Harvard Summer Program in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda University)
This page contains content from the Summer School 2009. For current information, visit the Harvard Summer School website at www.summer.harvard.edu.
Information on the programs being offered summer 2010 will be available online in early September.
A study of Japanese and East Asian cultural beliefs and history
Faculty: Mikael Adolphson and Shigehisa Kuriyama
(8 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
Program dates: June 13–July 24
Application deadline: February 27
Cost: $7,350
With a metropolitan-area population of roughly 35 million, Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a thoroughly modern metropolis with high-speed trains and subways, soaring architectural icons of glass and steel, flashing anime imagery on colorful billboards, and vibrant shopping districts woven into its fabric. But Tokyo’s rich history is never far away. One can easily retreat into a small temple courtyard, stroll down a narrow street lined with small homes and shops, or relax in a park under a stand of swaying bamboo.
Students who study in the summer program at Waseda University are exposed to both modern and traditional Tokyo. Professor Adolphson’s course examines Japan’s warrior class, exploring themes such as warfare, religion, and literature. Professor Kuriyama’s course investigates cultural beliefs about medicine and the body, making a comparative study between Europe and East Asia.
Course of study
Students take both courses. Noncredit Japanese language instruction with Waseda staff is provided for students with no previous exposure to the Japanese language.
HIST S-42 Study Abroad in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda): Constructing the Samurai
This course examines the rise and fall of Japan’s warrior class and of the bushido ethos. The main focus is on the juxtaposition of the mythology of the samurai and the realities of samurai life. We discuss warfare, training, religion, art, literature, values, and the family. There is extensive use of visual materials and excursions to sites relevant to the samurai lifestyle. Prerequisites: none.
EALC S-11 Study Abroad in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda): Medicine and the Body in East Asia and in Europe
This course offers a comparative historical perspective on East Asian and Western ideas of medicine and the body. It spotlights how the contrasts between these two traditions entailed not just different ways of thinking about the body, but also different ways of being bodies. A special feature of the course will be the opportunity to explore the uses of podcasts and short movies as media of intellectual analysis. Harvard College students can view a movie trailer for the course at the website for Culture and Belief 11.
Course credit
For Harvard College students, this program counts as two half-year courses (4 credits each) of degree credit. EALC S-11 satisfies the Historical Studies A Core requirement, or the Culture and Belief Gen Ed Requirement.
Transfer credit. Harvard Summer School courses and credits are accepted toward degrees at most colleges and universities. Since degree requirements vary among schools, students are advised to obtain transfer credit approval from their home institutions before registering for Harvard Summer School courses.
Faculty
Mikael Adolphson, Associate Professor of Japanese Cultural Studies, University of Alberta, Canada
Shigehisa Kuriyama, Reischauer Institute Professor of Cultural History, Harvard University
Application
Students must be at least 18 years old to apply. The application materials, outlined below, are due February 27:
- An application form (the application period for this program has ended)
- Official transcripts (sent directly from schools to the address below; unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for Harvard College students only)
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee
- A supplementary statement describing interest in the program, relevant coursework, and travel experience abroad (not a prerequisite)
Applications should be addressed as follows:
Matilda West
Study Abroad Coordinator
Harvard Summer School
51 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Students are notified of admission decisions by mid-March.
Cost
The cost of the program is $7,350, plus a nonrefundable $50 application fee. In addition, students are responsible for a health insurance fee ($165; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States) and for transportation to and from Tokyo. The cost of the program covers:
- Tuition
- Room and some meals
- All scheduled excursions and extracurricular activities
Program directors will advise students of likely additional expenses.
Payment deadlines
Harvard Summer School online services allows accepted students to make payments or deposits with a valid credit card.
Students can also mail their payment, along with a completed Study Abroad Payment Form (available in Forms), to:
Student Financial Services
Harvard Summer School
51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
For admitted students, a nonrefundable deposit of $735 must be received by April 15 to secure a place in the program. Payment in full is due by May 15. A $100 late fee will be charged for payments received after this date.
Funding
Harvard College students are eligible for funding through the Harvard College Office of International Programs (OIP), as well as a variety of centers around campus. All Harvard Summer School study abroad programs qualify for summer funding. Programs of eight weeks or longer in duration (including extensions of Harvard Summer School Programs approved by faculty members) qualify for Rockefeller International Experience Grants; programs of shorter duration qualify for other summer grants.
Students may consult the Funding Sources Database for more information on all sources of funding. Please note that the funding application deadline for summer grants and Rockefeller International Experience Grants is February 27.
To apply for any study abroad funding, students need to provide information about the program’s budget, submit an application through the Common Application for Research and Travel (CARAT), as well as supplementary documents to the relevant center, if necessary. Additional information on the funding application process is available through CARAT.
Also see the Harvard College Financial Aid Office summer school page for information about assistance.
Other Harvard students may be eligible for financial assistance through their Harvard financial aid offices. Students enrolled at other institutions should consult their respective financial aid offices.
Accommodations
Students stay in homes with local families where they have the best chance to experience the Japanese way of life. Each student has a private room. Access to a kitchen, laundry facilities, and a telephone may be arranged between the students and the family. Families live in safe neighborhoods within a normal commute to the university.
Additional information
Contact Theodore J. Gilman, tgilman@fas.harvard.edu; (617) 495-3220; fax (617) 496-8083.
Students with disabilities should contact the disability services coordinator as soon as possible: (617) 495-0977, (617) 495-9419 (TTY), or disabilities@dcemail.harvard.edu. Request-for-accommodation forms and supporting diagnostic documentation must be submitted by April 15. See the Disability Services page for more information about disability services, including request forms and guidelines for documentation.
Students applying for admission to Harvard’s study abroad programs should understand that although the University provides reasonable assistance and support to facilitate the participation of qualified students in its programs (including students with disabilities and health impairments), some of our programs are located in parts of the world where accommodations may not be readily available. Students are encouraged to be forthcoming with the disability services coordinator about any specific needs and functional limitations so that the Summer School can collaborate with those students in a way that fosters their safe participation and allows them to fully appreciate any barriers that they may face, depending on the location and rigors of the particular program.
Harvard Summer School is aware of the risks associated with international travel. Should the US Department of State issue a travel warning for any of the countries in which a study abroad program is planned, the program in that country may be canceled.