanese training can undertake studies in areas of interest while also having the opportunity to study and obtain a practical knowledge of the culture and language of Japan.
Outline: Five courses are offered and students are required to take a minimum of four courses. All students are required to take the Japanese Language and Independent Study courses. The following three courses; Introduction to Japanese Culture, Japanese Economy and Trade and Japanese Firms and Management are also offered. Brief course outlines:
- Japanese Language
The goal of this course is proficient communication, i.e., for students to gain the ability to communicate, interact and negotiate in Japanese. The course uses oral and written activities to help students develop proficiency in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, while at the same time developing cultural awareness, at an upper-intermediate level.
- Independent Study
The aim of this course is to provide students with in-depth knowledge regarding Japanese culture, society, economy or management. Students will be assigned a professor at the beginning of the course who will supervise their research. At the end of the course, students are required to submit their research paper and make a presentation.
- Japanese culture and society
This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of Japanese history, culture and society today and how it is changing.
- Japanese economy and trade
The aim of this course is to provide a general understanding of the Japanese economy, its strengths, weaknesses and how it is changing.
- Japanese firms and management
This course looks at the reasons why the way Japanese firms are organized, behave and are managed is different, their strengths and weaknesses and how they are changing from both an economic and managerial perspective.
Extracurricular activities:Various extracurricular activities in the afternoon and excursions at the weekends during participants stay in Sendai will also be arranged. These include
- Weekend homestay in Ogawara
- Japanese martial arts experience (kendo, judo)
- Japanese culture experience (Kado (Japanese flower arrangement - Ikebana), and Sado (Japanese tea ceremony)
- Opportunity to visit historical sites at Nara, Kyoto, and Hiroshima
Accommodation: While in Sendai, students will reside in apartments near Izumi campus.
Intensive Japanese Language Course
Duration: 1 year (mid-September to mid-July)
Aim: This one-year intensive Japanese language course is designed for students who have reached an ability corresponding to a passing grade on Level Three of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and who are aiming at passing the Level Two test. They should know at least 300 kanji and have a good grounding in grammar speaking and writing.
Outline: Students will have three hours of Japanese instruction everyday. In addition to classes on written and oral Japanese, classes that look at Japanese society and culture will also be included. During the last 3 months of the course, students are also required to undertake a research project in Japanese.
Extracurricular activities: Various extracurricular activities in the afternoon and excursions at the weekends during participants stay in Sendai will also be arranged. These include
- Weekend homestay in Ogawara
- Japanese martial arts experience (kendo, judo)
- Japanese culture experience (Kado (Japanese flower arrangement - Ikebana), and Sado (Japanese tea ceremony)
- Opportunity to visit historical sites at Nara, Kyoto, and Hiroshima
Accommodation: While in Sendai, students will reside in apartments near Izumi campus.
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