Study Abroad Summer in Japan

Study Abroad - UWP Programs

2009 Summer Field Seminar in Japan University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Geography

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JAPAN FIELD TRIP 3 Week 3 Credit Trip or 6 Week 6 Credit Program 22 May - 1 July 2009 19-Day Tour - Hokkaido to Kyushu and 25 Days in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Geography Field Trips & Classes WHY? Japan is one of the most influential nations in the world today, with a culture and history very different from our own. This summer program provides a wonderful opportunity for you to gain knowledge and insights that will aid you in your professional development. WHAT? The Summer Field Seminar is built around the examination of the physical and cultural geography of Japan. The trip is designed to cover various regions of Japan, examining physical and cultural differences and likenesses among outer regions and such well-known areas as Tokyo and Osaka. Approximately 3-4 weeks of the trip will be held on the campus of IEC Kyushu Kokusai College in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto (near Nagasaki), Kyushu, and 3weeks will be spent using the rail system to travel between Hokkaido and Kyushu. The field seminar provides a unique opportunity for students to conduct field studies and research on a variety of critical issues facing Japan's environment, culture and economy. Students participating in the Summer Field Seminar Program will register in either a 3 hour course if they only participate in the rail tour portion of the trip, or a 6 hour course if they continue on to Yatsushiro.. Students will answer a set of essay questions pertaining to observations made along the way during the rail tour from Hokkaido to Kyushu, for 3 hours of credit. In Yatsushiro, under faculty guidance each student will carry out a field-based research project from a variety of topics such as urban development, agricultural problems, migration, high-tech industries, environmental problems and natural hazards, culminating in a final written report for another 3 hours of credit. Students in the past have selected topics from fields such as urban development, land-use policy, migration, high-tech industries, environmental problems, westernization, impacts of automobiles, linquistic differences, rural depopulation, and natural hazards. A topic developed prior to the trip allows for more efficient use of time as well as giving an advantage on grant applications. Students will have the rest of the summer to complete the requirements for the courses. Prior Japanese language study is not necessary. Information: Program Instructors: Todd Stradford, UWP Geography Department Dates: May 20- June 30, 2009 Call 342-1674 to enroll now-limited to 7 students *Must be full time student of sophomore standing. The program includes airfare, lectures, hotel accommodations, most meals in Yatsushiro, domestic transportation from Hokkaido to Kyushu and field trip costs. For more details, explore the links on the left.
For one student's appraisal of the trip click here Shohinken Tea House, Yatsushiro, Japan Click for Yatsushiro Links

IEC SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS If you prefer an intensive Japanese language program only, an unescorted 3-week Japanese-language/culture-only non-credit program is available during the summer at IEC Kyushu Kokusai College. Minimum costs are approximately Y101,000 for the Japanese courses taught by IEC faculty, the homestay lodging, and 2 meals per day (Program - Y65,000; Homestay - Y36,000). Transportation to Japan and IEC is extra. For more info, contact IEC at info@iec-college.ac.jp. Design proposal for the new IEC campus by the UK School of Design.

Dr. H. Todd Stradford	President Kazuaki Imoto
Department of Geography	IEC Kyushu Kokusai College
1 University Plaza	651 Hiokimachi
UW Platteville	Yatsushiro-shi
Platteville, WI 53818	Kumamoto-ken T866
Phone: 608-342-1674	Phone: 0965-32-5430
Fax: 608-342-1427	Fax: 0965-32-0232
stradfot@uwplatt.edu

Sponsors: University of Wisconsin, Platteville Department of Geography University of Kentucky, Lexington Department of Geography IEC Kyushu Kokusai College, Yatsushiro