Hawaii Tokai International College continuously strives to develop innovative programs that reflect its educational mission to serve as a "Gateway for Eastern and Western cultures." In order to meet its goal to serve as an international institution, HTIC now offers the "Discover Japan: Japanese Language and Cultural Immersion Program." This program, which allows HTIC students to study in Japan at Tokai University's International Student Education Center, is open to all students who are non-native speakers of Japanese. The purpose of the program is to provide participants the opportunity to experience life and learn in Japan for four months each year. It is very much in keeping with HTIC's educational mission and the College's liberal arts program learning outcomes of cross-cultural understanding, second language acquisition, and global citizenship.

Program students enroll in HTIC in the Summer or Fall terms, taking the Freshman Experience as well as other General Education courses to meet the College's core requirements. Students without first-year Japanese language ability will take JPN 101 (Fall term) and JPN 102 (Winter term) before departing for Japan. During these terms, students will also enroll in HIST 251 (History of Japan) and at least one other Japan-related course, such as Japanese Anthropology, Religion, or Literature. Students then fly to Japan to participate in the "Japanese Language Course for Foreign Students," a one-term intensive language program offered at Tokai University's Shonan Campus in Kanagawa from April 1 to July 31 (the equivalent of the Spring and Summer Session I Terms at HTIC).

After completing the intensive language program at Tokai University, students return to Hawaii to HTIC to continue their studies during the Summer Session II or the Fall term. After their return, these students give a Japanese language presentation on a topic of their choice as a program capstone.

The students who successfully complete the Discover Japan Immersion Program receive six credits in the Japan-related field for Japanese History and for at least one other course (e.g. ANTH 202). Students will also receive nine credit hours for their language study in Japan for JPN 201 (Intermediate Japanese I), JPN 202 (Intermediate Japanese II), and JPN 203 (Intermediate Japanese III). These fifteen credit hours apply to the total number of credits necessary for HTIC students to successfully complete their Associate in Arts degrees.

Recruitment for the program is taking place now. Please contact Admissions for further information.