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Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
Join us at International College of Liberal Arts
The International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) at Yamanashi Gakuin University is a liberal arts college in Japan offering a four-year degree program taught entirely in English. iCLA offers majors in Global Business and Economics, Interdisciplinary Arts, Interdisciplinary Data Science, Japan Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. Students can take electives in Japanese Language and Sociology alongside their major studies. Based in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, iCLA uses English as the college’s primary language of instruction.
Over 80 percent of its students and 60 percent of its faculty members come from outside Japan, creating a truly multicultural environment.
Yamanashi is situated 90 minutes from central Tokyo, and is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, hot springs, historic sites hiking trails and vineyards, all against the backdrop of Mount Fuji.
International students can study Japanese along with their degree studies, starting from any level, including complete beginner. Students can choose from courses across different disciplines and learn from an intuitive and practical curriculum, which also provides the opportunity to study abroad for up to one year at one of its 60 partner universities in over 30 countries.
The courses taught at iCLA lead to a Bachelor of International Liberal Arts degree. iCLA offers small interactive classes, with a low student to faculty ratio, establishing close connections between the instructors and students.
Affordable and comfortable on-campus student accommodation, where Japanese and international students reside together in the accommodation for at least one year, provides plenty of opportunities for establishing lasting friendships.
iCLA’s career-focused courses help students develop their abilities to meet the varied demands of both the current workplace and the global world, where knowledge of the liberal arts, communication skills, English, as well as a deep understanding of cultural differences are imperative.
Students take courses from the common curriculum during their first year, which provides them with exposure to all six majors before making a decision. They are:
With academic pathways leading to careers in finance, international business, and economics, all courses are studied from a global perspective, giving students the ability to leverage their knowledge of Japanese business culture and prepare for a vocation either in Japan or internationally.
Gathering inspiration from multiple sources, students gain a rich understanding of their chosen specialization and work through the medium of a wider creative process by exploring these disciplines from practical, theoretical, and historical perspectives.
With three distinct pathways in Data Science for Finance, Data Science for Political Economy, and Data Science for Psychology, students put their knowledge of data science methodologies to use in real-life research scenarios throughout the degree, preparing them for an exciting career in an expanding and in demand field.
Japan Studies endeavours to investigate and deconstruct the intricacies of Japan by providing students with a comprehensive understanding of this fascinating country, its language and its history. Students gain a deep understanding of how Japan became the country it is today and its global position in the future.
iCLA’s political science major equips students with deep knowledge of political science and its sub fields, analytical techniques, and themes, with pathways in comparative politics, international relations, and public administration.
iCLA’s psychology major equips students with a thorough understanding of how technology influences human behaviour across various psychological disciplines, preparing students for a diverse range of professional and research settings.
Students can choose their electives from any of the majors, or from iCLA’s courses in:
iCLA also offers experiential workshops in Japanese arts and culture.
iCLA launched a new Interdisciplinary Data Science major in September 2024. iCLA’s Interdisciplinary Data Science major prepares students with essential skills for the 21st century within a liberal arts framework. Going beyond technical aspects, data science fosters critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Serving as a bridge across various disciplines, it offers an interdisciplinary perspective to tackle real-world challenges. The curriculum is meticulously designed to meet the rising demand for professionals skilled in data analytics, with a strong emphasis on ethical data practices. Offering three distinct pathways tailored to each field, this program integrates data analytics with specialized knowledge in finance, psychology, and political economy.
Studying Interdisciplinary Data Science at iCLA provides a comprehensive education that extends beyond technical skills. Students gain insights into economic systems, human behavior, societal structures, and political dynamics, enhancing their analytical capabilities. This interdisciplinary approach equips graduates for careers where understanding and interpreting data across diverse contexts are crucial. It combines deep data expertise with a broader understanding of the complexities that shape our global landscape.
¥1,216,000 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
¥950,000 Living costs
iCLA offers international students a number of scholarships to ease their financial burden. These include partial and merit-based full tuition-waiver scholarships.
Scholarships offered at iCLA can take one of the following forms:
The scholarships offered are renewable year on year, based on overall student performance, for up to a period of four years.
Students must be able to demonstrate academic and extracurricular achievements, as well as their financial need.
Students can apply for an iCLA scholarship though the online application system. Recipients of the scholarship are selected based on interview results and the application materials submitted. Scholarship results are announced at the same time as the international admission results.
All applicants to ICLA are required to submit a statement of purpose essay and two references along with their application. After the initial screening phase, applicants will be invited to attend a mandatory online interview. iCLA evaluates all applications on a holistic review of all submitted documents and conducts an interview to make final admission assessment. For full details of procedures and requirements, please see iCLA’s application guidelines.
All applicants are expected to hold a high school diploma equivalent to a senior high school graduation in Japan to be considered for entry to iCLA. Students should have finished 12 years of education or be due to do so. Students from countries with 11-year education systems should contact iCLA directly for guidance.
Applicants to the International College of Liberal Arts do not need to have passed a university entrance qualification exam or standardized international test such as the SAT test, or equivalent standardized test in their home country, but it is recommended that they include these results with the application.
Students who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language when applying to iCLA, with one of the following:
Students are not required to have Japanese language proficiency to enter iCLA.
iCLA students experience living and studying in a place unlike any other. It offers cutting-edge facilities, accommodation on campus, and a vibrant campus community based on events, clubs and societies, making student life at iCLA exceptional.
The music and art studios provide students space to develop their creative skills, while the traditional Japanese tatami room and martial arts dojo host classes and workshops for students to truly experience traditional Japanese arts and culture.
The language acquisition center, featuring both a media center and reading center, is available for students studying English and Japanese to support their language development. Students can make use of study spaces across the campus, suitable for individual and group study, in addition to a 24-hour student lounge with TVs, games and vending machines.
iCLA offers affordable and comfortable accommodation to all of its students. Student accommodation at iCLA is designed such that the living spaces are divided between common areas and individual rooms, along with several facilities which students can share, including shower rooms and a mini kitchen. Every floor in the residence halls comprises of three units, with each of those units containing common facilities as well as eight private rooms.
The residence halls are connected directly to the iCLA building, giving students’ convenient access to its classrooms. iCLA is also located near many amenities such as convenience stores, restaurants and cafes.
Students have access to a spacious cafeteria offering meal services. The students who reside in student accommodation are registered for a meal plan, which serves delicious and healthy meals three times a day on class days.
iCLA students also have access to the facilities within the Yamanashi Gakuin University main campus, such as the training gym and sports facilities, main library, computer studio and campus shop.
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