Tohoku's program: JYPE

Ok, so since I am not leaving 'till the 22nd... I don't really have very many interesting things to put in here.  So that why I'm trying to do some infomational posts because maybe there's a .45% chance someone finds this blog and wants to know more about the programs themselves...

I'll say that one of the reasons I want to go forward with this blog is because if it were not for someone else's blog in the same situation I am in, I wouldn't have even applied to this program.  My second year is when I found his blog, and he was at that point half way through the program that I will be leaving for this month.  Through reading everything he was doing and going back to read his previous posts, I was able to muster up the drive to apply.  So, on the off chance that someone does the same, I want to have some application and program info from my point of view.

So, specifically for Drexel, here is the link to my school's info page for this program.  http://drexel.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10062

That actually has a lot of really good info there.  Especially the timeframe for the program.  I am doing the full year program, while there is an option for just 1 semester.

Now, the program at Tohoku that I will be a part of is the JYPE program, or the Junior Year Program in English.  Here's the link to Tohoku's website for this program. http://www.insc.tohoku.ac.jp/jype/index.html

I'll give a little overview for the program.  Basically, there is one required course, "Individual Research Training," which is worth 5 credits there.  We have to take a minimum of 13 credits each term, so each term has 8 credits to fill.  This next class isn't REQUIRED... but it is required.  That is the Japanese language class.  Unless someone is fluent in Japanese, I have no idea why you wouldn't take this class.  They have 4 levels of Japanese, and you test in to see what level you are at before joining a class level.  This class is worth 4 credits, so basically you have 4 credits to play with each term.

Almost every other class is 2 credits, meaning that you have to choose at least 2 classes each term to go along with the research class and the Japanese class.  For my first term, I plan on taking Japanese Culture A, Mechanics of Materials, and System Dynamics.  So yes, an extra class.  But both of the mechanical classes are offered in the first term, and I really want to take advantage of the culture class as well.  My second term I am planning on taking Japanese Culture B, and Molecular and Cellular Biology.  There's not any engineering classes I need this term, so I'm knocking one of those annoying 300+ math/sci electives out of the way. 

The Culture classes I am taking are A&B,  but there is also a pair of classes, Japanese Culture C&D.  The A&B pair are more true to the name; actual culture classes including history, art, reading, etc.  The C&D pair are actually Aikido (a form of Japanese martial arts) classes, and are focused on learning Japanese culture through this martial art.

So thats a brief overview of the JYPE program.  If I think of anything else to post before I leave I'll be sure to get it down.  I'm just kinda getting ready to go over the next week, making sure I have things I'll need to bring.  And one thing I am truly, truly dreading... will be my final cheesesteak before I leave.  I have no idea how my tastebuds wills survive and ENTIRE year without the pure deliciousness that is a pizza steak from cart #2...

T-minus 27 days.