Japan Study enables students to become international citizens as they explore Japan in depth, build language skills, and experience Japanese culture. Living with a Japanese family, taking courses at Waseda University, and participating in a cultural practicum/internship offer different windows for experiencing and understanding the complex society of contemporary Japan.

The Associated Kyoto Program is a two-semester study abroad program at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, sponsored by a consortium of sixteen American colleges and universities. The Program maintains high academic standards and dedication to a sound liberal education for which its sponsoring institutions are known. Approximately 40 students are accepted each year to study the Japanese language intensively and take courses in English on Japan, mainly in the humanities and social sciences. AKP is a full academic-year program, running from September through April. AKP students tend to realize the greatest benefits and make the most significant progress in the second semester, after they have begun to adjust to Japanese customs and achieved some fluency in the language.

The program is based in Nankai University, which is located in Tianjin, in the heart of Mandarin-speaking China. Other sites will also be included for our studies and activities. One of China’s most prestigious universities, Nankai has more than 20,000 students in 20 colleges. The University offers over 70 undergraduate majors, 200 master’s degrees, and 100 PhD programs. Set in a quiet and beautiful environment, the University is an ideal setting for study and scholarly research. Nankai University has a historical commitment to language study and the College of Chinese Language and Culture specializes in the training of students from many countries. Other institutions of higher education may be selected due to possible changing conditions at our base university.

This program gives students the opportunity to study linguistics and experience Japanese culture with students at Doshisha University in Kyoto. It will also include excursions to Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kobe.

This semester or summer program provides students with a general foundation in Chinese language and modern Chinese history, while targeting the specific areas of economics, politics and international relations through specialized classes, internships, activities and field trips. The program's capstone course, History of Shanghai in the Modern Era, grounds students in their environment and gives them the tools to research and understand their new surroundings. Electives in economics, international relations and political science further students' learning about China's role in globalization. Courses are taught in Chinese and English. Students of any language ability level are welcome to apply to the program's Internship Track, where they will intern at an organization or company that specializes in an area of particular interest to them. CET's well-known Chinese language classes and innovative activities round out this exciting new program!

The goals of CET's Beijing Chinese Language program are twofold: rapid improvement of language skills and a solid understanding of contemporary Chinese society. Weekly themes integrate the intensive curriculum--a lecture class might introduce the "Chinese family"; family planning policies are debated during drill class; students interview a Chinese family for language practicum. A full-time language pledge and dorm rooms shared with local Chinese students round out this rigorous program.

Students abide by a full-time language pledge and explore Harbin, a location chosen for its standard Mandarin, with Chinese roommates. The curriculum, perfect for students with research interests, includes one-on-two drill classes, small group electives and student-designed independent study classes--a student favorite. Students who have completed at least four terms of college-level Chinese or the equivalent are eligible for the program, while those students who have completed four years or the equivalent of college-level Chinese may elect Harbin's "research track". Designed for advanced learners of Chinese, particularly those who are enrolled, or are planning to enroll, in a graduate program, the research track allows students to conduct guided thesis research under the direction of a Chinese faculty member. Research track students also take Classical Chinese, an area of study that prepares them for further research in their chosen field of study. Finally, a composition or pronunciation class rounds out the research track curriculum.

CET's Vietnam Immersion provides an intensive immersion environment for all students with an interest in Vietnamese language and culture. The program offers a unique combination of service-learning, area studies courses, concentrated Vietnamese language and immersion in contemporary Vietnamese society. In addition, CET's Vietnam Immersion students live with Vietnamese roommates. CET has cultivated partnerships with many local organizations and worked together to design a service-learning experience that allows for extensive interaction with the local community. CET's Resident Director arranges these volunteer opportunities, which may include working at an orphanage, volunteering at a local school, working with people who are disabled, or contributing to one of the many international NGO's operating in the city.

APU offers a dual language education in Japanese and English, with most academic subjects given in both languages. This bilingual education system means no prior Japanese language experience is required for admission. APU’s international student body and teaching faculty are dedicated to fostering greater understanding of the Asia Pacific region among the peoples of the world, continuing to attract attention as the standard bearer of international education in Japan. APU’s campus is located on a hill with stunning views over the township of Beppu and its picturesque bay. Beppu, famous as Japan’s leading hot spring resort, is proud of its small-town atmosphere and tradition of hospitality to visitors and new residents from around the world.

Beijing is a city of contrasts - a modern Asian boom-town that strives to preserve the cultural landscape of its glorious past while all around the glass and steel emblems of its dynamic present flourish. As the political and cultural capital of China, Beijing attracts people from all over the country, and IES Abroad Beijing students are directly exposed to the numerous challenges being addressed in both the personal and political realms of modern China. While its new high-rises and financial institutions testify to its booming economy, remnants of Old Beijing remain. Streets lined with dumpling and noodle stands, beautiful parks bedecked with pagodas, and 19th century homes with graceful four-walled courtyards still charm visitors from around the world. Students can experience Beijing's energy first-hand through three distinct IES Abroad program options.

The large, thriving, modern city of Nagoya is the gateway to the vast beauty and culture of central Japan. It is one of Japan's major cities and an important industrial and cultural center. Its rich natural environment provides the backdrop for scenic areas such as Ise Bay, Nobi Plain, and the Kiso River. Nagoya Castle, originally built in 1612, Atsuta Shrine, and the Tokugawa Art Museum are among the city's many famous attractions that draw visitors from around the world. Nanzan University, site of the IES Abroad Nagoya Program, is a distinguished private university on a wooded campus on a hill above Nagoya.

Tokyo is a modern city of wonderful contrasts. Its dignified temples and shrines stand quietly in the shadows of massive skyscrapers. Tokyo's modernity and fast pace are somehow subdued by the serene charm of its many parks and the quiet courtesy of its people. Both energetic and graceful, Tokyo is a gateway to the fascinating culture of Japan. You can experience everything Tokyo has to offer through one of our unique programs.

The Curriculum of the Asian Studies Program is twofold; the rigorous Japanese language studies and courses in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Business/Economics pertinent to Japan and Asia make it possible for participants to approach a wide array of study areas during their stay in Japan. While Japanese language instruction plays a key role in our program, we are by no means a language-training institute. For this reason, the structure of the program may not necessarily accommodate the needs of those students whose primary interest lies solely on acquisition of the Japanese language. Since all courses in the Asian Studies Program, aside from those focusing on the Japanese language, are conducted in English, it is possible for students with no previous Japanese training to pursue an in-depth study of Japan and Asia.

THE NANZAN SCHOOLS are located in the rolling hills overlooking metropolitan Nagoya and in the nearby cities of Toyota and Seto on the outskirts of Nagoya. NANZAN GAKUEN is an educational complex consisting of the university and its research institutes and study centers, a women's junior college, three high schools and a primary school. The gist of Nanzan University's education is expressed in the motto common to all Nanzan educational institutions: "Hominis Dignitati―for the dignity of all human beings." While all undergraduate and graduate programs have required courses on religion, Christianity, or ethics, promoting the objectives and character of Nanzan as a Catholic university transcends these specific courses on religious and moral values: the spirit of "Hominis Dignitati," shared by faculty members and students alike, serves as the common ground for education and research at Nanzan University. Academic excellence is defined by a focus on personal growth and communal service.

Examine China's extraordinary cultural complexity in Yunnan Province, one of the world's most anthropologically and ecologically diverse locations. Through direct engagement with multiple sources of knowledge, students explore traditional cultures and beliefs, the impact of tourism on minority cultures, and the growing gap between urban and rural life in China. Intensive Chinese language instruction and homestays with host families in both urban and rural settings allow students to examine critical issues surrounding China's rich diversity from unique perspectives and in varied environments. Carefully-designed field excursions expose students to the environmental, cultural, and economic realities that characterize the region's different ethnic minorities. Visits to Dali, Lijiang, and Zhongdian bring students into direct engagement with local scholars, medical and development professionals, and Daoist, Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian religious leaders.

From barefoot doctors to traditional remedies, the Chinese public health system has drawn increasing attention in the West. In the SIT Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine program, students examine Traditional Chinese Medicine and public health issues by working with professionals in the field in both urban and rural settings. Students learn and practice an array of traditional techniques alongside professionally experienced medical doctors, usually trained in both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Students observe traditional practitioners of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and massage therapy, and, in some cases, receive practical training. Additionally, students receive acupressure charts, sterile acupuncture needles, and models to practice on, as well as tuina massage practice bags, moxibustion sticks, and cups for cupping. The program’s books, among the best available on Chinese Traditional Medicine, are bilingual and cover theory, diagnosis, tuina massage, acupuncture, and moxibustion.

Examine economic and social development in the cultural context of Viet Nam, one of Southeast Asia's most fascinating and rapidly changing countries. After emerging from decades of war and isolation, Viet Nam today is experiencing tremendous growth and, over the last decade, has boasted one of the strongest economies in Asia. Concurrent with this growth, the country has been wrestling with critical issues such as sustainable resource management, intense urbanization, changing family and marriage patterns, and integration with global networks and institutions. Students in the Viet Nam: National Development and Globalization program examine these trends firsthand. Through interdisciplinary coursework, field study, and complementary educational excursions led by academic and community experts, students learn about Viet Nam's history, social characteristics, and recent economic development trends. Intensive language study and meaningful homestays, in two distinct regions, further facilitate deep cultural immersion and cross cultural learning.

This program offers students 12 class hours per week of Chinese language during the fall and spring semesters and 15 hours per week during the summer as well as the opportunity to examine modern China through courses in English in several disciplines including economics, film studies, women’s studies, and cultural studies. Students may enroll for a semester, summer, or academic year, or a combination of a semester and summer term. Students are encouraged to consider spending their second term in China in a different Alliance program to deepen their knowledge of China’s regional diversity. Click here to view a full listing of textbooks and lessons by Alliance program and Chinese language level.