February 18, 2009
Every summer Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) hosts its Summer Institute programs—intensive six-week courses for undergraduate and graduate students interested in Japanese and Asian Studies. With the growing worldwide interest in Japanese modern culture highlighted by – but not limited to – manga and anime, this Summer Institute has been very successful.
The Summer Institute is a study-abroad program for students of Temple main campus and other US universities. However, students based in Japan with no visa requirements can also enroll as non-degree-seeking students by applying directly to TUJ. Any Japan-based student wishing to apply locally should contact TUJ Admissions Counseling at ac@tuj.temple.edu or 0120-86-1026. Local applications will be accepted till April 1. (For application requirements, click here)
These credit-bearing courses are offered in association with programs at Temple University’s main campus in Philadelphia, taught by TUJ and visiting main campus faculty. Students study various aspects of Japanese culture through lectures, discussions and workshops. The courses also involve field trips to places of interest including museums, exhibitions, film production sites, print club galleries and graffiti sites, as well as to world-renowned locations such as Akihabara and Harajuku.
In 2009, TUJ is offering the following three courses from May 21 to July 3
- Japanese Visual Anthropology
This six-week program focuses on the central theme of human visuality, and more specifically, on visual culture in modern Japan, examining the breadth of public and vernacular visual culture as seen and practiced within the Japanese context.
- Explorations in Contemporary Media Culture
This six-week interdisciplinary program explores the many and diverse dimensions of Japanese contemporary culture. It is geared towards students’ own personal and professional interests, examining specific examples of Japanese entertainment, fashion, theater, journalism and other cultural activities in Tokyo life today.
- Studies in Japanese Popular Media: Manga and Anime
This six-week program explores manga and anime, and their relation to Japanese and global culture. It includes lectures and class discussions, field trips to art and anime exhibitions, and to studios to see how anime and manga are produced.
Participating students will have an opportunity to interact, in both academic and social settings, with Japanese and international students studying at TUJ. In addition to the course field trips, they will also have the opportunity to participate in university-organized field trips and excursions that are of general interest to students of Japanese culture.