Tokyo Japan - Sofia University

at-a-glance:

The goals of this program are to help students of all Japanese language abilities further develop their Japanese skills and increase their knowledge about Japan and its people. Through intensive Japanese coursework, one of the largest selections of elective courses in English available in Japan, a core course that combines special guest lectures with site visits, the Cultural Reimbursement Program, and a Japanese homestay or dormitory experience, students gain considerable knowledge about Japanese culture and language.

academics

Sophia University is a prestigious private, Jesuit institution offering an extensive curriculum in English and Japanese. There are seven faculties at the University and over 11,000 students. Program participants take courses at the Faculty of Liberal Arts. Approximately 75% of the students studying in this faculty are Japanese. In September 2003, the Faculty of Liberal Arts (formerly known as the Faculty of Comparative Culture) was selected by the Japanese Ministry of Education as a Center of Learning, a high distinction awarded to institutions for excellence in education.

Not far from the center of Tokyo and Shinjuku, the Meiji Shrine, and the Imperial Palace, Sophia’s Yotsuya campus includes a library, computer labs, faculty and administrative offices, and classrooms. CIEE has an office on-campus that provides full support to students while studying at Sophia University.

Academic Links:

Online Course Catalogue

Vanderbilt Course Evaluation List

Sophia University

CIEE Program Details

student life

Sophia University is well-known for its international environment. The Faculty of Liberal Arts is unique as it allows international and Japanese students to study together in seminar classes taught in English. Except for language courses, most courses meet twice a week for 90-minute sessions. Most language courses meet daily. On their off-time, students are encouraged to join Sophia University clubs and may use their national holiday breaks to explore Tokyo or travel to other parts of Japan.

housing

Students have the option of living in a homestay or a student dormitory. The homestay is considered a vital component to the Study Center in Tokyo. Homestays provide students with an unparalleled opportunity for language and cultural immersion and also allow students to get more involved in local communities. Japanese homestay families are available within a 90-minute commute of Sophia University. Students have their own room with a desk, chair, and bed/futon, and share the kitchen and bathroom facilities with the host family.

The private, modern student dormitories are located throughout Tokyo and are at least a 1-hour commute to Sophia University. Approximately 70–80% of the other residents are local Japanese university students and/or Japanese young professionals. The dormitories provide students with the opportunity to live independently and responsibly, while developing social and linguistic skills among peers. Rooms are single accommodation. There are shared bathrooms, showers, and central soaking baths in each facility.

location

Contemporary Japan is a land of intrigue. It is exemplary of how a country can uphold its ancient traditions and coexist fluidly with a new economic grace. Where else is it possible to participate in a traditional tea ceremony against a backdrop of suburban sprawl, which contains some of the largest corporations in the world. Tokyo, Japan’s capital and economic hub, is a shining example of how old traditions and new high-tech culture meld to create one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

expenses

Program Costs: Semester Costs; Summer Costs

application

Tokyo Application