• 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 2, 2021-22: Courses offered by Keio University


    Application Deadline

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

    Feb 23, 2022 12:00 noon Hong Kong Time (UTC+8)


    Course Information

    Click on the course titles to reveal full course details:

    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternational Center
    Course Teacher Prof. Joseph Shaules
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassMay 31, 2022
    Last Day of ClassJul 27, 2022
    Course ComponentLecture
    Mode of TeachingSynchronous
    Meeting TimeTue 1445-1800
    Time ZoneUTC+9
    Course DescriptionIn 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.
    RestrictionsN/A
    Points to Note for StudentsN/A
    Course OutlineLink
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternatoinal Center
    Course Teacher Dr. Ikuko Okugawa
    Language of InstructionEnglish and Japanese
    First Day of ClassApr 7, 2022
    Last Day of ClassJul 27, 2022
    Course ComponentLectureDiscussion/Presentation
    Mode of TeachingAsynchronousSynchronous
    Meeting Timen/aTBA
    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 level or higher proficiency in Japanese is required.
    Points to Note for Students N/A
    Course OutlineLink
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternational Center
    Course TeacherProf. Kazunori Sugiura
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassJun 3, 2022
    Last Day of ClassJul 27, 2022
    Course ComponentLectureTutorial
    Mode of TeachingSynchronousSynchronous<
    Meeting TimeFri 1445-1800TBA
    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 OutlineLink
    Number of Credits2
    Offering DepartmentInternatoinal Center
    Course Teacher Dr. Rie Suzuki
    Language of InstructionEnglish
    First Day of ClassApr 7, 2022
    Last Day of ClassJul 27, 2022
    Course ComponentLectureDiscussion/Presentation
    Mode of TeachingAsynchronousSynchronous
    Meeting TimeN/ATBA
    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 OutlineLink


    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.