Summer: Rutgers- Ritsumeikan: Asia-Pacific Relations in Multi-Dimension (Japan)
The Program
ようこそ！Yōkoso! Welcome!
Explore the social, cultural, and political interactions in the Asia-Pacific region in the 20th and 21st centuries from a multi-dimensional perspective. Students will gain “alternative” perspectives and learn to critically examine topics on U.S.-Asia encounters through exposure to multiple points of view: faculty and students at a Japanese university, museums and sites where the experiences are remembered and told, and the “voices” or contemporaneous works and testimonies. The program consists of three weeks at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, which includes participation in 2-3 courses (offered in English), multiple excursions in Kyoto with the students at Ritsumeikan, and a field trip to Hiroshima, and the final week in Tokyo.
Program Location
Japan
Kyoto
Modern Kyoto has a population of 1.5 million. Its economy is based on IT and other hi-tech industries—Nintendo has its headquarters here—as well as more traditional products like sake and kimonos. During your time in the city, be sure to walk the Path of Philosophy, which runs along a canal and is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Kyoto also has an active music scene, ranging from jazz to pop. If, on the other hand, you prefer the sound of your own voice, the nearest karaoke bar is never more than a mere stroll away.
Academics
This program is part of an inter-institutional collaborative learning program with Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. To read the 2023 syllabus for the program, click here.
The program, under the direction of Professors Haruko Wakabayashi (Asian Languages and Cultures, Rutgers University) and Keiji Nakatsuji (International Relations, Ritsumeikan University), offers a unique opportunity for students to explore the social, cultural, and political interactions in the Asia-Pacific region from multiple perspectives at multiple institutions. In the spring, students from Ritsumeikan visit Rutgers for four weeks and join Prof. Wakabayashi’s 01:098:345 “Asia-Pacific in Cross-Cultural Perspective.” In April and May, we conduct four online joint sessions where students of Prof. Wakabayashi and Prof. Nakatsuji’s classes meet to discuss some of the key issues surrounding the Asia-Pacific region.
For the summer portion of this program, Rutgers students will spend four weeks at Ritsumeikan and in Tokyo. They will participate in Professor Keiji Nakatsuji’s class on contemporary issues in Asia-Pacific Relations and audit two other classes of the student’s choice (all offered in English). They will also attend field trips to Hiroshima (The Peace Memorial Museum and Park, etc.) and Tokyo (Yasukuni Shrine, National Diet Building, Asakusa, etc.), in addition to multiple excursions in Kyoto and its vicinities.
Though not required, students who are taking 01:098:345 “Asia-Pacific in Cross-Cultural Perspective” will be given priority in the application process, provided they maintain adequate academic progress in the spring. As part of the program, students must attend 4-6 joint evening online sessions with Ritsumeikan in April, May, and June prior to the trip.
For information about study abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the Academics section of our website.
Housing and Meals
The program fee includes accommodations in University housing, in double-occupancy rooms with other members of the program. Some group meals will be provided, but students will be able to buy food and groceries from local establishments as they explore the neighborhood and the city.
Students will have access to the University cafeteria which offers meals at a very affordable price ( for example, 300 yen for a bowl of noodles, 500 yen for main dish+ rice+ miso soup. The student cafeteria will have meals for about $4-5).
Financial Information
Program Costs
| NJ Resident | non-NJ Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | $3,820 | $4,150 |
Program Cost includes:
• Tuition
• Housing
• Excursions
• Administrative Fees
• Emergency medical access abroad
Out-of-Pocket Costs
| Airfare | $2,200 |
| Meals | $400 |
| Books and Classroom Materials | $50 |
| Local Transportation | $50 |
| Personal Expenses | $600 |
| Total | $3,300.00 |
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:
The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.
Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket and visa costs, while some of these expenses, such as meals and local transportation, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.