This might be a dumb question but I'll ask it anyway...

oonter

先輩

18 May 2006

79

0

• 5 Feb 2008

• #1

..here goes...

I'm looking into getting my Masters over in Japan. Do most schools offer courses in English (in my case) for foreign students? Or are they all just Japanese?

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

7,316

3,727

• 5 Feb 2008

• #2

I don't know much about graduate schools, but there are schools that offer classes in English, though if you're seeking a degree, I think you would get the most out of your experience studying in Japan by studying in Japanese. Of course, the challenge then becomes getting your Japanese to the level that you can understand and participate in a graduate-level course.

 

D

dblbstrd

High 'n' dry

11 Nov 2007

124

2

• 5 Feb 2008

• #3

It really depends what on you want to study, and at what school.
Most actual classes you'd have to attend would be in Japanese in most places (there might be a few programs you can choose from offered in English). Your thesis or research or whatever could likely be conducted in English, though, if your advising professor is capable of facilitating that.
I don't know what you want to study or what programs exactly are out there, but I'm sure you can dig up some info on that...

 

M

magevampjoe

Sempai

5 Dec 2007

225

4

• 5 Feb 2008

• #4

It depends on what you want to do.
Chances are, if you got an 'English' degree or doctorate in Japan, it would be in speaking/writing english. What I believe you seek is a doctorate in Language or Literature, not actually speaking ability.

However, you could have a look. I also suggest you contact the Japanese embassy in your country, as you may find they can help you; they may have info on normal courses in Japan etc, and can at least direct you to a better resource if they don't know.

Joe

 

Glenski

Just me

Twenty-year veteran

20 Aug 2003

4,910

416

• 5 Feb 2008

• #5

Very few universities here offer degrees taught entirely in English. Miyazaki International University is one. Temple University is another. You can probably count the remainder on one or two other digits.

My own university has foreign grad students, but it depends on how they enter the university whether they are forced to have Japanese language training. Very few do, and the training is for 6 months intensively in another city before you even take one course here. Some other universities are like that, too.

What would be your proposed major, and why are you considering getting the master's degree in Japan instead of where you live now?

 

Kirirao

Lost in the maze of life

18 Sep 2004

276

15

• 5 Feb 2008

• #6

Waseda University also offers Bachelors and Masters in English, but most of them are about Human Resources(?) related subject, Economy, International Politics.

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

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• 5 Feb 2008

• #7

The program at Waseda is called SILS (School of International Liberal Studies), and it's about, well, Liberal Studies, like those Kiriao suggested. Personally, I wouldn't want to pursue a degree there. There are just not enough good teachers to get a quality education.

 

Last edited: 5 Feb 2008

oonter

先輩

18 May 2006

79

0

• 5 Feb 2008

• Thread starter
• #8

Well, I'm working on getting my bachelors in science... Whether it be Biology or Chemistry and then I'm moving on to getting my Masters in Medicine. I dont want to limit myself to the American Education system, so I'm looking into schools all over the world, and Japan has always been a preference in my life. I have been there once before and hope to return/live there for a few years.

I did find that a few schools offer intense Japanese lessons while taking your regular courses. If that;s the case, I'll probably minor in Japanese. So far, I've found some information in:

Ehime University
Hokkaido "
Hiroshima "
Osaka City "
Yokohama "
Okayama "

I was also researching the information from the Japanese Scholarship program, from the topic that's stickied on the "Studying in Japan" board.

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

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• 5 Feb 2008

• #9

If you're really interested in studying science in Japan, you will have to study in Japanese. Pretty much any science or biology course taught in English over there will be less productive than its Japanese equivalent. I wouldn't rule out a good school in the states like Berkeley, MIT or Cal Poly, depending on what your specific interests are.

 

oonter

先輩

18 May 2006

79

0

• 12 Feb 2008

• Thread starter
• #10

And after doing a little bit of research it seems as if schools in Japan are more inexpensive then the ones here in the states

 

D

dblbstrd

High 'n' dry

11 Nov 2007

124

2

• 13 Feb 2008

• #11

oonter said:

And after doing a little bit of research it seems as if schools in Japan are more inexpensive then the ones here in the states

Click to expand...

Well, don't forget about living costs.. and remember that in order to get a student visa you have to show a financial statement "proving" that you have enough funds to pay for at least your whole first year.
And if you are self-supported, you can't get student loans to pay tuition like you can in the US, so you have to get a scholarship (which is possible) or pay up front.

I'm definitely not trying to be negative here, just outlining some of the various facts to be considered.

Also, if you do grad school in the US in a hard science field (probably not medicine, though) you can often get your tuition waved and receive a monthly stipend in the form of a teaching or research fellowship. Just a pretty nice deal if you're at all interested in getting a graduate degree in chemistry, biology, or physics instead of medicine.