Take your Master’s or PhD in Japan
I was forwarded an extremely useful message from my Japanese professor the other day. Those who are currently taking or finishing up undergraduate degrees concerned with East Asia, or Information technology, you might want to have a look at this.
“In 2008, the University of Tokyo (UT) launches a new International Master’s/Doctoral Degree Program: Information, Technology, and Society in Asia (ITASIA) at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies (GSII). This program offers intensive graduate level education designed to foster analytical strength and insight into Asian societies and international relations, at a time when information and communication technology are having an increasingly profound impact on the region.
The program is tailored for both international and Japanese students who are motivated to pursue active professional careers on the regional and global stages. All instruction will be conducted in English, so proficiency in Japanese is not a prerequisite.” — ITASIA Website
Of course this doesn’t apply to me quite yet for several reasons, but I am going to keep it in mind depending on how my outlook on Japan job hunting goes (Job hunting in Japanese is 就職：しゅうしょく：Shuushoku). I’m just putting this out here in hopes that it might reach somebody that is interested. If you’re uber smart and don’t speak Japanese this is a great chance for you to get over to Japan for an extended period of time. Not to mention, you’d be studying at the top university in Japan to boot (the University of Tokyo, also more commonly referred to in Japan as 東大：とうだい：Todai, an abbreviated form of Tokyo Daigaku meaning Tokyo University).
If you’d like to read up on more of the details check out the website: http://itasia.iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp/
Anybody out there that is pursuing a degree in East Asian Studies / Japanese linguistics like myself? Or am I the only one 
May 15th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
God i would love to go to this university but the problem would be that i would have to change majors, which would mean another couple of years of schooling here which isn’t something i’m really looking forward to since the school i’m attending now is a bitch and i bet other schools would be even more of a bitch. to be honest i think my university is a joke and i doubt i’ll be able to find a job right away. o well, trial and error i suppose. but thanks for the post, i’ll consider it being one of my backup plans. :p
May 19th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Hi I was browsing Internet and your blog regarding ur Master’s or PhD in Japan | Cruxay.com came my way. Very interesting! You really do know your thing! I\’m gonna bookmark you and come back in a few to see your new posting! Looking forward to! Cheers!
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 am
sadly, this info will not help me in a long time. i am too young. ah well, best thing for me is to keep dreaming lol.
May 31st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Kitsuneswordsman–at least you’re getting into the game early. 23 isn’t exactly ancient, but I often wish I had started studying Japanese earlier….keep at it.
July 4th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Yeah oh my god, when I get to the age at which getting a job isn’t seen as a novelty, I so want to work in a job concerning Japan and the Japanese language. Translator, ambassador, teacher, heck I don’t care. I love it. I have learnt more Japanese in a few months worth of work than I have in French in more than 3 years of French lessons. I am that determined. I sound like some weird obsessive now… That’s not the case. I assure you. I just hate my culture and the way it is (yes, England has skin-heads, it’s not a joke!). I love the frivolity of Japan. Stuff doesn’t have to have a reason. It’s great. Okay… I’m going to go now because I’ve sprained my ankle and its throbbing. Bad sign. Great website though, stumbled across it today while late-night surfing, seeing as my ‘rents are at the pub. Ja, ne? <- Sad-sack alert