Location: Osaka, Japan (Osaka City University)

- Take one or two IIT faculty taught summer classes in Osaka, Japan!

- Osaka is Chicago’s sister city. Much like Chicago, Osaka is famous for its food and friendly people!

- You will get to know this global city through course excursions and have the opportunity to explore the wider Kansai region with day trips to Kyoto, Kobe, Himeji, Nara, and Mt. Koyasan. Courses are scheduled 3 days a week to allow for easy weekend travel, and Tokyo is just 3 hours away by bullet train.

- This program involves direct cultural exchange. You will have the opportunity to interact with Japanese students at Osaka City University and stay with a Japanese host family.

Deadlines:
- Application Deadline: February 17, 2016
- $500 deposit due: March 17, 2016
- Final $1000 payment due: April 17, 2016 * students using financial aid to pay the program fee will need a letter from financial aid at this point.

Housing Type: Homestays

You will live with a Japanese family in single or double occupancy room and travel to Osaka City University by public transportation. Families will provide breakfast and dinner.

Eligibility: This program is open to students in all colleges who are not on academic probation. One social science course and one humanities course are offered, giving students the opportunity to earn “S” and “H” credit towards the IIT core/general education requirements. Places are limited, so apply early!

Course Descriptions:

Professor Steffenson, Social Science
SSCI 285/385 Global Cities: Osaka (IIT core “S” credit)
This course will draw on the interdisciplinary global cities’ literature to examine Osaka in a comparative context. We will examine the ways in which Osaka is connected to the global economy and what social and economic opportunities and problems this brings. We will draw on social science data and case studies to analyze how Osaka compares to other global cities such as Chicago. This is an experiential course which involves excursions to different neighborhoods in Osaka and nearby Japanese cities with the aim of observing how globalization affects local communities.

Professor Kocurek, Humanities
HUM 380: Gaming Around the Globe (IIT core “H” credit)
Gaming Around the Globe is an upper-level Humanities course that considers video gaming in national, international, and transnational contexts. Offered as a site-specific course in Osaka Japan, this course puts a particular emphasis on Japanese game design and development and incorporates excursions and other activities. Topics covered include localization, cultural exports, game ratings and distribution, and the construction of national and internationalized gaming communities and cultures.