Program Site: Sophia University, in central Tokyo, in partnership with CIEE

Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA and two semesters of college-level Japanese or the equivalent.

Description: Sophia University is a top-ranked Japanese university, with about 10,000 students, and is conveniently located in west-central Tokyo. Students can experience life in Tokyo and take courses alongside Japanese students and other international students. Students are enrolled in Sophia's Faculty of Liberal Arts, where about 75% of the students are Japanese.  Study abroad students take Japanese language courses as well as English-taught courses in Asian Studies. CIEE has a study center next to campus that provides full support to students while studying at Sophia University.

Academics: Students take a 4-unit or 8-unit Japanese class, plus two or three Asian Studies courses taught in English. Courses are offered in anthropology, art history, comparative literature, economics, history, international relations, religion, philosophy, political science and sociology. Students who are highly proficient in Japanese can take courses in Japanese linguistics.

Course load and Credit: Students take 3 or 4 courses per term and can earn up to 16 units per semester or 32 units for the full year.

Activities and Other Program Features: The program offers a two-week orientation program, several local field trips (such as seeing sumo, kabuki, taiko, and msueums), and a trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima.  Students are also encouraged to join Sophia University clubs. During the second semester on the program, academic year students have a trip to Kyoto and Nara.  There is also a Cultural Reimbursement Program to help students pay for local cultural activities.

Accommodations: Students live with a Japanese host family, where all meals are provided except for weekday lunches. Students may also choose to live in a privately-owned dormitory with local and international students. All dorms are self-catered. Dorms are scattered throughout the city and are not part of Sophia’s campus.

Dates: Spring semester or year. Spring term runs late March to late July. The year program runs from mid-September to late July.

Estimated Semester Cost:
Tuition................................$18,298
Additional Expenses*............$14,499
Total...................................$32,797

Cost Updated: 11/20/12
Text Updated: 7/11/12


*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.

Links:
CIEE Tokyo
Sophia University's Faculty of Liberal Arts
Lonely Planet Japan