• keio

    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/

    VSE Season 1, 2021-22: Courses offered by Keio University


    Application Deadline

    APPLICATION CLOSED
    Students must submit an application to the VSE Central Office before:

    Aug 16 2021, 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time (UTC+8)



    English Language Proficiency Requirements

    Before applying, please make sure you have fulfilled the course offering university's English language proficiency requirements listed below:



    For more details, please contact the VSE coordinator at KU.


    Course Information

    Click on the course titles to reveal full course details:

    Number of Credits 2
    Offering Department International Center
    Course Teacher SUGIURA, Kazunori
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassOct 1, 2021
    Last Day of ClassJan 21, 2022
    Course ComponentLecture
    Mode of TeachingSynchronous
    Meeting TimeFri 1630-1800
    Time ZoneUTC+9
    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.
    RestrictionsN/A
    Points to Note for Students N/A
    Course OutlineDownload
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternatoinal Center
    Course Teacher OKUGAWA, Ikuko
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassOct 4, 2021
    Last Day of ClassJan 17, 2022
    Course ComponentLectureDiscussion
    Mode of TeachingAsynchronousSynchronous
    Meeting TimeWeeks 11, 12, and 13 will be streamed live.
    Time ZoneUTC+9
    Course Description This course is an introduction to Japanese linguistics in sociocultural context. We will be reading scholarly articles in areas such as cognitive linguistics, functional linguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, and sociolinguistics, thinking about them critically, and formulating our own opinions. This course 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. We will cover 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.
    RestrictionsJLPT N3 or above is required.
    Points to Note for Students N/A
    Course OutlineDownload
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternational Center
    Course Teacher SHAULES, Joseph
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassOct 5, 2021
    Last Day of ClassJan 18, 2022
    Course ComponentDiscussionLecture
    Mode of TeachingSynchronous
    Meeting TimeTue 1445-1615
    Time ZoneUTC+9
    Course Description This class is focused on the process of adapting to life in another country. We learn about the experiences of foreigners getting used to life in Japan and of Japanese adapting to life in other countries. We will learn that there are stages of cultural adaptation: resistance, acceptance and adaptation. We will see that experiences abroad can be either deep or shallow. We will learn about the impact of living abroad on our values and identity. We will see that simply spending time abroad does not guarantee a positive experience. Students will learn interview a long-term sojourner and present a case study of their intercultural learning experiences. Class will be discussion-based.
    RestrictionsN/A
    Points to Note for StudentsN/A
    Course OutlineDownload
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternatoinal Center
    Course Teacher SUZUKI, Rie
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassOct 1, 2021
    Last Day of ClassJan 21, 2022
    Course ComponentLectureDiscussion
    Mode of TeachingAsynchronousSynchronous
    Meeting TimeN/AFri 1445-1615
    Time ZoneUTC+9
    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.
    RestrictionsN/A
    Points to Note for StudentsN/A
    Course OutlineDownload


    The number of credits is shown as provided by the course offering university. The credit structure at the course offering university may be different from the one at your home university. Please contact the VSE Coordinator of your home university for credit transfer information.

    Course enrollment is subject to final approval from your home university and the course offering university.