BUSINESS SEMESTER IN TOKYO OFFERED

PENSACOLA- The University of West Florida College of Business in partnership with Daito Bunka University in Tokyo, Japan, will offer the third annual business program in Tokyo May 18 through July 3. The program is open to students who have at least a 2.5 grade point average and are majoring in business or international studies, seeking a business minor or studying Japanese and Asian studies. Juniors, seniors and beginning graduate students from any Florida university or Florida residents studying out-of-state are eligible to apply for the program.

"Students immersed in an international environment gain tremendous insights from the experience of viewing a culture different from their own," said Richard Sjolander, professor of Marketing and Economics and director of international business programs for UWF. "Students benefit greatly from the opportunity to study abroad. They experience the different ways of solving the daily problems of life found throughout the world, gaining understanding for cultural difference and the fact that there are many ways of dealing with similar situations."

Students accepted for the program will study international business at Daito Bunka University for the first five weeks of the semester and earn nine semester credit hours. During the final week of the program, students will take an extended cultural tour of Japan traveling by bullet train to Osaka, Japan's second largest city which will serve as a center of operations for this portion of the program. The tour will also include visits to the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara and the national historic sites of Hiroshima.

The program fee is $3,500, which includes roundtrip airfare from Pensacola to Tokyo, local transfer from the Tokyo airport to the university, housing for all nights during the program, lunch five days a week while in Tokyo, a Japan-Rail pass for the sixth week, international health and accident insurance, an international student identification card, full-time academic and administrative support and admission to cultural events during the sixth week. The fee does not include UWF tuition for nine semester hours, breakfast and lunch each day, a passport and personal travel or activity expenses.

To apply for the program, students must submit an application and an international permission request form by March 3. Non-UWF students must also submit a transient student form signed by the appropriate officials from their home universities and pay a $100 international programs application fee.

The program is limited to eight participants. The first eight students to meet the eligibility and application requirements and pay the required 50 percent program fee deposit of $1,750 by March 3 will be accepted. The remainder of the program fee must be paid by April 3. A limited number of $500 to $1,000 scholarships will be awarded.

For more information, contact Sjolander at (850) 474-2663 or rsjoland@uwf.edu or contact Phyllis Metcalf-Turner, Diversity and International Programs, at (850) 474-2479.

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