3. WHAT WILL I STUDY IN OUSSEP?
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"Osaka, Japan and the World
Culture, Science and Technology"
are the catch words of OUSSEP. |
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i) International Exchange Subjects
In each semester, we offer
a series of lecture courses (2 credits each)
in English taught by academic staff from
different faculties of the University. Listed
are the titles and a brief description of
the courses to be given in the Fall semester of 2002 and the Spring semester of 2003. Half of the courses are in physical sciences,
including engineering and health sciences,
and the rest are in humanities and social
sciences.
OUSSEP tries to equalize the
number of students majoring in each of these
two fields. Students may select their courses
according to their major and interests. However,
students are encouraged to take courses outside
their own major. This will help students
to broaden their perspectives and at the
same time gain a deeper understanding of
Japanese society and culture.
The University has officially
designated these courses as International
Exchange Subjects. They are specially prepared
for OUSSEP and are taught in English. The
University also offers these courses to its
regular students as well as to other international
students so that all can study in a truly
international atmosphere.
The courses cover a wide variety
of subjects from culture to science and technology. The students, both domestic and international,
will also learn about Osaka and Japan. We believe this will help students to understand
the world and the importance of international awareness
and mutual respect. This program underscores
the motto of Osaka University, "Be rooted in the community and grow
into the world".
Due to the fact that we can
offer only a limited number of courses taught
in English, but must also try to satisfy
students of different majors and from different
universities in different countries, the
courses often cannot help but be broad in
scope rather than deep. Truly specialized
studies are also possible by taking the Independent
Study Course, described in the following
course descriptions.
ii) Independent Study Course
One of the unique features
of OUSSEP is Independent Study (2 credits
per semester). Students can propose a study
topic and be assigned to a supervising professor
in an appropriate faculty. The students may
wish to study a particular subject that is
not found in the International Exchange Subjects
(Individual Study) or to conduct a research
project on a particular theme (Independent
Research). The student and their supervising
professor will agree upon the scope and depth
of the study at the beginning of the program.* The study usually continues for two semesters.
At the end of each semester the student will
submit a report on the topic to the supervising
professor. Refer to "Guide to Independent Study", found at the end of the OUSSEP Syllabus, for further details.
* When the amount of the work required for
the study is particularly large, the supervising
professor and the International Student Committee
may decide to grant up to 4 instead of 2
credits per semester for Independent Study.
Refer to "Guide to Independent Study"
for details.
iii) Japanese Language Course
In addition to these courses,
OUSSEP students may take either of Elementary,
Intermediate or Advanced Japanese Courses
(3 credits), according to their proficiency
level. First, students have to take a placement
test. The Japanese language classes take
place three times a week.
| OUSSEP is a special program in English, designed
for students from overseas who want to study
in Japan but who do not speak Japanese well
or who have not studied Japanese at all.
Therefore, OUSSEP is not suitable for students
whose major objective is to master the Japanese
language. |
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All the courses offered in
OUSSEP, including Japanese Language and Independent
Study, are elective.* Students will select and register for the
courses of their choice at the beginning
of each semester. The minimum requirement
for satisfactory completion of OUSSEP in
each semester is 13 credits. The International
Student Committee of Osaka University will
award those students who have successfully
completed two semesters of OUSSEP a
Certificate of Completion.
* Students who are particularly fluent in Japanese
may apply to take, in each semester, one regular course taught in Japanese instead
of the International Exchange Subjects.
Field Trips
OUSSEP offers frequent field
trips for students in order to give them
opportunities to see as many things and to
meet as many people as possible during their
one-year stay in Japan. They visit industries
and public institutions as a part of the
academic courses and also go on trips, including
overnight trips, to different parts of the
country to meet local people and experience
local cultures.
Field trip to Ohi Nuclear Power Station |
Field trip to Panasonic |
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International Exchange Activities
In addition to the academic
programs the students are encouraged to participate
in various international exchange activities
throughout the year, which the International
Student Center of Osaka University organizes.
Other groups within the University and in
the neighboring communities will participate
in these programs. One of them is named Osaka
University Host Family Program (OHP) and
provides the international students with
an opportunity to closely interact with a
Japanese family in the neighboring community. |
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Yearbooks "THE OUSSEPIANS"
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OUSSEP Original T-shirts
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| OUSSEP Assembly |
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The whole class of OUSSEP meets
once every week for half an hour, or so,
at the OUSSEP Assembly, like a homeroom, where students exchange
information. The OUSSEP coordinators give
out announcements about academic programs
and other events. Plans for social and sport
events are proposed and discussed among the
students. The students take turns in chairing
the meeting. It has become customary for
OUSSEP students to edit and publish a yearbook at the end of each academic year. Each student
as well as the coordinator contributes an
essay about their year in OUSSEP. It has
also become a tradition of OUSSEP to design
and print original T-shirts every year. All these activities are carried
on the students' own initiatives. Students
also communicate closely each other via a
mailing list, set up on the Internet, for the class of
each year, and remain in contact even after
they leave Osaka. |
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