Waseda Oregon Summer Japanese Program

Applications are now closed. If you would like information regarding 2010, please email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Waseda Summer Japanese Program is an accelerated language program offered by the Center for Japanese Language, Waseda University in conjunction with Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, USA. Since 1999, nearly 500 students have participated in the Summer Japanese Program, which takes place entirely in Japan.

Waseda Summer Japanese Program - 4 Week Option

The Center for Japanese Language at Waseda University is accepting applications for students who are looking for a shorter program. Please check their website for details:

http://www.waseda.jp/cjl/html/summerprogram.html

The Waseda Summer Japanese Program is suitable for students who:

Want to have a short-term study abroad experience in Japan
Want to have “real life” practice of Japanese
Want to boost their overall Japanese language acquisition
Want to refresh their Japanese for graduate school
Need to fulfill language requirements at their home institution

The program takes up to 60 participants from all over the United States and the world. In 2008, Summer Program participants came from the United States, Singapore, ROC Taiwan, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Korea, Canada and the UK. Participants also came from over 31 different colleges and universities, including the University of Washington, University of California, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, Portland State University, Howard University, MIT, University of Stockholm, University of London, Oberlin College, NYU, Brown and Northwestern University.

The Waseda Summer Japanese Program offers 12-15 quarter credits (8-10 semester credits) of Japanese language in six weeks. The first two weeks take place at the Waseda Seminar House in Kamogawa, and the following four weeks take place at the Nishi-waseda (main) campus.

The Summer Japanese Program has four (4) levels of Comprehensive Japanese and seven (7) Japanese Language Workshop sessions offered at each level. The Comprehensive Japanese level that a student is placed into determines which Workshops he/she can take. Waseda gives an online placement test to all participants, no matter what their language background. This placement test alone is used to place students into different levels (not a student's academic transcript).

Be sure to check out our Facebook website: WASEDA SUMMER PROGRAM

Language Levels Offered:

The Japanese Language Program is designed for students who have had at least one semester but not more than three years of university level Japanese. Four Japanese language levels are offered. Students are tested for placement online about six weeks before the program starts. The placement test is required for all students. Approximate course level prerequisites* are:

Level One: At least one semester of college-level Japanese.
Level Two: At least one year of college-level Japanese.
Level Three: At least two years of college-level Japanese.
Level Four: Usually three years of college-level Japanese.

*The above are very rough guidelines only as Japanese language instruction differs significantly from institution to institution in the United States.

Credit Breakdown

Comprehensive Japanese: 6 quarter credits
Kamogawa Japanese Workshop I: 1 quarter credit
Kamogawa Japanese Workshop II: 1 quarter credit
Japanese Workshop A: 1 quarter credit
Japanese Workshop B: 1 quarter credit
Japanese Workshop C: 1 quarter credit
Japanese Workshop D: 1 quarter credit

Japanese Workshop E: 1 quarter credit
Homestay: 2 quarter credit

Total Credits that may be earned: 15

Download a complete class schedule in PDF format.

Download 2008 Comprehensive Japanese syllabi in PDF format.

Download 2008 Japanese Workshops syllabi in PDF format.

Credit Transfer

Participants are issued a transcript by Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, USA. Even though all coursework is done at Waseda University, the academic transcript is issued by a US institution for ease of credit transfer as well as for access to federal financial aid.

Students must contact their registrar prior to going on the Summer Japanese Program to ensure that credits may be transferred. Most participants are able to transfer credit from the Summer Japanese Program to their home institution without problem, but it does require advance planning. It is also important that participants know who should receive the academic transcript at their institution. The Waseda Oregon Office is happy to assist students in preparing for the credit transfer process.

Program Costs

Tuition and fees: $5,450
Health insurance (required): $84
Board in Kamogawa: included in fee
Board in Tokyo: estimated $30/day ($960 for 32 days)

Books: included in fee
Shared dorm room: included in fee
Homestay: included in fee
Estimated airfare: $1,200
Local transportation: estimated $10/day ($460 for 46 days)
Personal expenses: estimated $10/day ($460 for 46 days); Tuition, fees and insurance are paid in US Dollars to the Waseda Oregon Office, which collects tuition on behalf of Waseda University. Estimated expenses are listed in the US Dollar equivalent of what they would cost in Japanese Yen, based on a $1=¥1 exchange rate.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

At least one semester of previous Japanese language study--must know hiragana and katakana
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or examination equivalent
Be a full-time enrolled or a matriculated student from a four-year college or university (or international equivalent)
Have completed at least two quarters or one semester of full-time study at a four-year college or university (or international equivalent)
Students from any academic major may apply; international applicants are welcome; graduating seniors and graduate students are welcome

How to Apply

Applications are considered “in batches” on December 19 (2008), January 31, February 28, April 13, and May 4, 2009. It takes three weeks to process completed applications. Early application is strongly encouraged because there are only 60 spots in the program.

Download a 2009 Summer Japanese Program application in PDF format