JTW Program Options

You can plan your own course of study from a range of options to suit your schedule and meet your individual needs:

Study Period Options
Academic year (recommended): October-July
One semester: October-February or April-July

Academic Calendar

Enrollment Requirements and Choices
All JTW students must enroll in at least five courses each semester as well as undertake an independent study project. Those staying for only one semester do a semester-long project; those staying two semesters, a single year-long project.

You may satisfy the five-course requirement by taking at least one JTW core course together with a minimum of another four courses from any combination of the following:
• as many as four additional core courses
• one advanced laboratory research project (which counts as two courses)
• one regular faculty course (whether taught in English or Japanese)
• one Japanese language course
• one language course other than Japanese or your native tongue

Certain restrictions apply, however. You may, if you wish, take additional core, faculty, and/or language courses, but these will not count toward the five-course requirement. Also, study of another language is permitted only if you can demonstrate advanced proficiency in Japanese. Credit is not awarded for English training classes. And only science and engineering majors may do advanced laboratory research projects.

Courses and projects are discussed below.

Courses and Projects
(The assignment of credits to each course unit is based on Kyushu University’s credit system.)

JTW Core Courses
The JTW Program draws on Kyushu University’s diverse resources to offer a wide variety of courses in English in the field of Japanese Studies supervised by teaching staff from various faculties.  Classes are held at the International Student Center on our main Hakozaki Campus.  Each course lasts for fifteen weeks (i.e., one semester), with one ninety-minute class meeting every week.  Although designed specifically for JTW students, classes are also open to regular Kyushu students.  You can choose to earn extra credits as well, as long as you arrange with the course supervisor to complete the required amount of extra assignments.  If you have the skills, you may opt to use Japanese language materials with your instructor’s permission.  The 2009-10 curriculum will be similar to the 2008-09 course offerings, which are listed below.  (Lecture; 2 credits/course, 3rd credit optional)

Independent Study Projects (ISP)
All JTW students are required to research in depth a topic in Japanese studies of their own choosing, and to present their findings in written and oral form.  Projects, supervised by JTW or other University instructors, are one or two terms in length depending on the period of JTW program participation.  Science or engineering ISPs that further your understanding of Japan are encouraged if you have the appropriate major or background.  Students are asked to decide upon a research topic prior to coming to Japan so as to facilitate the assignment of faculty advisors.  Year-long projects are evaluated at the end of the first semester for effort and progress to date, and at the end of the second semester for overall accomplishment. One-semester projects similarly are assessed for effort and achievement at the end of the term.  (2 credits/semester; 4/year)

Independent study project titles for the past years.

Advanced Laboratory Research (ALR)
If you are majoring in science or engineering and at least in your third year of study, you may opt to do an ALR project, in which you design and carry out intensive laboratory research.  Your first step is to formulate a specific plan with your own training in mind.  Once this is approved, you will be assigned to work in a laboratory setting under the guidance of an appropriate specialist in any of the faculties of Engineering, Sciences, Agriculture, or Pharmacy.  We will ask you to decide on a research topic before coming to Japan to allow time for locating a suitable advisor.  An ALR counts as two courses toward the required five per term.  (Laboratory; 90 hours and 2 credits/semester)

Faculty Courses
Some faculties at Kyushu (Economics, Humanities, and, Engineering, for example) also run their own special courses in English designed for international students, although these vary considerably from year to year.  Eligibility for JTW students is subject to approval by the course supervisors concerned.  If you are fluent enough to follow a regular faculty course in Japanese, you can experience a Kyushu student’s lecture hall for yourself.  You perhaps may want only to audit such a class, just to find out what it is really like, but with permission of the supervisor, you may also take a course for credit.  Bear in mind that no more than one faculty course may be applied to the five-course requirement.  (Lecture; 2 credits/course, 3rd credit optional in some cases)

Japanese Language Courses
As a JTW student you have access to Kyushu University’s renowned Japanese language courses held at the International Student Center.  Developed primarily for the needs of Kyushu’s large numbers of graduate students from abroad, these run for six weeks each, with two sessions or rounds per semester.  There are eight levels of general courses, catering for absolute beginners to advanced learners.  At most levels there are also skills-oriented courses that focus on reading, writing (including kanji-learning), and/or speaking.  If you have had some experience learning Japanese already, you will need to take a placement test at the start of your first semester so that you can be assigned to the class level most suitable for you.  Only one course each term may be counted toward the required five, though it is permissible to take additional classes.  For more information, see the Japanese Language Courses web pages at http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/center/home.htm (1 or 2 credits/course)

Half-term Courses
JTW recently introduced half-semester course options to its curriculum.  These provide intensive focus on selected topics, and are intended to diversify further the student’s academic experience.  Offerings for 2008-09 explore traditional (Noh) and contemporary (Butoh) performing arts, the novels of Murakami Haruki, the films of Miyazaki Hayao, and post-Meiji government language reform policies. (1 credit/course)

JTW Core Course Offerings for the academic year 2009-2010
NEW!!! Spring Semester (Apr.-Jul., 10)

Study Trips

Study trips periodically take you off campus and outside Fukuoka to experience fascinating aspects of Japanese culture and history.  Destinations for 2008-09 include a sumo stable, a Shinto shrine, Kyushu National Museum, a restored settlement dating from the ancient Yayoi period, terraced paddy fields which you will help plant and harvest in spring and fall respectively, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, a kabuki (traditional performance art) theater, a Buddhist temple and garden where you will practice Zen meditation, a local elementary school, Fukuoka prefectural government offices, and an automobile assembly plant, among others.  Lectures held before each outing provide background and orientation.  Participation is optional though strongly encouraged, and a small fee to defray meal and venue admission costs occasionally may be charged.

Credit Transfer

If your home university has an academic exchange agreement with Kyushu University, we may be able to arrange for the transfer of credits that you receive for your courses on the JTW Program.  This is subject to the terms of each agreement, and each case of credit transfer needs to be authorized by the home university.

JTW Credit GUIDELINES

As mentioned in the previous section, completion of the JTW program entails passing a minimum number of courses per term rather than earning a fixed number of credits.  Nonetheless, credits in some cases may be transferred to the student’s home institution academic record and counted towards a degree program with the proper authorization.  

Courses, research projects, and special events offer credits as follows:

JTW core courses　　　　　　　　　　　　2 credits each (3 possible—obtain instructor
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　permission and consult with JTW Coordinator)

Independent Study　　　　　　　　　　　4 credits for a year-long, two-term project,
Project　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2 credits for a single-semester project

Advanced Laboratory             　2 credits per semester
Research

Faculty courses                　　　　2 credits each (3 possible—obtain instructor
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　permission and consult with JTW Coordinator)

Japanese Language               　1 credit for 12 weeks of 2 classes per week,
Courses                                 2 credits for 12 weeks of 4 classes per week

Japanese Language               　1 credit each
Advanced Courses

Other language                     　2 credits each (no credit awarded for English
courses                                  or native language training courses)

Half-term courses                  　1 credit each

Study trips, special                　No credit awarded
events, lectures, etc.

Official awarding of credit is subject to approval by the International Student Center Oversight Committee, and credit transfer is also subject to approval by the student’s home institution.  Those interested in earning additional credits, which must be approved both by the relevant course instructor and the JTW Executive Committee, should contact the JTW Coordinator.