Introduction The Education Abroad Program at Kansai University of Foreign Studies is one of a number of programs conducted by The Pennsylvania State University in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Australia and New Zealand. More than 600 students from a wide variety of majors participate in these programs each year. Objectives Penn State’s Education Abroad Program at the Kansai University of Foreign Studies functions within the context of the objectives characterizing all of Penn State’s study abroad opportunities, especially to: 1. enable students to receive instruction in several disciplines within the context of another culture and to enrich their general academic studies. 2. enable students to expand their knowledge of the culture of a country or region of the world by living and studying abroad and, at the same time, to gain a more objective perspective of the values and way of life in their own country. 3. promote the educational goals of the University by providing overseas programs designed to increase the international understanding of students. 4. provide an international dimension to the intellectual and professional development of students in specialized fields of study. 5. to provide opportunities for students from cooperating universities in other countries to benefit from studying at Penn State through reciprocal exchange programs. Specifically, the Kansai Gaidai program aims to: 1. enhance the Japanese language proficiency of participants by means of intensive classroom study and full-time practice in the daily experience of living with Japanese families and students. 2. provide the opportunity to study firsthand the social, economic, and political issues and concerns that confront contemporary Japan. 3. promote an awareness of and an appreciation for the historical background and cultural heritage of modern Japan. 4. enhance participants’ understanding of Japan’s role in the contemporary global community. 5. stimulate sensitivity to a non-Western frame of reference for interpreting reality. Kansai University of Foreign Studies “Kansai Gaidai,” sometimes referred to simply as “Gaidai,” is the abbreviated form of Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku, which is translated literally as Kansai Foreign Language University, but more accurately known as the Kansai University of Foreign Studies. The Kansai University of Foreign Studies is the end result of an effort initiated in 1945 to promote international education and cross-cultural understanding. Established initially as the Tanimoto English Institute, the institution grew into the Kansai Junior College of Foreign Languages, which in turn was succeeded by the current four-year Kansai University of Foreign Studies. Of the five universities of foreign studies that currently exist in Japan, Kansai Gaidai has the unique distinction of having a program that can lead to either a Master’s Degree or a Doctorate: only about one-third of the institutions of higher learning in Japan are authorized by the Ministry of Education (Monbusho) to offer doctoral programs. Including its junior college divisions, Gaidai’s current enrollment is more than 11,000. Enrollment is becoming increasingly competitive: in 1994, the number of Gaidai applicants totaled 20,276. A truly international dimension was introduced in the summer of 1968 with the beginning of what has now become Gaidai’s Asian Studies Program — a non- professional, liberal arts, but strictly academic curriculum designed to meet the requirements of undergraduate students from abroad. To date, more than 3,000 students representing hundreds of institutions from other countries have participated in Gaidai’s Asian Studies Program. Special arrangements now exist for the exchange of students with more than 100 institutions of higher learning in the United States. The University is located in the heart of the Kansai region, the ancient center of Japanese culture. It is near both Kyoto, the cultural and religious center of traditional Japan, and Osaka, an industrial metropolis of modern Japan. Facilities include two fully equipped language laboratories with the latest innovations in language instruction facilities, the Tanimoto Memorial Hall for International Education constructed exclusively for the Asian Studies Program, on- campus residence halls, administrative offices, classroom buildings, three student cafeterias, a gymnasium, an auditorium and recreation rooms. There are several student organizations that program participants are encouraged to join. Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku is dedicated to the educational principles of its founder, Dr. Takako Tanimoto. In the words of its president, Dr. Sadato Tanimoto, “as knowledge expands and the world shrinks, more emphasis is placed on international cooperation and understanding.” It is this philosophy that underlies the Asian Studies Program with which Penn State is affiliated at Kansai Gaidai. Program Description Participants in the Kansai Education Abroad Program enroll directly in regular courses of the Asian Studies Program at Kansai Gaidai. The Asian Studies Program is based on the standard American academic calendar. Students may enroll for either fall, spring or a full academic year. Applications for all entry points, including spring semester, are due November 1. All participants are required to enroll for a course in spoken Japanese, which meets five times per week in fifty-minute periods, supplemented by at least two periods of language lab work. Spoken Japanese is offered at all levels; the level in which a student enrolls is determined by the results of a language placement exam administered immediately after arrival. Courses in reading and writing are also available. In addition to the five-credit course in spoken Japanese, students must enroll for at least three additional three-credit courses per semester (i.e., a minimum of 14 credits per semester), such courses to be selected from the regular course offerings of the Asian Studies Program. Classes are conducted on the basis of two eighty-minute recitations per week supplemented by extra contact hours in the form of field trips and special assignments. Except for the Japanese language courses, all instruction is in English. Grading As with all courses at The Pennsylvania State University, responsibility for assessing students’ academic achievement lies with the course instructors. The Kansai evaluations are then translated into Penn State letter grade equivalents. Accreditation Courses successfully completed within the frame of this program are accredited under regular Penn State course numbers. No transfer of credit is necessary since participants remain registered at Penn State while they are abroad. Living Arrangements During the first semester, all participants will be enrolled in the Kansai Gaidai homestay program. A limited number of Japanese-style dormitories will be available to accommodate those who prefer residence hall living, but only in the spring semester. The homestay program offers students the opportunity to participate in Japanese daily life: as students gradually become integrated into their new “families,” classroom work becomes more meaningful and cultural understanding deepens. The homestay program is thus an integral part of the overall academic/cross-cultural experience. To benefit fully from this experience students must be prepared to make significant adjustments: in addition to experiencing culture shock, students may have some initial difficulties with dietary patterns, commuting, problems of communication, and new family relationships. The homestay program includes breakfast and dinner during the week and breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the weekends. Students living in the dormitories must either prepare their own meals (kitchen equipment is provided) or eat in the University cafeterias. Two cafeterias and a refreshment center (kissashitsu) are available. Eligibility The Kansai program is open to all regularly enrolled students at Penn State. Applicants must have a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA), and must show evidence of maturity, adaptability, stability, self- discipline, and strong academic motivation. Participants are generally in their junior year during the time in which they are enrolled in the Kansai program. Prerequisites Students are expected to complete one of the following: HIST 175, HIST 172, RLST 181, RLST 481, CMLIT 004, or CMLT 404. Students are also expected to take at least two semesters of Japanese language training at Penn State prior to enrollment in the program. Orientation A specially designed orientation program, conducted during the semester immediately prior to departure, is intended to prepare participants for the adjustment to living and studying in Japan. Attendance at all orientation sessions is mandatory. Participants are also required to attend an on-site orientation program at Kansai before classes begin. The on-site program is designed to provide newcomers with a basic introduction to Japanese culture and daily life in the hope that they may begin their homestays with Japanese families smoothly and with a minimum of embarrassment and misunderstanding. Costs Tuition is the same as at the University Park campus; room and board is prorated on the basis of the regular University Park rate (double-room and meal plan #5) to include an extra week of residence each semester. Tuition and room/board fees are payable at the Bursar’s office in accordance with the standard procedures and deadlines at University Park Campus. Students are also required to pay a $150.00 non-refundable program fee at the time of accepting an enrollment offer. Round-trip air transportation is an additional cost to the student. Students are responsible for making their own flight arrangements. Textbooks, commuting costs, and personal expenses are extra. The Office of Education Abroad Programs has a cost sheet that gives an estimate of overall expenses for each semester. Financial Assistance The standard forms of financial assistance are available through the Office of Student Aid. Since students remain registered at Penn State while abroad, financial aid packages remain effective during the time in which a student is enrolled in the program. The Office of Education Abroad Programs coordinates closely with the Office of Student Aid to help needy students obtain funds to cover the additional cost of study abroad. The Office of Education Abroad Programs also has a modest grant- in-aid fund that can be drawn upon for financially needy and qualified students. Health Insurance Kansai Gaidai retains a physician and two nurses for “first aid” care without charge. The Japanese government also has a medical refund system available to foreign students in residence at Kansai Gaidai; those interested in enrolling should take the necessary steps immediately after arrival. For protection against uncovered and/or major medical expenses, however, all participants are required to carry their own health and accident insurance. Personal liability insurance is strongly recommended. Planning Ahead To exploit the many advantages and benefits of a study abroad experience, it is essential that students, in consultation with their academic adviser, plan well in advance. With careful planning, every Penn State student, regardless of major, not only gains regular Penn State credit while studying abroad, but also maintains normal progress toward graduation: credits earned abroad can often be applied toward general education requirements, electives, language requirements, and/or, in many cases, to major requirements. Like all Penn State’s semester and year-long Education Abroad Programs, this program satisfies the University’s cultural diversity requirement. Each student is required to check with his/her adviser or dean to discuss what impact study abroad may have on his/her progress toward graduation. For further information and application forms, contact your Campus Education Abroad adviser or: Office of Education Abroad Programs The Pennsylvania State University 222 Boucke Building University Park, PA 16802-5900 Tel. (814) 865-7681