Program Overview

The program at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) and Nagasaki College of Foreign Languages are housed together on one campus. The campus was founded in 1945 and has a student population of 850. The program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to study Japanese language and culture while living in Japan. The program provides the participants with a genuine experience in Japanese culture and language. There are 40 full-time faculty members and the program also includes one-on-one sessions each week with native-speaking conversation partners. The conversation partners are chosen from among the Japanese students at the college and university, and the sessions are intended to reinforce classroom studies. Conversation partners are to meet twice a week for an hour at a time. 
 

Location

The campus is located in Nagasaki; a city of 500,000.  Nagasaki is located at the end of the archipelago that makes up Japan.  Its natural location, with China nearest to the west, made it the center of trade during the 15th century.  Throughout hundreds of years, the trade industry created an international flavor with the presence of traders from China, Britain, America and Russia.  This remains evident today through festivals, architecture, cuisine, and cultural spirit.  The city of Nagasaki rises up from the East China Sea thus producing spectacular views from its steep inland hills.  The city has several natural sights to visit such as its rugged coastline, beaches, islands, volcanic mountains and national park.

Academics

The coursework for this program can fulfill general education or program requirements. Students will take 12-16 credits in Japanese language, studies, and traditional arts.  No prior knowledge of the language is required for participation.  Students are placed at the appropriate level of Japanese for the required language course. All courses included one-on-one tutoring sessions with native-speaking conversation partners.  The classes focus on history, culture, literature, business, economics, and society of Japan.  The traditional Japanese arts courses are intended to enrich the student's appreciation through a hands-on approach. 

The preferred minimum GPA is 2.8, but students will be considered between a 2.5-2.8 GPA, on a case-by-case basis. Strong letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and how the student plans to be academically successful at NUFS, would be taken into consideration.

Housing and Meals

Students are placed in Japanese homes and become part of the Japanese family. The Program is able to place most students singly in their home stays, but occasionally students are placed two to a home.In the Japanese home, you will have seven breakfasts and seven evening meals each week.

Female students have a second housing option: residence in the new women's dormitory, which includes seven breakfasts and seven evening meals in the dormitory cafeteria. However, this option is not recommended because of the considerable additional expense and the restrictive dorm rules, including a 10:30 p.m. curfew and no visitors.

Passport/Visa/Travel

Passport: Students will need to have a passport study in Japan. The current passport fee is $135. If you already have a valid U.S. passport, be sure to check the dates of validity – your passport must be valid six months beyond your return date.

Visa: Students will need to have a visa to study in Japan. UW-Platteville’s Institute for Study Abroad will assist you with this process.

Travel: Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Japan. Depending on the starting and ending date of the term, students may have the option of traveling in Japan before or after the program.