Washington & Jefferson College

Fact Sheet:

Host City:

With a population of about 14 million, rising to nearly 20 million during workdays, Tokyo is the quintessential metropolis. The city boasts an outstanding art and cultural scene, including libraries, museums, art galleries, historical archives and urban landmarks, as well as movies, theater, and drama from all over the world. The city is also a center of government and business, with the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Keidanren and the Japanese Diet making Tokyo their home. Tokyo’s location provides ready access to nearby Mt. Fuji, the historic shrines and temples of Nikko and Kamakura, and the hot springs of Hakone, as well as international destinations in Southeast Asia, Korea, and China.

Institution:

Sophia University was founded in 1913 by the Jesuits, a Catholic order renowned for its commitment to academic excellence. Built around the value of respect for the history and culture of different peoples and encouragement of efforts toward understanding across national and cultural divides, this spirit permeates and guides education at Sophia University today.

Program participants attend the Faculty of Liberal Arts on the university’s Ichigaya campus. Founded in 1949 as the International Division, the Faculty of Liberal Arts features a student body and teaching staff that is international in character, and offers a liberal arts curriculum that encompasses the humanities, social sciences, business, and language studies. Courses are taught in English and are offered in the fields of anthropology, art history, business, economics, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, sociology and Japanese studies. Participants enroll in any courses open to non-degree students in addition to Japanese language classes.

Program in Brief:

Designed for students in the humanities, social sciences, business, and language studies, this program enables students to directly enroll in Sophia University in Tokyo and take classes in English while studying Japanese language.

This program allows students to sit alongside Japanese students in over 150 courses taught in English in addition to attending intensive Japanese language training at a famous university in downtown Tokyo.

Sophia University is designed to provide students with superior cross-cultural and language training by way of intensive Japanese language course work, offering a range of courses in various disciplines, a managed homestay program, and providing on-site staff to support the students.

Some key highlights of studying at Sophia University:

    Intensive Japanese language courses for all levels
    Study full-time with Japanese and other international students and choose from a wide variety of courses taught in English
    Live with a local Japanese host family or in a Japanese university dormitory with local and international students
    Cultural and educational activities such as visits to large Japanese companies and local schools
    Overnight excursion to Hiroshima and Miyajima
    Optional pre-session language course (spring)
    Guest lectures

Academic Program & Areas of Study:

Some main areas of study include: Anthropology, Art History, Asian Studies, Business/Business & Management, Cultural Studies, Economics, History, International Relations, Japanese Language, Linguistics, Literature, Political Science, Religion & Theology, Sociology & Social Work

Student Life:

Once the semester begins, students can get involved in one of 200 university “circles”—extra-curricular organizations centered around community service, social events, sports, music and performance, hobbies, and study. The Faculty of Liberal Arts hosts a dozen student circles including Sophia Enterprises, which runs the Japanese Tutoring Program for exchange students, and Sophia Alpha, a circle offering opportunities for public service.

Housing & Meals:

Students have the option of Japanese homestays or living in private dormitories with Japanese students and young professionals. Students purchase meals at their dormitory or at campus restaurants and cafeterias.