Study Abroad in Japan

Kyoto, Japan—Kyoto Seika University: Summer Intensive (5 credits)
Every other year, Bard offers a 5-and-a-half week Summer Intensive on the campus of our partner institution in Japan, Kyoto Seika University. The trip runs from mid-June to late July. Students take daily language and conversation classes while living in shared accommodations on the KSU campus in Kyoto and participating in a variety of cultural activities with local students. Courses focus on speaking and listening and are meant to bridge the intermediate and advanced levels. The Kyoto Seika summer intensive supplements but does not replace a semester of Japanese study at Annandale. Students who have completed Intermediate Japanese or higher, or those with equivalent proficiency are eligible to participate.

Requirements: Completion of Japanese 202 (Intermediate Japanese II) or instructor’s permission.

Bard students with the equivalent of 2 or more years of Japanese language courses as well as abilities and interests in the practicing and studio arts may petition to spend a full semester (Fall or Spring) at Kyoto Seika University taking regular practicing and studio arts courses (one student per semester). Available offerings change yearly and are subject to student proficiency; a course of study can be arranged through the study abroad office and credits are available for transfer to Annandale. Students participating in this arts-focused exchange program may privately arrange for Japanese language study while in Kyoto, but formal language courses are not available through KSU during the semester.

Pre-Trip Course Requirements: Completion of Japanese 202 (Intermediate Japanese II) or instructor’s permission; proficient coursework in Bard’s Division of the Arts. Students should work with faculty and staff to arrange a program of study at KSU tailored to their needs and interests.

Many Bard students choose to study abroad for a full semester in Japan (Fall or Spring) through a variety of outside programs and universities located in different parts of the country. Most programs offer a mix of intensive Japanese language instruction and content and culture classes taught in both English and Japanese for a full semester’s worth of credit. These programs include, but are not limited to:

• Waseda University – Tokyo
• Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) – Kyoto
• CET Academic Programs – Osaka
• Japanese Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) – Hikone

Requirements, fees, and application deadlines vary by program. Students interested in spending a full semester in Japan should consult with both the Bard Japanese faculty and the Bard Study Abroad staff to find a program that fits their needs and plans.