| Institution | Sophia University |
| City and country | Tokyo, Japan |
| Language(s) of instruction | English and Japanese |
| Term | Semester |
| Approximate dates | Fall: Sept– early Feb Spring: March– July (Japanese language pre-session: Feb-March) |
| Population: city/university | 12.2 million inhabitants 11,000 students |
| Program description | Sophia University is a prestigious private, Jesuit institution offering an extensive curriculum in English and Japanese. There are seven faculties at the university and over 11,000 students. Program participants take courses at the Faculty of Comparative Culture. It includes the Department of Comparative Culture and the Department of Japanese Language and Literature, and offers Japanese language courses at many different levels as well as other courses in a wide range of disciplines all taught in English. Approximately 75% of the students studying in this faculty are Japanese. The Ichigaya campus, which houses the Faculty of Comparative Culture, is located about 10 minutes away from the main Yotsuya campus. The Ichigaya campus is unique as it allows international and Japanese students to study together in seminar classes taught in English. Not far from the center of Tokyo and Shinjuku, the Meiji Shrine, and the Imperial Palace, the Ichigaya campus includes a library, computer room, faculty and administrative offices, and classrooms. CIEE has an office on campus that provides full support to students while at Sophia University. All students must also enroll in the required core course, Japan: Facing the New Millennium. All students are required to take a Japanese language class. Most students enroll in the regular Japanese Language program (4 credits), while some advanced level students may opt to enter the Japanese Language Intensive Program (8 credits). Students are also encouraged to enroll in at least one course offering a distinctive Japanese perspective in their area of interest. Sophia University is well known for its international environment. |
| Housing options | Homestay |
| GPA requirement | 3.0 GPA You must have at least this GPA at the time of application and a 2.7 the semester prior to exchange. Failure to maintain adequate academic standing will result in your removal from the program. |
| Language Requirements | You are strongly encouraged to complete the beginning level of Japanese prior to participation |
| Language Notes | Beginning language courses are counted as General College Credit. Intermediate and advanced language courses are counted as Advanced Liberal Arts. |
| Credit Load | 17 (recommended) = 3 area studies courses + the required course |
| Credits per course | 4 credits |
| Course listing | http://www.fcc.sophia.ac.jp/academics/programs.html |
| Scholarships available | Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan: http://www.colorado.edu/ealld/atj/Bridging/scholarships.html |
| Non-credit internships | No |
| Other academic notes | Students participating in the spring semester may choose to begin with a Japanese language pre-session; during this session, CIEE arranges 15 hours of language classes per week at a language school, provides a mini-orientation, and a homestay with a Japanese family. All students participate in a mandatory 2-week non-credit orientation prior to the beginning of the semester |
| URL address | www.ciee.org/index.cfmwww.fcc.sophia.ac.jp/ |
| Comments | It is highly recommended that students attend Sophia in the spring because their fall semester does not end until early February, causing students to miss the first few weeks of the spring semester at Babson. |
