Make in Japan 2024
Students will explore Japanese culture and its cultural maifestations through the study of a variety of mediums including design, architecture, space, art, fashion, visual communication, interaction and game design. Participants will select a specific topic related to their research interests and will perform a thorough study and analysis of the Japanese traits and characteristics of the topic during their trip to Japan.
About the Program
The Faculty of Fine Arts and Concordia International are pleased to offer a new short-term Design field school program in Japan. This exciting program offers students the opportunity to earn 3 Concordia credits while spending approximately 17 days in Japan. Dr. Martin Racine (Graduate Program Director and Associate Professor, Department of Design and Computation Arts) and Professor Guillaume Pelletier, (Department of Design and Computation Arts) will co-lead the course. Professor Pelletier will accompany the group.
The objective of the “Make in Japan” Field school is to bring students to discover Japanese culture and its cultural manifestations through a variety of mediums including design, architecture, space, art, fashion, visual communication, interaction and game design. Following a number of cultural visits as well as brainstorming and interview sessions with design students in Japan, program participants will select a specific topic related to their research interests and will perform a thorough study and analysis of the Japanese traits and characteristics of the topic during their trip to Japan. This in-situ research will lead to the development of a creative project and prototype influenced by the research.
Apart from their cultural visits in museums, design centres, art galleries and architectural sites, the students will have the occasion to encounter and perform creative work with Japanese students at Tama Art University. Students will discover the richness of the Japanese traditions and history, food and urban culture, while learning to enrich their creative vision through the influence of the Japanese perspective and philosophy. There will be preparatory sessions prior to the trip.
Program dates
Dates: May 10, 2024 (arrival date) to May 26, 2024 (departure date).
Program course
This course is offered at the undergraduate and graduate (Masters) levels:
- DART 498: Special Topics in Design Research (3 credits)
- DART 635: Special Topics in Design Research (3 credits)
Estimated cost
Program fee = $3200 CAD
The program fee includes:
- Hotel Accommodation at all locations
- 1-week Japan Rail Pass
Concordia tuition = 3 credits Concordia tuition
- For an estimate of the tuition fee please use the tuition fee calculator.
- Master and Ph.D level students will pay the same tuition charged per semester in program.
Additional costs
- Selecting and paying their transportation to/from Tokyo, Japan.
- Mandatory health and travel insurance.
- Meals
- Some in-country transportaiton (metro & local buses)
- Spending money.
- Museum visits.
- Any required travel documents and other miscellaneous expenses associated with travel.
Available Funding
Peter N. Thomson Family Field School Award
The Faculty of Fine Arts invites applications for the Peter N. Thomson Family Field School Awards. The Award offers an amount of $1,300 for thirty (30) eligible Fine Arts undergraduate or graduate students accepted to a Field School hosted by the Faculty of Fine Arts. Please consult the Peter N. Thomson Field School Award webpage for application instructions.
Quebec Mobility Bursary
To offset costs, Concordia offers a bursary of $1275 CDN to students who qualify. To qualify, you must be a Concordia student enrolled in a Concordia Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree program and approved to participate in the field school.
- Field school applicants do not need to submit a bursary application as it is part of the on-line field school application, and you will automatically be considered for the Quebec Mobility bursary.
- The bursary will be applied to student accounts. Details on the payment of the bursary will be sent to successful applicants.
- Students in Faculty of Fine Arts programs may also apply for the Thomson Award, which can be combined with the Quebec Mobility Bursary to offset the full cost of the course
Application Process
To be eligible to participate in the field school, you must meet one of the following criteria.
- Be enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program, with a minimum 2.7 cumulative culmative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 24 credits toward your current degree program by the time you leave for the program.
- Be enrolled in a Master’s degree program, with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 9 credits toward your current degree program by the departure date.
- Be enrolled in PhD degree program, have a 3.7 cumulative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 9 credits toward your current degree program by the departure date.
All students interested in applying to this program must attend an information session given by Concordia International prior to submitting an application.
Date: January 31, 2024
Time: 11 a.m.
Zoom Meeting Link: https://concordia-ca.zoom.us/j/3654810697
- Submit the Concordia Field School Abroad Application through the Concordia International Outgoing Mobility portal by the application deadline of February 16 2024. The application can be accessed through the Concordia International CSEP Mobility Portal.
- Your application must also include:
- A copy of your most recent transcript (whether from Concordia or another institution). An unofficial Concordia transcript.
- A letter of intent of 500-750 words describing why you wish to participate in the Japan Field School and the kind of work you hope to accomplish while there. You should also make mention of what strengths or contributions you think you will bring to the group.
Final admissions decisions will be made by the program monitor, Guilluame Pelletier
By March 19 2024, admitted students must make a $500 deposit on their Concordia student account towards costs to hold their position in the program, the $500 deposit will be credited to their student account and applied against their future tuition.
Students admitted to the program will have to attend a mandatory pre-departure meeting held by Concordia International through the following Zoom link: https://concordia-ca.zoom.us/j/3654810697 on April 3rd 2024 at 11 am.
Academic Inquiries
Architect & Scholar-in-Residence