Courses

Keio University
Tokyo, Japan

Founded in 1858 by Yukichi Fukuzawa, a highly respected intellectual leader and visionary, Keio University is Japan’s oldest private comprehensive research university. Keio has 6 major campuses across the greater Tokyo area with 14 graduate schools, 10 undergraduate faculties, and a university hospital. In 2014, in recognition of its outstanding commitment to education, research and medicine, Keio was selected as one of Japan’s Top Type (Type A) universities for the government’s Top Global University Project.

Keio University is home to over 33,000 students and 5,300 faculty and administrative staff, with a rapidly growing international community. In 2017, Keio had a total of 1,677 international students from over 70 countries, including those enrolled in the Student Exchange Program and the Japanese Language Program, as well as short-term and research programs. Keio offers more than 800 courses, 29 double degree programs and 24 degree programs conducted entirely in English, with more being developed year after year. Furthermore, Keio is particularly proud of its strong alumni network, which has active branches throughout the world. Notable alumni include many CEOs of Japan’s most successful companies, alongside numerous world class-athletes, 3 prime ministers and 2 astronauts.

Keio University is continuously seeking to expand its international profile, with six overseas offices and centers and over 300 international partners with which it actively engages in both educational and research collaborations. The university is a member of many international university associations, including the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF) and the Top Industrial Managers for Europe (T.I.M.E.).

Website: https://www.keio.ac.jp/en/

Course Offerings for the semester from January to August 2021

APPLICATION CLOSED

Students must submit an application online before:
February 26, 2021 12:00nn Hong Kong Time (UTC+8) (Tentative)

Home universities must submit the list of endorsed students to VSE Central Office before:
March 1, 2021 12:00nn Hong Kong Time (UTC+8) (Tentative)

Additional Application Instructions

Students should submit the Keio University online registration form immediately after submitting their VSE online application.

Click on the course titles to reveal full course details:

Number of Credits	2
Offering Department	International Center
Course Teacher	Dr. Rie Suzuki
Language of Instruction	English
First Day of Class	Apr 8, 2021
Last Day of Class	Jul 8, 2021
Course Component	Lecture	Discussion/Presentation
Mode of Teaching	Asynchronous	Synchronous
Meeting Time	n/a	Thu 1445-1615 (TBC)
Time Zone	UTC+9
Restrictions	-
Course Description	This course aims to explore Japanese everyday interaction from various socio-cultural aspects that may affect speakers’ ways of interacting with others. By analyzing it in detail, comparing it to practices in other languages, and sharing experiences and opinions with classmates, participants will gain more insight into how people select their words and expressions and thereby perform social actions. The participants will see socio-cultural phenomena of Japanese communication from a wider perspective, while observing and analysing their own language use and its possible impacts on others.
Course Outline	English

Number of Credits	2
Offering Department	International Center
Course Teacher	Prof. Joseph Shaules
Language of Instruction	English
First Day of Class	May 25, 2021
Last Day of Class	Jul 6, 2021
Course Component	Lecture
Mode of Teaching	Synchronous
Meeting Time	Tue 1630-1940
Time Zone	UTC+9
Restrictions	-
Course Description	In this course we will learn about the psychology of experiencing cultural difference, and examine cultural differences between Japan and other countries. We will see that the largest impact of cultural difference often takes place at the level of the unconscious mind. We will learn about the unconscious process of deep culture learning. The class has two parts, 1) the brain and research into cultural difference, and 2) analyzing cultural difference. The ultimate goal of this course is a deeper understanding of yourself, your cultural programming, Japan and other cultural communities.
Course Outline	English

Number of Credits	2
Offering Department	International Center
Course Teacher	Dr. Ikuko Okugawa
Language of Instruction	English & Japanese
First Day of Class	Apr 8, 2021
Last Day of Class	Jul 8, 2021
Course Component	Lecture	Discussion/Presentation
Mode of Teaching	Asynchronous	Synchronous
Meeting Time	n/a	Thu 1045-1215 (TBC)
Time Zone	UTC+9
Restrictions	JLPT N3 level or higher proficiency in Japanese is required.
Course Description	This course is an introduction to Japanese linguistics in sociocultural context. It is primarily aimed at international students interested in the sociocultural aspects of the language, as well as at native speakers of Japanese who aim to research Japanese linguistics or to teach Japanese as a second language. The course covers a wide range of theoretical and empirical perspectives and many examples of each phenomenon. Classes will consist of lectures, discussions, presentations, and a final paper.
Course Outline	English

Number of Credits	2
Offering Department	International Center
Course Teacher	Prof. Kazunori Sugiura
Language of Instruction	English
First Day of Class	May 21, 2021
Last Day of Class	Jul 9, 2021
Course Component	Lecture/Tutorial
Mode of Teaching	Synchronous
Meeting Time	Fri 1630-1940 Course recordings are available for VSE students.
Time Zone	UTC+9
Restrictions	-
Course Description	"Anime", "Game", "Comic", and "Cosplay" are some of the aggressive and innovative forms of pop culture found in Japan. These so called “Otaku” culture is now focused throughout the globe and giving Japan an important role to enhance innovative creativity. It also delivers a new sense of atmosphere in terms of "Kawaii", and "Moe". These delivered contents and subcultures distributed from Japan have created transnational cultural boom referred to as “Japan Cool” or “Cool Japan” and now establishing an inevitable cultural influence. Furthermore, political strategy suggests favorable international competitiveness to claim these cultural deliverables as the seeds of creativity influencing its national branding. Objective of this course is to understand how the roots of these otaku cultural activities in Japan have expanded internationally as one of Simulacra with creators, and activists of the fields: How the technology has been created, and knowing its real motivation to drive these subcultural activities. This course will first address the backgrounds and characteristics as well as its innovative expansion of “Otaku” culture recognized internationally, that were once born in the age of competing creativity that comes from Social Darwinism inherent during the phase of its economic growth and development of Japan.
Course Outline	English

Course enrollment is subject to final approval from your home university and the course offering university. Please contact the APRU VSE Coordinator of your home university for credit transfer information.