The University of Tokyo offers a number of Graduate Programs conducted entirely in English. Today, we will look at one of the University of Tokyo’s flagship programs, the International Master’s/Doctoral Degree Program on Information, Technology, and Society in Asia – ITASIA for short. 

What is ITASIA? 

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ITASIA was founded in 2008 under the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and has been running successfully for 12 years. It is a select program, admitting about 8 Ph.D. and 12 M.A.S. students every year. All classes in the ITASIA program are conducted in English, with Japanese language classes available for credit. The program focuses on an interdisciplinary hybrid between two academic disciplines: Asian studies and Information studies.

The curriculum 

The ITASIA curriculum differs between that of the M.A.S. track and the Ph.D. track. 

The M.A.S. Program 

The M.A.S. program aims to teach students the changing political, economic, and social realities of globalizing Asia through the study of media, communication, and information studies. The course runs for two years (three if the student opts to take intensive Japanese lessons in his or her first year). The program will suit those interested in pursuing careers in public administration, media, business, and academia. Students will graduate with a Master of Arts and Sciences in the field of Information Studies.

The Ph.D. Program 

The Ph.D. program is for students who wish to become high-level researchers and professionals in the fields of Asian studies and information studies. The course runs for a minimum of three years. Students will acquire a broad-based knowledge of arts and sciences as well as expertise in the investigative techniques and theoretical analysis required for advanced research in politics, economics, media studies, and other social sciences. Students will graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy in the field of Information Studies.

Required Courses

For the M.A.S. Program, there are 7 required courses: 

  • ITASIA 101: Introduction to Asian Studies: History and International Relations (Lecture)
  • ITASIA 102: Introduction to Asian Studies: History and International Relations (Seminar) 
  • ITASIA 201: Introduction to Media and Communication (Lecture) 
  • ITASIA 202: Introduction to Medica and Communication (Seminar) 
  • ITASIA 301: Introduction to Social Research (Lecture) 
  • ITASIA 302: Introduction to Social Research (Workshop) 
  • ITASIA 401: Introduction to Information Technology 

For the Ph.D. Program, there are only 4 required courses: 

  • ITASIA 101: Introduction to Asian Studies: History and International Relations (Lecture)
  • ITASIA 102: Introduction to Asian Studies: History and International Relations (Seminar) 
  • ITASIA 201: Introduction to Media and Communication (Lecture) 
  • ITASIA 202: Introduction to Medica and Communication (Seminar) 

Although there are fewer required courses in the Ph.D. program, students must take a greater number of elective courses to meet their credit requirements. Furthermore, the dissertation writing for the Ph.D. program is expected to take at least one year, whereas the thesis writing for the M.A.S. program is expected to take six months.

Admission information

Students must submit the following 13 documents to be considered for a place in the ITASIA program: 

  1. Application Document Checklist (provided)
  2. Application Form for ITASIA (provided) 
  3. Official proof of graduation and receipt of degree 
  4. Academic transcripts
  5. TOEFL or ILETS score 
  6. GRE score 
  7. Sample of Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis 
  8. Other publication (if applicable) 
  9. Passport page 
  10. Two evaluation forms 
  11. JLPT score (optional) 
  12. Two passport-style photographs
  13. Certification of Remittance (application fee receipt) 

It seems as though candidates are screened on a holistic basis based on their past academic performance, standardized test scores, and motivational statement. 

It should be noted that the application guidelines do not specify a need for an interview. Students deemed necessary for an interview will be contacted individually, however from the personal experiences of my friends in this program, apparently, this is quite rare.

Graduate information 

So where do the graduates from the ITASIA program end up working? Here is a list of places that students have found jobs with: 

  • Alpha FMC
  • Daiwa House
  • Deloitte Tohmatsu Cyber LLC
  • Fulford Enterprises Ltd.
  • Hotto Link
  • IBM Japan
  • Kyowa Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd.
  • NEXT TV Broadcasting Ltd.
  • NTT Data Getronics Corporation
  • Pro Helvetia Shanghai, Swiss Arts Council
  • Voyagin
  • ZigZaGame Inc.

Furthermore, here is the list of academic institutions that students have pursued further education at:

  • Brown University
  • Harvard University
  • Princeton University
  • Smith College
  • Stony Brook University
  • Waseda University

Hear what the students have to say: 

Meet Xuelu (M.A.S. 2013) 

Xuelu was a female M.A.S. student in the class of 2013 from China. She currently works as a Senior Market Research Manager for Kyowa Pharmaceutical.

My two years in the ITASIA Program at the University of Tokyo was a fantastic experience. The exposure to multi-disciplinary courses not only gave me inspiring ideas but also expanded my horizon. Furthermore, the systematic training I received in the ITASIA Program has equipped me with strong research skills in my work as well.

Meet Patrick (Ph.D. 2012) 

Patrick was a male Ph.D. student from the US, graduating in the class of 2012. He has published a number of publications surrounding Japanese pop culture such as “The Moe Manifesto” and “Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture”. Patrick currently works as a lecturer at Senshu University in Tokyo. 

My time in the ITASIA Program at the University of Tokyo really shaped me as a scholar and individual. From interactions with faculty and peers to interactions with informants in the field, learning with and from others was a defining chapter in my life.

Concluding remarks: 

The ITASIA is a comprehensive English-degree graduate program offered by the University of Tokyo. Its focus on an interdisciplinary approach to Asian studies and Information studies, a highly relevant area in today’s technological age and the geopolitical rise of Asia.

Although the program is small, students in ITASIA will be able to form deep relationships with their peers and supervising professors. This is often an underrated advantage of studying in a small graduate program in Japan, and might be one of ITASIA’s greatest allure.

If you are contemplating of applying, I highly encourage you all to give it a go!

Reference

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