May 22 through July 1
Annually
3-week Rail Trip or 6-week Rail + Homestay
Trip Options
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Japan is one of the most
influential nations in the world today,
with a culture and history very different
from our own. This summer program provides
a wonderful opportunity for you to gain
knowledge and insights that will aid you
in your professional development.
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The Department of Geography's
6 week Summer Program in Japan is designed for
a small group of students to travel throughout
Japan and gain valuable insights into the environment,
culture and landscapes of Japan. The group will
spend the first 2 weeks traveling from Hokkaido
to Kyushu examining physical and cultural differences
and likenesses among outer regions and such
well-known areas as Tokyo and Osaka. Once in
Kumamoto, we will take field trips into the
surrounding area to visit locations not easily
accessed by public transportation, such as the
depopulating mountains and volcanic complexes.
About the
Rail Trip
The rail trip is available
as the complete trip in the 3-week option, or
as the first part of the 6-week option which includes
the homestay in Yatushiro.
The rail
portion of the program will encompass a wide variety
of landscapes around Japan, including the remote
North of Hokkaido as well as the "Core Area"
of Honshu. Stops of physical and cultural interests
will be made in these areas such as at Sapporo,
Hakodate, Morioka, Lake Towada, Tokyo, Matsumoto,
Takayama, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, ending in Fukuoka
Prefecture.
There
is usually an essay question pertaining to each
stop along the way, emphasizing what is being
covered on the year's particular trip. Sometimes
the question is a mapping exercise, to learn data
gathering methods, and other times it concerns
the area passed through on the train.
We
stay in inexpensive business hotels or youth hostels,
depending on the area we visit, most often near
the train stations, using most of our time on
day trips.
The
Program in Yatsushiro
For
those continuing to Yatsushiro, the class consists
almost entirely of field trips around Yatsushiro
City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and Kyushu. This is
to gain directly an introduction to the history
and geography of this area.
After the
field trips have concluded, students will begin
to gather data on their own concerning the research
topic they have selected. Students
in the past have selected topics from fields such
as urban development, land-use policy, migration,
high-tech industries, environmental problems,
westernization, impacts of automobiles, linquistic
differences, rural depopulation, and natural hazards.
Both sections are due by the end of the summer.
The below photo is of Yatsushiro and the Kuma
River from a nearby mountainside.
Weekends will of course be free, and there are variety of entertainment
options available. Your host family
usually enjoys taking you to someplace unusual
or interesting.
We
will take full advantage of the small class size,
so there will be ample room for discussions and
questions. This section of the trip is limited
to 6 students.
Yatsushiro
Field Visits and Projects
During
the field visits students will have the chance
to appreciate the many facets of the area and
will have a chance to directly observe the issues
discussed. In the past, these visits have included:
Mt.
Aso : In the center
of the island of Kyushu is the volcanic complex
that built the island. Only in one year were we
unable to get close to the crater due to excessive
out-gassing (2007). The picture below is the caldera
with clouds as viewed from the north.
Minamata
and coastals areas:
Minamata is infamous for the sickness caused by
methyl mercury being dumped into the Yatsushiro
Sea. We drive down the coast to visit the center
and museum there.
Kirishima
National Park: Another
volcanic complex, together with one of Japan's
oldest shrines is often a destination. We travel
through the middle of Kyushu (we go through 29
tunnels in one direction) before climbing up to
the park and shrines. The shrine is dedicated
to the founding of Japan, which began when a local
god came down to the top of one of the volcanoes
in the park. A more active volcano to the south,
Sakurajima, can be viewed from Kirishima when
the weather is clear as in the below photo.
In
addition, we visit port facilities, new economic
areas, and old fading economic centers, museums,
and gardens. We also take various routes into
the mountains to visit remote villages to observe
the contrasts with main-stream Japanese life in
the coastal plains.
Grading
The
final grade for the students who only go on the
rail portion of the trip will be based on a series
of essay questions pertaining to the observations
made during this part of the trip. For the 6-week
students, an additional preliminary research paper
of 10-15 pages is required which is based on data
gathered in the field while based in Yatsushiro.
Faculty
The faculty
for this session consists of Paul Karan and Todd
Stradford.
Prerequisites
The
prerequisites are a minimum sophomore standing
and approval of the instructor. Students will
also be required to show proof of international
health and accident insurance (This is taken care
of in the Education Abroad & tuition forms).
Registration
Undergraduate
students should register
for two courses (a total of 6 credit hours):
These courses are listed in the
Second Summer Session under GEO-Geography or JPN-Japan
Studies
-
GEO 334-220
Environment, Sociology, and Economy of Japan
(3 credits) 01661 220
-
GEO 406G-220
Field Studies in Japan (3 hours) 00724
220
Graduate students
should register for two courses (a total of 6
credit hours)::
- GEO 706-020 Advanced
Field Studies: Japan (3 hours)
- GEO 406G-220 Field
Studies in Japan (3 hours) 00724 220
- GEO 465-220:
Special Topics in Human Geography: Japan (3
hours) 01554 220
- GEO 491G-220: Japanese
Landscapes (3 hours) 01555 220
- GEO 560-220: Independent
Studies in Geography of Japan. Individualized
study or research on a specific topic in Japan.
(3 hours) 01679 220
- GEO 565-220: Topics
in Geography: Field Research in Japan (3 hours)
00732 220
Students registering for the Rail Trip
only should sign up for (3 credit hours):
-
GEO
334-220 Environment, Sociology, and
Economy of Japan (3 credits) 01661 220
Program
& Tuition Fees
Total
Costs - 6 week Program
Program fees for the full 6-week
Japan program are:
| Resident Undergraduate |
$3800 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$421 |
|
Total
|
$4221 |
| |
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| Resident Graduate: |
$3800 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$532 |
|
Total
|
$4332 |
| |
|
| Non-Resident (Grad or UG): |
$3800 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$806 |
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Total
|
$4606 |
Above Fees Include:
* Tuition for 6 UK GPA credits
* $50 Education Abroad at UK Application Fee
* ISP 599 (1 credit hour) and administrative fees
* Airfare to Japan
* JR Rail Pass
* Hotels, entries, & public transport on the
rail portion of the trip
* Home stay lodging for 3 weeks
* Two meals per day at the homestay (breakfast
and dinner) while in Yatsushiro
* Program Field trips
* Travel Medical Insurance for 6 weeks
Items NOT included in the Program
Fee:
* Meals on the rail trip
* Miscellaneous Expenses (minimum $750 = $18/day,
including meals on the rail trip, lunches in Yatsushiro,
souvenirs, entertainment, etc.)
Other possible expenses include:
* Passport ($100)
* Youth Hostel Membership ($25)
Note: Program participants will
be enrolled by Education Abroad at UK in ISP 599
for one credit hour and will be charged one credit
hour of tuition (included in the program fee.)
Students will enroll themselves in 6 credit hours
of Summer II courses. No extra tuition will be
charged for the 6 credit hours.
Total
Costs - 3 week Rail Trip Program
Program fees for the 3-credit Japan
program are:
| Resident Undergraduate |
$3000 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$421 |
|
Total
|
$3421 |
| |
|
| Resident Graduate: |
$3000 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$532 |
|
Total
|
$3532 |
| |
|
| Non-Resident (Grad or UG): |
$3000 |
|
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees,
Insurance
|
$806 |
|
Total
|
$3806 |
Fees Includes:
* Tuition for 3 UK GPA credits
* $50 Education Abroad at UK Application Fee
* ISP 599 (1 credit hour) and administrative fees
* Airfare to Japan
* JR Rail Pass
* Hotels, entries, & public transport on the
rail portion of the trip
Items NOT included in the Program
Fee:
* Meals on the rail trip
* Miscellaneous Expenses (Minimum $375
= $18/day, including meals on the rail trip, souvenirs,
entertainment, etc.)
Other possible expenses include:
* Passport ($100)
* Youth Hostel Membership ($25)
Note: Program participants will
be enrolled by Education Abroad at UK in ISP 599
for one credit hour and will be charged one credit
hour of tuition (included in the program fee.)
Students will enroll themselves in 3credit hours
of Summer II courses. No extra tuition will be
charged for the 3 credit hours.
There are two places to pay the
fees, the program fees to the 1) Department of
Geography, and 2) the Education Abroad and tuition
fees to Education Abroad at UK.
1)
Program Fee Payment Schedule:
The actual program fees are to be paid to
the Department of Geography by the following dates:
For either the Rail Trip or 6 week
trip, the application with a $150 non-refundable
deposit will be due on April 1. (3 week trip in
parentheses)
1st Installment: April 14
- $1250.00 ($1250)
2nd Installment: April 30 - $ 1,200.00
($800)
3rd Installment: April 30 - $ 1200.00 ($800)
or as soon thereafter as practical
The first two installments are used
to purchase airline tickets, rail passes, and
hotels and need to be paid promptly by the dates
indicated. If this is not paid your ticket will
not be purchased at the same time as the others
and you may be on different flights. The third
payment should be paid with the second if possible
but if not, then as soon as possible there after.
Fees may be paid by check, cash
or money order to Dr. PP Karan. Please contact
Dr. PP Karan
for more details.
2)
Education Abroad &
Tuition Fee payments:
Applications will be accepted until
the program is full.
Up to four weeks before the start
of the program, all fees except the initial deposit
will be refunded. After this time, tuition, airline
and housing cancellation charges are assessed.
If the program is cancelled, all fees will be
refunded. Because exchange rates and airline prices
fluctuate, the department reserves the right to
cancel, surcharge, or alter the program.
The Education Abroad program fees
will be charged through student billings. The
breakdown is as follows:
| Education Abroad at UK Application
Fee |
$50 (non refundable) |
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EA Administrative Fee:
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$100
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ISP 599 tuition:
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$271 UG Resident
or
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$382 for Graduate Resident
or
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$596 for Non-Resident
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| Mandatory Insurance |
~$10 per week |
Fees may be paid by check, cash
or credit card.
Please contact Education Abroad at UK (EA) for
more details. 257-4067 ext 252; EducationAbroad@uky.edu
www.uky.edu/IntlAffairs/EA
Application Deadlines:
EA General Application due April 15
EA Packet II due April 15
Applications will be accepted until the program
is full.
Education
Abroad Application Forms
Program
Application
Education Abroad Application Forms
Flight
Information
Students are to arrive before 6
AM for a 7 AM flight. The earliest departure date
is May 19. The earliest return would
be June 30. The dates may change because of flight
availability.
For further
information please contact
Paul Karan, Dept.
of Geography, e-mail: ppkaran@uky.edu
Doug Slaymaker, Japanese Studies, e-mail: jpnstdy08@spamex.com
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