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		On-Campus Courses - Information
		Last updated March 13, 2012 Japan Studies Program On-Campus Courses Information The Japan Studies Program (JSP) is specially designed for short-term exchange students enrolled full-time at our partner institutions overseas who wish to study at Yamagata University for a semester or academic year. JSP's general education mission is threefold: to offer Japanese cultural studies in English and Japanese language courses in five proficiency levels, and fieldwork, a kind of service learning with academic credits. Students enrolled in JSP have the opportunity to learn about Japanese history, culture, society and nature through lectures, practices and hands-on experiences. We hope that participants will enhance their understanding of Japan by interacting with Yamagata University students, and that they will continue their studies on Japan after completing the program either in Japan or in their home country and utilize their learning internationally. Eligibility: We require those who wish to take courses in the Japan Studies Program to meet the following criteria: 1. Applicants must be enrolled full-time and have completed two semesters of study at our partner institutions in foreign countries. 2. Since all lectures on Japanese cultural studies in JSP are conducted in English, an applicant must have a good command of English. 3. Applicants are expected to have received at least 150 hours of formal Japanese language training prior to their study in JSP. 4. Applicants should be in good academic standing at their home institutions. Requirements: To complete JSP successfully, an applicant must earn a minimum of ten credits each semester by taking at least two courses each from Japanese cultural studies and Japanese Language courses. Students can earn up to around 15 credits depending on their language levels. Possible course load for beginning to intermediate learners of Japanese will be comprised of 4 or more credits from Japanese cultural studies and 6 or more credits from Japanese language courses while that for advanced learners of Japanese will be up to 5 credits for language study and 6 or more for Japanese cultural studies. In addition, fieldwork (2 credits per semester) is available to students with all language levels. In fieldwork students have the opportunity to engage in community services and hands-on experience while being exposed to Japanese culture. Other than those offered in JSP, exchange students may also take general education courses depending on their language skills, with the permission by course instructors and their faculty advisor. Credits: One credit is worth fifteen contact hours(45 minutes per contact hour)in the Japanese cultural studies and thirty contact hours in Japanese Language courses except for elementary level courses that require repetitive practice in which one credit is forty to forty-five hours. All credits earned at Yamagata University will be evaluated at the home university before counted as earned credits towards your graduation at the home university. Language Training: Japanese language training is an important part of the Japan Studies Program and offered in five proficiency levels. Please see more information about its specific courses under Course Offerings below. Registration: Students can register for a full academic year or a semester of study. We can accept up to twenty students each year unless otherwise notified. Students are required to register for the courses they wish to take during the dates below using a registration card with the professor's permission. Please refer to the dates carefully as the dates for Japanese cultural studies and Japanese language courses may differ in the fall. Registration Dates Spring 2012 April 12, 2012 - April 25, 2012 Fall 2012 October 1, 2012 - October 15, 2012 Add, Drop & Withdrawal: Students can drop or add a course(s) during the 2nd week of the registration period on a-seat-available-basis with the professor's permission. Students may not withdraw from the course after the registration period ends. However, withdrawal because of sickness, accident or other unavoidable reasons will be granted. Academic Warning: Students may receive an academic warning due to poor academic performance, which may result in their being dropped from the program if necessary adjustments have not been made with their academic advisors. Grades: Grades are given as follows to each exchange student by instructors based on exams, assignments indicated on syllabi. Those who have obtained a C or above will pass a course. A transcript will be issued to those who have earned credits. S     90 - 100%      4.0 A     80 - 89 %       3.0 B     70 - 79 %       2.0 C     60 - 69 %       1.0 F     59% or below Certificate of Completion: A Certificate of completion for an academic year will be issued to those who have attended JSP for a full academic year and have successfully earned twenty credits or more. A Certificate of completion for a semester will be issued to those who have attended JSP for a semester and have successfully earned ten credits or more. Tuition and fees: Incoming exchange students who are enrolled in JSP under the student exchange agreement are exempted from regular tuition (JPY535,800 per year), application and admission fees. Fees for language training, however, may be charged depending on each agreement. Please check with your study abroad coordinator at the home institution if this is the case. Health Insurance: All international students are expected to purchase a Japanese government-funded National Health Insurance policy, with which 70 % of your medical cost will be covered. Medical evacuation/repatriation is also covered by our separate insurance company without any charge.   Monthly Living Cost Estimate:              USD and EUR equivalents are calculated based on recent rates: Y100 = 1 USD, Y160 = 1 EURO.   JPY USD EUR Housing 49,030 490 306 Meals 26,960 270 168 Books 4,800 48 30 Telephone 8,650 86 54 Necessities 14,470 145 90 Entertainment 8,700 87 54 Sub Total 112,610 1,126 702 Academic Calendar: Spring 2012: April 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012 Orientation April 9-11, 2012 Classes April 12, 2012 - July 31, 2012 Summer Break August 1, 2012 - September 30, 2012 Fall 2012: October 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013 Orientation To be announced Classes October 1, 2012 - December 24, 2012 Winter Break December 25, 2012 - January 10, 2013 Classes January 11, 2013 - February 18, 2013 Spring Break February 20, 2013 - March 31, 2013 Course Offerings: The Japan Studies Program consists of lectures in Japanese cultural studies that are conducted in English, and Japanese language courses in five proficiency levels that are taught in Japanese, the target language, in order for students to be exposed to the language as much as possible thus enhancing effective learning. Although JSP is specifically designed for international students, Japanese students can also take courses in Japanese cultural studies so that both international and Japanese students can interact with each other to maximize their cultural understanding. Those who have advanced skills of Japanese may take regular courses in Japanese other than those offered in the Japan Studies Program.Please visit the web site below for more information on Japanese studies courses for advanced learners of Japanese. http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/06121317/001/008.pdf. All classes in Japanese cultural studies meet once a week for 15 weeks while Japanese language classes meet 1-5 times a week for 15 weeks depending on the nature of each course. Here is a list of the courses in Japan Studies Program for academic year 2010 - 2011 for exchange students to choose from. SPRING 2012 Japanese Cultural Studies An Introduction to Japanese Culture I (2 Credits) Literature on Screen: Great Writers as Great Films (2 Credits) Japan Seen in Brief: Short Stories of the Twentieth Century (2 Credits) Reading of the Japanese Juvenile Stories (2 Credits) SHODO-Japanese Calligraphy (2 Credits) Japanese Mass Media I (2 Credits) Japanese Language Japanese 1: Elementary Integrated (3 Credits); Reading, Writing,(1 Credit each) Japanese 2: Upper Elementary Integrated (3 Credits); Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Japanese 3A : Intermediate Integrated (4 Credits), Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Japanese 3B : Upper Intermediate Integrated (4 Credits), Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Kanji 1: Kanji Elementary (1 Credit) Kanji 2: Kanji Upper Elementary (1 Credit) Kanji 3B: Kanji Intermediate (1 Credit) FALL 2012 Japanese Cultural Studies An Introduction to Japanese Culture II (2 Credits) An Introduction to Japanese Performing Arts (2 Credits) Japanese Popular Heroes, from the Age of Wars to Pre-modern Days (2 Credits) Modern Japanese Literature and their English Translation (2 Credits) Japanese Mass Media II(2 Credits) Japanese Language Japanese 1: Elementary Integrated (3 Credits); Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Japanese 2: Upper Elementary Integrated (3 Credits); Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Japanese 3A : Intermediate Integrated (4 Credits), Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Japanese 3B : Upper Intermediate Integrated (4 Credits), Reading, Writing (1 Credit each) Kanji 1: Kanji Elementary (1 Credit) Kanji 2: Kanji Upper Elementary (1 Credit) Kanji 3A: Kanji Intermediate (1 Credit) Other Courses: Regular courses are offered at six Faculties at Yamagata University. Please click below for a bilingual list of courses along with their course descriptions in Japanese: General Education Courses Faculty of Education, Art and Science Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences Faculty of Science Faculty of Agriculture Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Medicine
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