Global Studies in Asia Program（GSA）

The Global Studies in Asia Program (GSA) provides a curriculum in English consisting of courses related to Japan. The Program, based at the Komaba Campus, is run by faculty members at the College of Arts and Sciences and is designed for international students who are interested in learning about, experiencing, and analyzing Japan from a variety of perspectives. The program offers courses in a number of areas, including cultural studies, history, literature, geography, politics, peacebuilding and environmental sciences. Students who register for the Global Studies in Asia Program will be given plenty of opportunities to interact with local students inside and outside of the classroom, especially students of Global Studies Program (GS) which is the sister program of GSA. Upon acquiring the required credits in language learning and specialized courses, GSA students will be awarded an official certificate of completion issued by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

【Guidance of the GSA Program】
The guidance for 2023A Semester was held ONLINE as follows：
Date&Time: October 3 (Tue), 12:20 - 12:50

For those who could not attend or who missed part of the explanation, here are the recorded guidance movie and presentation slides (in PDF), available only through your UTokyo Account (ECCS account):
Guidance Movie
Presentation Slides

Eligibility and Registration

Only students enrolled in the University-wide Student Exchange Program (USTEP TypeU) or the College of Arts and Sciences Senior Division Exchange Program (KOMSTEP) are eligible to apply for the program.

【How to Apply】
Those who want to apply for the GSA program should follow the steps below:

1. Fill out the online form by Friday, October 27, 2023. (2023A Semester)

2 . Register for courses required by the GSA program during the course registration period through the University of Tokyo Academic Affairs System (UTAS) or through the procedures indicated by the exchange program coordinators.

Please ensure to register for courses containing the titles “Seminar in Global Liberal Arts”, “Praxis in Global Liberal Arts” and “Lecture in Global Liberal Arts”. Some of these courses have multiple entry titles when listed on UTAS despite being the same course, but will only count towards a student’s GSA program when registered as the appropriate title (see course title list below).
On the last page of UTAS, there is a check box for GJS, but none for GSA. Completing the online form and self-registering for GSA courses will automatically register students onto the GSA program.

Curriculum

A variety of courses are offered by the GSA Program.
Below are the courses of 2023A Semester:

GS/GSA Courses for 2023A (October 2023 - February 2024)
All courses in the GSA Program are conducted as regular UTokyo courses and are therefore open to local students.
Most courses are offered in English, but there are also several courses conducted in other non-Japanese languages (marked with an ◆ on the list).

	Course Title	Instructor	Subtitle
	グローバル教養実践演習(2)/ Praxis in Global Liberal Arts (2)	馬路　智仁 / BAJI Tomohito	「日本と太平洋と島々」/ Japan and the Pacific Ocean
	グローバル教養特別講義 I (1) / Lectures in Global Liberal Arts I (1)	HOLTHUS Barbara	Doing family in Contemporary Japan – with a special focus on their media portrayal
	グローバル教養特別講義 I (2) / Lectures in Global Liberal Arts I (2)	KARTIKA Diana	Pursuit of inclusion in education: Society, politics, and governance
	グローバル教養特別講義 II / Lectures in Global Liberal Arts II	ROLAND Douglas	Psychology of Language
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (1) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (1)	山口　臨太郎 / YAMAGUCHI Rintaro	n/a
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (2) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (2)	BARZA Sorina	最適化・意思決定論／Operations Research
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (3) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (3)	清水　剛 / SHIMIZU Takashi	Japanese Economy and Business in Asia
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (4) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (4)	鈴木早苗 / SUZUKI Sanae	Comparative Analysis on Regional Organizations as Security Actors
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (5) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (5)	小川　啓一 / OGAWA Keiichi	(Human Capital Development, Public Policy on Education Sector)
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (6) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (6)	高橋　史子 / TAKAHASHI Fumiko	Education in Multicultural Japan
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (7) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (7)	高橋　史子 / TAKAHASHI Fumiko	Qualitative Research: Theoretical Understanding and Conducting Group Research
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (8) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (8)	KUHN Felix	Research Methods and Japanese Foreign Policy
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (9) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (9)	鍾以江 / ZHANG Yijiang	Discovering Asia
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (10) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (10)	野田　真里 / NODA Mari	Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Human Security - Southeast Asia and Japan in Global Society
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (11) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (11)	BAXTER Joshua	Critical Approaches to East Asia
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (12) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (12)	白　春花 / BAI Chunhua	社会・環境・健康と東アジアII（１４）
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (13) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (13)	KUKLINSKI Ruben	Deutsche Landeskunde / Deutsche Kultur, Sprache + Literatur / Deutsche Geschichte und Gesellschaft ドイツの地域研究／ドイツ文化・語学・文学／ドイツ（社会）史
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (14) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (14)	DELEMAZURE Raoul	Masculin / féminin / neutre
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (15)a / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (15)a	松田　葉月 / MATSUDA Hazuki	Seminario sobre Estudios Latinoamericanos
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (15)b / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (16)b	松田　葉月 / MATSUDA Hazuki	Seminario sobre Estudios Latinoamericanos
◆	グローバル教養特別演習 II (16) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (16)	李　英蘭 / LEE Young-ran	韓国朝鮮の文化研究
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (17) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (17)	HOLCA Irina	Language, power, and identity in post-war Japanese literature
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (19) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (19)	王　欽 / WANG Qin	What Is Literature? (II)
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (21) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (21)	WILLOX Ralph	Mathematical modeling
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (22) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (22)	WOODWARD Jonathan	Chemistry For Environmental Sciences
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (23) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (23)	山川隆、八村敏志、平山和宏 / YAMAKAWA Takashi, HACHIMURA Satoshi, HIRAYAMA Kazuhiro	Food Safety and Risk Analysis
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (24) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (24)	GIRAUDOU Isabelle	Earth System Governance
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (25) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (25)	内田　さやか / UCHIDA Sayaka	tbd
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (41) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (41)	橋本　直子 / HASHIMOTO Naoko	Refugee and Forced Migration Studies
	グローバル教養特別演習 II (42) / Seminar in Global Liberal Arts II (42)	ROBERTS Mark	Japanese Cinema: the 1960s
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV (1)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (1)	勝又　幹英 / KATSUMATA Mikihide	スタートアップとヴェンチャーキャピタル: Start-up and Venture Capital
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV (11)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (11)	THORNTON Peter	Multiculturalism in Japanese Society
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV (12)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (12)	嶋田　美子 / SHIMADA Yoshiko	Art and Feminisms in Japan since the 1960s
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV (13)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (13)	内藤　まりこ / NAITO Mariko	Japanese Classics Viewed from Inside/Outside of Japan
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV (14)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (14)	FUNCK Carolin	Japanese Regional Geography and Tourism
	グローバル教養特別演習 IV(21)/ Seminar in Global Liberal Arts IV (21)	幕内　充 / MAKUUCHI Michiru	brain mechanisms of symbolic cognition

Details such as classrooms, course objectives and schedule are within the "Academic Program for USTEP/KOMSTEP students."

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The course information above and within the Academic Program is subject to change. Please make sure to check the latest information within UTokyo Academic affairs System (UTAS) and ITC-LMS.

Credit Requirements for Completion of the Program

In order to complete the GSA Program, students must obtain the following credits before the period of their exchange ends.

6 credits from the following courses:
- Praxis in Global Liberal Arts
- Lectures in Global Liberal Arts I - III
- Seminar in Global Liberal Arts I - V
6 credits from one of the Japanese Language courses offered at Komaba Campus：

The above are the minimum requirements. Students are welcome to take other courses offered at either the Komaba Campus or the Hongo Campus. However, only the courses listed above in 1 and 2 will be counted as credits for the GSA Program. Please note that some courses have enrollment restrictions and are not open to exchange students.
Those wishing to take Japanese language courses offered at Komaba must have already completed the placement test. Students are allowed to take courses at their designated level.
Students at a native or near-native level in Japanese (JLPT N1) can take any senior-division courses of the College of Arts and Sciences that are conducted in Japanese and eligible for exchange students, and have the credits counted towards the requirement 2) above. Please note that JLPT N１is required for taking courses taught in Japanese.
Students can take the above courses in one semester or spread them out over two semesters, depending on their exchange periods.

Upon obtaining the required credits in language learning and in specialized courses, students will be awarded an official certificate of completion issued by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The certificate will be sent to the students upon return to their home university, after the grades have been posted and credits have been calculated.

FAQ

Q1：I will stay at UTokyo for 2 semesters, but I could not complete GSA’s requirements for the 1st semester. Can I continue to take GSA courses and enroll in the second semester?
A1：Yes, there is no problem with doing that. You can take GSA courses in one semester or spread them over two semesters. You do not have to make the GSA enrollment again in the second semester.

Q2：I will stay at UTokyo for 2 semesters and I have finished the all GSA requirements at the 1st semester. May I get the GSA certificate while I am in Japan?
A2：The GSA certificate will be awarded after all of the results have come out. Therefore, the certificate will only be sent to your home university after you have completed all of the semesters at UTokyo.
Certificates will be delivered around April for students who finished their program at UTokyo after the A semester, and around September for those finishing after the S semester.

Q3：May I get the GSA certificate by data?
A3：No, in principle, you cannot get the certificate by data.

Q4：May I take Asian language courses in Hongo Campus?
A4：The GSA program is run by faculty members at the College of Arts and Sciences, which is based on Komaba Campus.
You are welcome to take other courses offered at Hongo Campus but the credits of these courses do not meet the GSA requirements.

Q5：For the language courses, I am interested in Chinese and Korean as well as Japanese. Are there
courses of Chinese and Korean beginners provided in English?
A5：Please refer to either the UTAS and contact the main instructor of each course to ask about the language used in class.

Messages from the Global Studies Committee

Study and have fun together here in Komaba.
Our students are thrilled to meet you!

Yuki HIROSE
Professor
Director of the Global Studies Committee
The College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Tokyo

In Komaba, there are many students who want to absorb a variety of things before entering the specialized senior department. Enjoy interacting with them.

Miho YANAGISAWA
Associate Professor
S-Semester Vice Director of the Global Studies Committee
The College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Tokyo

Meet new friends and enjoy Komaba life!

Sugiko NISHIKAWA
Professor
S-Semester Vice Director of the Global Studies Committee
The College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Tokyo

Enjoy meeting and studying with students from all over the world!

Tomofumi KITAMURA
Associate Professor
Global Studies Committee
The College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Tokyo

GS Student Staff Members in 2023S

The student staff of 2023S planned and hosted regular Lunchtime Gatherings every 2-3 weeks, which offered a casual conversation opportunity to many international and Japanese students. We had more than 170 students participating 6 gathering events during the semester.

Thank you very much to Anna, Etowa, Sherrene and Kota for your contributions!

Comment from Anna
Working as a GS student staff has been an invaluable experience for me.
I’m delighted to have the opportunity to organize international exchange events as a student staff, especially considering that I participated in GS activities during my freshman year. Being able to engage in these events not only brings me joy from chatting with others but also allows me to get to know people from different backgrounds.
Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to Seiko-san for providing us with valuable advice, to other staff members with whom we’ve held events together, to everyone who participated in our events, and to Global Komaba for their support.

Comment from Sherrene
I had so so much fun being a GS-GSA Student Staff member this semester. While brainstorming event ideas and hosting international lunchtime gatherings and events, I got to meet so many new international and local students and learned so much about the different experiences they had in Japan and abroad! I would also like to shoutout my fellow team members and our supervisor Shoda-san, who were the most supportive and creative team of people, I really enjoyed our time together this semester :ぽっ:. Thank you everyone for coming to the events!

Comment from Kota
As a student staff at GS/GSA office, I supported events which were held by GS/GSA program and planed for the regular Lunchtime Gathering. Through this experience, I could communicate with international students. I myself mostly take lectures in Japanese, and there are few international students. Therefore, it was a great opportunity for me to have chatting with students from different countries.

Comment from Etowa
My experience of working as a GS Student staff this semester has been truly fun and wonderful.
It was a great pleasure to see that all participants enjoyed the lunchtime gatherings we organized and that the gatherings provided a good opportunity for international and local students to get to know each other and expand a circle of friends. Through organizing events I was also able to learn about the cultures around the world how to communicate with people from different backgrounds. Thank you very much for other staff members, Shoda-san and all the participants for your support.

Inquiries

Global Studies Program Committee
Globalization Office, 21KOMCEE West B1
The University of Tokyo, KomabaⅠCampus
gs-gsa@global.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Facebook：GS&GSA Facebook