Elective Courses

2024 Fall Semester Weekly Schedule (NOTE: May not apply to all weeks; check syllabi for course-specific schedules)

• Human Lifespan Development Across Cultures in Japan (4 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Jacqueline Jackson, JCMU Visiting Scholar
• Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (September 10 - December 12)
• Location: JCMU Campus
• MSU Course Designation*: ISS 318
• Japanese Culture & Society: Contemporary Social Issues & Identities (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Azumi Tamura, Shiga University
• Schedule: Wednesdays, 12:50 PM - 4:00 PM (September 11 - December 11)
• Location: Shiga University
• Shiga University is 2.6 km (1.6 miles) from JCMU, or approximately 10-15 minutes by bike.
• MSU Course Designation*: SSC 490
• Japanese Culture & Society: Nature and People in Shiga and Japan (3 credits)
• Instructor(s): Kiyo Sakamoto & Amanda Mashima, University of Shiga Prefecture
• Schedule: Wednesdays, 1:30 PM - 4:20 PM (September 25 - December 11; NOTE: Three required field trips will be held on the following Saturdays: Oct. 12, Oct. 26, Nov. 16)
• Location: University of Shiga Prefecture
• USP campus is 6.0 km (3.7 miles) from JCMU, or approximately 25-35 minutes by bike.
• MSU Course Designation*: AL 400
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit)
• Instructor(s): Benjamin McCracken, Esq. and Christopher Garth, JCMU
• Schedule: Fridays, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• MSU Course Designation*: ASN 291

*MSU course designations are provided for reference by MSU and guest (LLE) students. Students attending another JCMU partner school should consult with their home institution's study abroad office or their academic advisors, as needed, for course equivalencies/approval. 

2024 Spring Semester Weekly Schedule (NOTE: May not apply to all weeks; check syllabi for course-specific schedules)

• Japanese Culture & Society: Model Japan (4 credits)
• Instructor: Benjamin McCracken, Esq., Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• Teaching English in Japan (3 credits)
• Instructor: Christopher Garth, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• Japanese Culture & Society: Places and Spaces in Modern Japanese Literature and Film (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Mariko Takano, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit)
• Instructor: Christopher Garth, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Fridays, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus

2023 Fall Semester Weekly Schedule (NOTE: May not apply to all weeks; check syllabi for course-specific schedules)

• Japanese Culture & Society: Popular Music and Modern Japan (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Mariko Takano, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (September 7 - December 12)
• Location: JCMU Campus
• MSU Course Designation*: AL 400
• Japanese Culture & Society: Contemporary Social Issues & Identities (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Azumi Tamura, Shiga University
• Schedule: Mondays, 12:50 PM - 4:00 PM (September 11 - December 11; NOTE: There is a holiday on 10/9, but Shiga University will still hold classes.)
• Location: Shiga University
• Shiga University is 2.6 km (1.6 miles) from JCMU, or approximately 10-15 minutes by bike.
• MSU Course Designation*: SSC 490
• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits)
• Instructor: Benjamin McCracken, Esq., Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (September 12 - December 12)
• Location: JCMU Campus
• MSU Course Designation*: IAH 211B
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit)
• Instructor: Christopher Garth, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Fridays, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (September 8 - December 8)
• Location: JCMU Campus
• MSU Course Designation*: ASN 291

*MSU course designations are provided for reference by MSU and guest (LLE) students. Students attending another JCMU partner school should consult with their home institution's study abroad office or their academic advisors, as needed, for course equivalencies/approval. 

• Japanese Culture & Society: Places and Spaces in Modern Japanese Literature and Film (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Mariko Takano, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Wednesdays & Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• Japan & Nature: Landscape, Disaster, and Food Culture (3 credits)
• Instructor: Dr. Yoshimasa Kurashige, University of Shiga Prefecture
• Schedule: Tuesdays, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• Japanese Culture & Society: Model Japan (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Instructor: Benjamin McCracken, Esq., Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit) - JCMU Faculty
• Instructor: Mr. Christopher Garth, Japan Center for Michigan Universities
• Schedule: Fridays, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus

• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits)
• Instructor: Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU
• Schedule: Tuesdays, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: JCMU Campus
• Japanese Culture & Society: Contemporary Social Issues & Identities (3 credits)
• Instructor: Shiga University
• Schedule: Wednesdays, 12:50 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: Shiga University
• Shiga University is 2.6 km (1.6 miles) from JCMU, or approximately 10-15 minutes by bike.
• JCMU Experience I (Required - all students) (1 credit)
• Instructor: Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Schedule: Thursdays, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits) Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU
• Japanese Culture & Society: Contemporary Social Issues and Identities (3 credits) Dr. Azumi Tamura, Shiga University
• Japan & Nature: Landscape, Climate, and the People's Attitude (3 credits) Dr. Yoshimasa Kurashige and Dr. Kazuhisa Shimada, University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience I & II (Required - all students) (1 credit) Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU

• Japanese Culture & Society: Model Japan (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU 
• Japanese Economy & Business (3 credits) - Dr. Koichiro Mori, Shiga University
• Second Language Acquisition (1 credit) - Martin Hawkes, The University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU

• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Culture & Society: Contemporary Social Issues and Identities (3 credits) - Dr. Azumi Tamura, Shiga University
• Japan & Nature: Landscape, Climate, and the People's Attitude (3 credits) - Dr. Yoshimasa Kurashige and Dr. Kazuhisa Shimada, University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit) - JCMU Faculty

• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Teaching English in Japan (3 credits) - Christopher Garth, JCMU English Language Program Coordinator
• Japanese Economy & Business (3 credits) - Dr. Koichiro Mori, Shiga University
• Second Language Acquisition (1 credit) - Martin Hawkes, The University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience I (Required - AY & Fall semester students) (1 credit) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director

• Japanese Culture & Society (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Culture & Society: Social and Cultural Psychology (3 credits) - Dr. Akinobu Nameda, Shiga University
• Japan & Nature: Landscape, Climate, and the People's Attitude (3 credits) - Dr. Kazu Shimada, University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience (Required - all students) (1 credit) - JCMU Faculty

• Japanese Culture & Society: Model Japan (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Economy & Business (3 credits) - Dr. Koichiro Mori, Shiga University
• Second Language Acquisition (1 credit) - Martin Hawkes, The University of Shiga Prefecture
• JCMU Experience I (Required - AY & Fall semester students) (1 credit) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director

• Japanese Culture & Society: Shiga (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Culture & Society: Cultural Psychology (3 credits) - Dr. Akinobu Nameda, Shiga University
• Teaching English in Japan (3 credits) - Christopher Garth, JCMU English Language Program Coordinator & Instructor
• JCMU Experience I (Required - Spring semester students) (1 credit) - JCMU Faculty
• JCMU Experience II (Required - Academic year students) (1 credit) - JCMU Faculty

• Japanese Culture & Society: Model Japan (4 credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Economy and Business (3 credits) - Dr. Koichiro Mori, Shiga University
• JCMU Experience (Required Course) (1 credit) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director

• Japanese Culture & Society: Law and Order (4 Credits) - Benjamin McCracken, Esq., JCMU Resident Director
• Japanese Culture & Society: Social and Cultural Psychology (3 credits) - Dr. Akinobu Nameda, Shiga University
• Introduction to Japanese Film (3 credits) - Dr. Carl Boland, JCMU Faculty