School of Japanese Studies for Foreign Students
Hirakata Campus,Moriguchi Campus
For Foreign Students from Asia and English-Speaking Countries,
Small-Group Study of the Japanese Language;
Cultural, Economic and Social Courses for Understanding Japan
Since its founding, OIU has focused its efforts on international exchange, such as accepting foreign students studying in Japan for short periods under the "Japan Program," long-term overseas study programs for OIU's students at sister-schools around the world, and short-term overseas study programs. Based on early successful results, the program for foreign students was expanded with the creation in April 1993, of the School of Japanese Studies for Foreign Students, offering one-year courses combining study of the Japanese language with classes on Japanese cultural traditions and contemporary society. Students can choose between the following two courses of study, according to their personal goals:
- 1.Improving Japanese - Preparation for Higher Education
- This course is open to students who want to continue their studies at the undergraduate or graduate level at OIU or at another Japanese University, after completing their program at the School of Japanese Studies for Foreign Students. It focuses on improving practical skills in the Japanese language, and on preparation for further study in Japan. Students who perform well can receive special admission to OIU. The school also assists students who want to take the examinations for the first or second levels of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Most students in this course are from Asia.
- 2.Understanding Japan
- Students in this course of study come primarily from sister-schools and English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. In addition to practical classes in the Japanese language, a collection of subjects affording understanding of Japan itself - its society, economy, business, politics and diplomacy - is presented in English. Courses on traditional culture include calligraphy, flower arrangement, the tea ceremony, Japanese dance and the Japanese harp.
- Internship Program - Four-Week Training at Japanese Companies
- OIU's School of Japanese Studies for Foreign Students offers a company training program unlike anything usually seen at other universities in Japan. The program enables students to receive lectures and on-site training at supporting companies in Osaka and Kyoto, over a period of about a month. Through this experience, students learn the reality of Japanese corporate organizations and business practices. This program is an important part of the Understanding Japan course curriculum.
- Homestay Program - Learning the Life of the Japanese by Living It
- Learning the Japanese language should include learning something about Japanese society and culture, daily living, and the customs of the Japanese people. In order to make this possible, OIU's School of Japanese Studies for Foreign Students offers a homestay program. Together with the internship training program, homestays are a key component of the Understanding Japan course.
