International Christian University

This course explores field methods in linguistics by working with speakers of less-studied languages. It introduces various methods of investigating linguistic questions using theoretical inquiries. Students are encouraged, but not required, to have completed at least one 200-level course.

The course instructs on how to collect data from speakers of other languages, using main linguistic concepts, including but not limited to phonetics, phonology, syntax and semantics. Students will then apply acquired skills to design field documentation sessions that can be used to test linguistic hypotheses. Furthermore, these skills will be used to investigate less-studied languages in an objective, scientific manner.

This course is about international financial economics (also known as international monetary economics): the movement of currencies and other financial assets across national boundaries. In this course, students will develop a set of analytic tools that can be used to analyze world economic policy debates. In particular, this course will examine the determination of exchange rates and how they are influenced by various economic phenomena such as interest rates, money supply, output, and unemployment. We will investigate different models of exchange rate determination and discuss how actual data supports or refutes these models.

Class meetings are interactive, usually beginning with a brief, student-led review of current events related to international finance. We then work through together, as a class, one of the models under study or look at some economic data and how it informs our understanding of the models under study. 

This Japanese language course is a continuation of Japanese IV and is equivalent to two quarters of fourth year Japanese at UC. The course continues the development of skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and prepares students to utilize Japanese in academic as well as social contexts. Students read authentic academic materials and learn to express their own opinion. 

This is an intermediate Japanese language course. It continues Japanese II at ICU and is equivalent to quarter six to seven (third year) at UC. Upon completion of this course students will have mastered basic contemporary Japanese grammar, vocabulary, and a total of 94 kanji including new readings. With this foundation students should be able to express themselves in both spoken and written forms at a level necessary for simple daily university student life.

This course covers the CEFR A1 level of spoken and written Japanese. It focuses on interactive communication activities relevant to the learners themselves and their immediate surroundings. Students will develop overall language proficiency through listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities on various topics.

The course utilizes Hiragana and Katakana in class materials (slides, homework, class announcements, etc.) from the first week. Also, there will be Hiragana and Katakana quizzes within the first two weeks. Please check Hiragana and Katakana (read & write) before class starts.

By the end of this course, students will be able to get an idea of the content provided by very basic words and phrases on the most common everyday situations, speak and write simple phrases and sentences in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics, and interact in a simple way if delivered directly to him/her.

This course requires reading several short texts by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant, which introduce us to ideas about philosophy and what constitutes philosophical inquiry. As different as these two philosophers are, Rousseau had a tremendous impact on Kant. It is helpful to read Kant in the light of Rousseau. Each thinker will introduce us to some basic philosophical problem and we will think for ourselves about these problems.

This course aims to introduce the subject of philosophy but also the activity of philosophizing. This means that there will be much discussion in class and a fair amount of writing outside of class. The ideal would be to form a "community of inquirers." The depth of realizing this ideal will be up to each student.
 

This introductory module provides an overview of law or legal studies. Participants are expected to carefully read, research, and discuss the underlying ideas and principles of law, and the frameworks and methods (often presupposed) in legal studies.

By the end of this course, students are expected to
(1) Understand and explain basic terms and concepts of legal studies;
(2) Acquire basic knowledge of major legal systems;
(3) Gain fundamental skills to analyze and explain legal aspects of social issues.

This course aims to familiarize students with digital video production and editing in a broad context of education. It is designed to help students learn the technology, art, pedagogy, and practices involved in effective visual storytelling. With the advancement of digital technologies, making a video program has become much easier than before. Even so, to produce a highly effective and professional video, we need to learn certain production strategies, skills, and theories. This course offers exciting opportunities to learn basic theories and technical skills through the production of high-quality short video programs, using simple devices such as a smartphone. It helps students produce video content that has high educational value in a rapidly changing media environment.

The UN is a paradox of international relations. It is made up of independent states, but it is supposed to limit their excesses. It is based on the principle of equality, but it is controlled by the most powerful capitals. It is engaged in military operations, but it does not have an army. It was born from the ashes of the Holocaust, but it treats dictators with deference. It preaches human rights, but it cannot meddle in the affairs of its members. It preaches democracy, but it does not practice it.

This course is meant to serve as a critical introduction to the world's only universal Organization. After outlining the basic structures and functions of the UN, it focuses on the debates and controversies that have accompanied since its birth. The course considers - with frankness, without fear and in an intentionally 'undiplomatic way' - the Organization's successes as well as its failures. As current events show - from COVID to Ukraine - the United Nations is profoundly inadequate. The question is: Why? And who benefits from a weak UN?

This course is for students who are learning Italian for the first time. It aims to help develop the full range of linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) through practice in grammar, reading, and conversational role-playing, as well as through the use of music and other audiovisual materials that will help students gain a better understanding of Italian culture and language.

By the end of the course, the students will be able to: 
1) Understand and utilize frequently-used everyday expressions as well as simple phrases to meet immediate needs.
2) Introduce themselves and others; asking and answering questions about personal details such as where they live, things they have, and people they know.
3) Interact in a simple way.