An information session about Cerritos College’s upcoming study abroad trip to Japan, featuring the instructors of English 110 and Journalism and Media Studies 100, provided info on Sept. 24 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Santa Barbara building’s Living Learning Center.
The information session covered the costs, dates, and other important trip details.
The study abroad program offers two courses – Christian Brown’s JAMS 100 Mass Communications and Society and Teresa Cheatham’s ENGL 110 Critical Thinking Through Literature.
The classes will begin on June 16 and students are expected to arrive in Osaka on July 14.
Students will stay in Kyoto for six days, Nara for one day and Tokyo for four days.
During their stay in Nara, there will be a guided visit to Todai-ji Temple and an afternoon to explore on their own.
“I have never been out of the country, so Japan is always a really great start – I’m interested in Buddhism, so knowing that there is a whole temple that we would be going to is exciting,” Dallas Fisher, a meeting attendee, said.
During the trip, students will hear various guest lectures regarding Japanese pop culture, festivals, anime, manga and more.
The journalism course will have guest visits and meet with multimedia companies like Universal Music Japan, Sony Music Entertainment, the Studio Ghibli Museum and more.
The study abroad program partners with a provider, China Educational Tours Academic Programs. However, it is usually just referred to as CET Academic Programs since it has expanded to various locations around the world according to its website.
It was chosen for its academic excellence, local connections and supportive staff – as well as social and environmental sustainability.
If less than 20 students attend, the program fee will be approximately $4,100, but if there are more than 20 students, the cost will lessen to $3,800.
The program fee includes things such as housing, daily breakfast, hotel Wi-FI, GeoBlue medical insurance, CET staff support, transportation and more.
The program fees don’t include round-trip airfare, passport or visa fees, fees for class enrollment, class supplies, world trip protector insurance and food, except for planned program meals.
To attend, students must provide an unofficial transcript showing a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative GPA, enroll in one of the courses offered by the program and must be at least 18 years old.
For the ENGL 110, Critical Thinking Through Literature course, students must complete the prerequisite of completing English 100 with a grade of “C” or higher, or “pass.”
Gladys Calderon, the assistant director of international student services and cultural engagement, said, “If you’re going to do a study abroad experience, this is the way to do it.”
According to the presentation, “Fewer than 10% of US college students study abroad and 85% agree that studying abroad was the most meaningful experience of their undergraduate education.”
When asked why she would like to study abroad in Japan, Jasmine Reyes, an attendee, said, “Growing up I’ve always been surrounded by Japanese culture and what they’re about, especially since there was an APIDA luncheon on campus.
“There was a speaker who was Japanese and she told us a lot about her family history and what it means to be Japanese American. So, it would be really cool to travel [to Japan] and see for myself what that history is and what those experiences are,” Reyes continued.
The deadline to apply is Feb. 3, 2025 – a $450 non-refundable deposit is also needed for enrollment. The limit to the number of students that can attend is 30.
“I have a feeling we’re going to have a waitlist,” Cheatham added.
A financial aid workshop will be offered in the future to assist students with the costs of the trip.
