RU-Kansai Gaidai University Semester Exchange Program
Fall 2008 Special Feature: RU's Orrin Heath blogs from Japan and KGU!
Kansai Gaidai University, located in the Osaka suburb of Hirakata, offers RU students the opportunity to study abroad in Japan without having any Japanese language knowledge. RU students pay RU tuition/room/board changes and travel to Japan, while KGU sends a student to RU in his or her place.
The Asian Studies Program at KGU offers students a comprehensive listing of coursework - offered in English - in a wide variety of disciplines. Students also need to take one class in the Japanese language, and absolute beginners are certainly welcome - no previous study of Japanese is required.(Courses offered in 2007-2008 may be found here.)
Students will find an American-style campus at KGU...there is a food court just like in the Bonnie with a McDonald's...and there are sports facilities, a library, and other things students expect at a university. Students live off campus, though, in host families, which brings them into direct contact with a different way of life. As students negotiate their way around Hirakata and Osaka, they will be forced to practice their language and understand a new way of structuring their daily lives.
Students should have a minimum 3.0 GPA for this program. Application materials should be submitted to the RU International Education Center by October 15, 2008 for Spring 2009 and February 1, 2009 for Fall 2009/AY 2009-2010. The application process is extensive and not online, so students should get an early start on the process.
For more information, please contact Dr. Stauff in the IEC or check out KGU's website for study abroad students at: