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Graduate School/Post Graduate Studies in Japan

Emoni

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20 Sep 2003
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Hello everyone.

I've recently graduated, and my focus of study is Japan/Japanese History and Japanese language. My goal is to be a college professor in the area of history and focusing on Japan. Of course, that will be some time away! While I will be studying again in Japan, I am looking into graduate school in Japan in order to raise my language skills up and better prepare for graduate school in the United States.

Here is my general plan. A year study abroad at Yokohama which I have already been accepted. Afterwhich, graduate school in Japan. However, I most likely will have to sign up for JET to get more time studying the Japanese language to even stand a chance in a Japanese college. After finishing in Japan, apply for graduate school in the United States after handling the GRE test.

This is of course a general plan, but right now I'm trying to prepare and looking for how I would manage graduate school in Japan. I've spoken with my major advisor, and he mentioned monbusho scholarships for graduate studies. I've started to look for pamphlets, but of course my Japanese is limited so even checking into application is difficult as it will be a few years before I can even get close to this goal still.

So the question is this... where do I start and is there anyone who has gone this path and could give me some very much appreciated advice?

Thank you.
 
If you've already graduated from your home university, what will your status be at Yokohama? Will you still be considered an undergrad, or is there some sort of special status for people between grad and post-grad work? I take it that while your plans include post-graduate study in Japan, you will not be applying to any universities as a grad student for a while?

Also, after you finish your grad work in Japan, you'll be returning to the states and going back to grad school there? Doesn't that seem kind of redundant? Why not just get into a good grad school in the states, then perhaps propose your thesis so you could conduct your research in Japan? It seems that a degree from a Japanese university holds less sway than an American one.
 
Well, the graduation thing is a bit weird to explain, but I'll just say it has to do with my double major and I'll still be undergrad at Yokohama.

Pretty much, in order to get into a serious graduate program related to Japan/History and that sort, I'll need to have decent skill with the language. Having another masters degree previously raises my chances even more of fellowships and tuition waivers back in the United States. This is all from what my major advisor has mentioned and he highly recommended graduate school in Japan and applying for monbusho scholarships instead of random language programs. Of course, at the same time having decent command of the language is kind of a prereq for even TRYING for graduate school in Japan soo...

Yeah, I'm pretty much feeling things out right now still. Also, if you're going to study a country... the best place IS that country usually.
 
I guess it just depends on where and what you want to do. I'm reminded of a friend who holds a masters from a Japanese university, but is stuck at a community college trying to get his language level high enough to qualify for a fellowship at an American grad school; just don't want to see you going down that road.

Of course, I'm just as curious to hear what anyone else has to say on this subject, as I've been toying with the idea of some kind of graduate study myself (though admittedly, probably not in Japan)
 
Ya, I'm already aware of how critical the language factor is as well as the lower consideration for Japanese college degrees in all regards (... and you probably are seeing why they are too now).

Thanks for the post, I'll go back to talking to you on MSN now you lunatic lol. I'd say you deserve rep points for doing a dual conversation.
 
Why not just get into a good grad school in the states, then perhaps propose your thesis so you could conduct your research in Japan? It seems that a degree from a Japanese university holds less sway than an American one.

Actually Japanese universities hold up very well in the international university ranking, with Tokyo Uni coming in at 19th in 2006 (16th in 2005) and Kyoto Uni at 29th place (31st in 2005). Tokyo and Kyoto universities are highly prestigious and well respected institutions (equivalent of the ivy league universities in the US, or Cambridge and Oxford in the UK). Both universities are not easy to gain entry for local Japanese applicants. I am unsure if that is different for international/foreign applicants.

I agree with you that it is also a viable option to enrol in graduate studies in the US which involves strong ties to Japan, allowing travel between both countries. This is probably the most important point if language might be a problem.
 
I've recently graduated, and my focus of study is Japan/Japanese History and Japanese language. My goal is to be a college professor in the area of history and focusing on Japan. Of course, that will be some time away! While I will be studying again in Japan, I am looking into graduate school in Japan in order to raise my language skills up and better prepare for graduate school in the United States.
I'm confused....I know East Asian Studies departments are becoming more interdisciplinary, but what precisely are your major areas of research and/or eventual teaching interest ? Both Japanese language and history ? Because like nicegaijin implied, Asian history professors generally don't have or need a degree from an overseas institution to teach at an American college.

Obviously your advisor is better versed than any of us but it seems like an awful lot of effort, along with JET on a possibly very digressive path for a financial aid package, when the only criteria universities will be judging is level of potential academic scholarship and publication record in your field of concentration.
 
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Well, the graduation thing is a bit weird to explain, but I'll just say it has to do with my double major and I'll still be undergrad at Yokohama.
Pretty much, in order to get into a serious graduate program related to Japan/History and that sort, I'll need to have decent skill with the language.
Obviously we can't judge your skill level here, but after a year in Yokohama it should be sufficient for database searching/manuscript/archival work....whatever is required for historical research. I agree with avoiding language schools, but that's also a totally different story of course from getting in anywhere at the Master's level.

Maybe just check around the credentials of history profs at East Asian Depts around the country, which you may already have done, and try to feel out their training, experience and the going qualifications of the area etc....If you really, really do need the financial aid and there's no other way, well, then you have to do whatever it takes for that. Best of luck and ambition ! :)
 
Thank you guys for the support, I appreciate it. I figure it will be hard to find people who have done what I am considering at this point, but I wanted to check here anyway. Thank you!
 
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