The Program

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is cooperating with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to send students to the UW-P program at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies.

Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) is a division of Nagasaki Gaidai. The University offers B.A. degrees in American English, British English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Japanese for foreigners. It was founded in 1947 and is fully accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education. The total student body is currently around 800 with full-time faculty.

Just as the curriculum is specially designed to maximize your experience in Japan, so, too, living with a Japanese family is an integral and equally important aspect of your intercultural experience. You will be placed in a Japanese home and become part of the Japanese family. The program is able to place most students singly in their homestays, but occasionally students are placed two to a home.

In the Japanese home, you will have seven breakfasts and seven evening meals each week. In addition to being immersed in the language, staying with a family adds substantially to learning about Japanese culture and society. Many past participants list it as the most important part of their experience abroad.

Location

Nagasaki, a city of 500,000 people on the western island of Kyushu, is built around a natural harbor and climbs up the surrounding steep hills. The city boasts spectacular views and proximity to natural sights such as its rugged coastline, beaches, islands, volcanic mountains, and a national park. Despite ravages of World War II and the Atomic Bombing, Nagasaki continues to be a major tourist destination in Japan, with a rich and vibrant cultural life that includes plays, concerts, exhibits, and performances throughout the year.

Shortly after arrival, you will have a bus tour of Nagasaki City to see some of the numerous tourist attractions. Half-day field trips are incorporated into the Japan Studies courses: visits to schools, to historical sites (History of Nagasaki), and to companies, factories, businesses, banks, etc. (Japanese Management).

In addition, a full-day trip is arranged every term to a location of interest some distance from Nagasaki, and an overnight excursion is planned to a hot-springs resort in the vicinity of Nagasaki.



Courses

You will take 12-16 semester credits, including one Japanese language course at the appropriate level (6 credits), 3-4 Japan studies courses (2 credits each), and 1-2 seminars in Traditional Japanese Arts (1 credit each). Independent Study is also available on a limited basis for students with well-defined research interests.

The Japanese studies classes change frequently. The specific classes to be offered in a given semester are only determined a few months in advance.

Sample course offerings are listed below:

-Japanese Business Practices Compared to Other Foreign Countries (2 credits)
-Japanese Management (2 credits)
-Classical Japanese Literature: Beginnings Through Tokugawa Era (2 credits)
-Modern Japanese Literature: Meiji Era to Post World War II (2 credits)
-Contemporary Japanese Society (2 credits)
-Japanese History (2 credits)
-Contemporary Japanese Society (2 credits)
-Peace Studies (2 credits)
-Seminar in Traditional Japanese Martial Arts and Sports (1 credit)
-Seminar in Traditional Japanese Fine Arts (1 credit)
-Independent Study (3 credits)

Academic Calendar

You may attend for fall or spring semester, or the academic year. Note that dates follow the traditional Japanese university calendar. Fall semester runs from late September to late December. Spring semester runs from late March to early August.


Expenses

The estimated Wisconsin resident fee for one semester is $8,053.  This includes full-time tuition, room, breakfast and dinner with a host family, CISI insurance, and administrative fees. Minnesota residents may apply for reciprocity; non-residents add $900.  Note: fall students departing in December receive a housing credit of roughly $800.

Additional costs: passport, international transportation, 1 meal/day, books, or personal expenses. Estimate another $3,257-3,457 for these costs.

Total Wisconsin resident cost estimate for one semester: $11,310-$11,510. Cost estimates may change at any time.
 

Financial Aid/Scholarships

If you qualify for financial aid, you can apply your aid to program costs. Your aid package will be based on actual costs in Japan, including round-trip airfare. Two large national scholarships, the Freeman Asia and Bridging Scholarships, are available for study in Japan. Learn about additional options, including a study abroad grant through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation; a Wisconsin Grant for Study Abroad and scholarships for specific majors and more national scholarships at http://uwec.edu/CIE/sac/finaid.htm.

Eligibility

To apply you must be a currently-enrolled, degree-seeking undergraduate UW-Eau Claire student . You must be in good academic standing and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8.  You may apply as a freshman but must have at least sophomore standing when the program begins. No previous Japanese language study is required.

Application Deadline

Applications for Fall 2008/Academic Year 2008-09 are accepted beginning September 4, 2007.  The priority application deadline for Fall 2008 is November 15, 2007.

Applications for Spring 2009 are accepted beginning January 15, 2008.  The priority application deadline for Spring 2009 is April 1, 2008.

Complete applications will be reviewed after these dates.  Late applications will be considered if space on the program is still available.  Please contact the Center for International Education to find out if spaces are available before submitting a late application.  No applications will be accepted after January 15, 2008 for Fall 2008/Academic Year 2008-2009, or after May 1, 2008 for Spring 2009.

You can download an application at online applications, or stop by to pick up an application in the Center for International Education.

Additional Information

For more information and an application, contact:

Center for International Education
Schofield 111
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI  54702-4004

Phone: (715) 836-4411
Fax: (715) 836-4948
Email: studyabroad@uwec.edu