OUSSEP
OUSSEP is a semester- or yearlong study abroad program designed for 2nd- and 3rd-year undergraduate students from partner overseas universities. Participants attend lectures taught in English, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of Japan. In addition to these lectures, participants can learn basic survival Japanese to enhance their experience in the country.
Outline
Since the first 11 OUSSEP students arrived in Osaka in 1996, the program has gradually diversified and expanded. Currently, nearly 100 international students per semester participate in the exchange, studying alongside Japanese classmates in international exchange courses that grant transfer credits to their home universities.
International exchange subjects include liberal arts courses offered by faculties and departments across the University of Osaka (UOsaka), Japanese language courses, credit-bearing internships, and semi-tailored, proposal-based independent study opportunities.
The program is taught and run entirely in English, in close collaboration with the Center for International Education and Exchange (CIEE).
Language Requirements
If English is not the student’s first language, the student must meet one of the minimum English language requirements listed below. Japanese language proficiency is not required.
- TOEFL iBT 80
- IELTS 6.0
- Cambridge English B2
Official assessment report, both receptive and productive, from a language center in their home university. Official certificate/letter certifying that English is the medium of instruction in their school/faculty/graduate school.
Student Status
OUSSEP students, both undergraduate and graduate, at UOsaka are registered as Special Auditors (Credited).
Start and Duration
Start dates are twice a year, in spring and fall, with the option to join for one semester, half-year, or two semesters, full year. Start dates are set according to the UOsaka academic calendar and cannot be changed. It is not possible to start in the middle of a semester.
- One semester, 15 weeks
April to August / October to February - Two semesters, 30 weeks
April to February / October to August
Completion Requirements
OUSSEP students must register for a minimum of 14 credits per semester, at least 10 of which must be International Exchange Subjects. Students who have completed the above credits will be issued a Certificate of Completion.
Structure of the Program
OUSSEP students primarily take International Exchange Subjects, which consist of a range of liberal arts courses for 2nd- and 3rd-year undergraduate students.
International Exchange Subjects include a range of courses designed to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of Japan, as well as courses from a variety of fields offered by UOsaka’s schools and faculties.
There are 30 to 40 International Exchange Subjects offered each semester, all taught in English. OUSSEP has no compulsory subjects; all are electives. You can choose the subjects you wish to take and transfer the credits to your home university.
Graduate students may apply to OUSSEP, but should do so with the understanding that most of the courses offered are at the undergraduate level.
The following courses are among the most distinctive in the “International Exchange Subjects” category.
1. Japanese Language
There are six levels of Japanese language courses, from beginner to intermediate, and students can take classes at the level that suits them.
The beginner level has three classes per week for a total of 4 credits per semester. The intermediate level has three different weekly courses per semester, each worth 2 credits.
2. Independent Study
Independent Study is one of the most distinctive features of OUSSEP. Students propose their own research topic and are assigned to a professor specializing in that field, who supervises them individually for a semester or a year.
Undergraduates receive two or three credits per semester, depending on the nature of their research, after an assessment of a research report the student submits each semester. This course is suitable for students who have a topic they wish to explore and who can study and research independently.
Because it takes time to be assigned a supervisor, students must submit their Independent Study request at the same time as their exchange program application. It is not possible to request the course after arriving in Japan. Additionally, if a suitable supervisor cannot be found, students may be unable to take the course even if they wish to.
3. Internships
Internships, which OUSSEP has offered since October 2020, involve spending one day a week on work experience. Four credits are awarded upon successful completion.
Students must submit their internship request at the same time as their exchange program application and pass an online interview before coming to Japan.
OUSSEP currently offers the following internship:
- Kinder Kids International School Internship
This 15-week English Education Assistant internship provides experience in an educational setting and fosters cross-cultural exchange by introducing the intern’s own culture and language to Japanese children.