Academics
Curriculum
A Liberal Arts Curriculum
There are many ingredients that give the iCLA curriculum its unique character. In liberal arts education you study a variety of disciplines while acquiring depth in your chosen major. The qualities of liberal arts education such as critical thinking, communication, creative problem-solving skills bring wholeness to student education. The student learning experience is enhanced by small class sizes and a close interaction between students and faculty.
View our course list and our detailed course syllabi.
Study Flow Chart
Majors
iCLA offers four majors within our innovative liberal arts curriculum. During the first year, students take courses from our core curriculum, providing the necessary exposure to make an informed decision about which of our majors to follow.
Global Business & Economics
The Global Business and Economics major offers a blend of application and theory, utilizing an applied approach to Business to train future business leaders who deeply understand the interplay between business and society. Our program hones the knowledge and skills associated with the liberal arts and their importance for business such as communication, social, cultural and geopolitical context, ethics, teamwork and critical thinking.
With academic pathways leading to careers in Finance, International Business, and Economics, all courses are studied from a global perspective, giving you the ability to leverage your knowledge of Japanese business culture and prepare for a vocation either in Japan or internationally.
Political Science
Offering academic pathways for students interested in International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Public Administration, iCLA’s Political Science major addresses the fundamental problems facing human society. Through varied learning and assessment methods, you will develop a deep understanding of political science, its various sub-fields, major themes, and analytical techniques leading to enriching careers in local or national government, government services, social enterprise, the NGO sector or academia.
Combining electives in Data Science, History, Literature and Psychology with the Political Science major are popular choices with our students and this flexibility in choosing your electives helps you graduate with the skills required to succeed in the field.
Interdisciplinary Arts
Interdisciplinary Arts is an exciting major where you gather inspiration from multiple sources including visual art (Fine Art and Graphic Design), music (Audio Engineering, and Digital & Sonic Art), language arts (Creative Writing, Literary Analysis, and Linguistics), and performance (Film and Theater). You will gain a rich understanding of your chosen specialization and work through the medium of a wider creative process by exploring these disciplines from practical, theoretical, and historical perspectives.
The interdisciplinary nature of a Liberal Arts education guarantees that you graduate with the transferable skills valued by employers and required to succeed in any role in addition to technical knowledge gained in your artist field. For example, the flexibility and wide array of electives offered at iCLA allow you to easily add the study of subjects like Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Small Business Finance, Psychology and Computer Science to give you even more of the tools needed to succeed as a working artist.
Japan Studies
Japan Studies endeavors to investigate and deconstruct the intricacies of Japan by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of this fascinating country, its language and its history, from ancient beginnings to the rise of the samurai, through to its current status as a modern technology driven power. You can explore Japan’s society, politics, international relations and economics, developing a deep understanding of how Japan became the country it is today and its global position in the future. The major also gives you the opportunity to experience Japan’s unique arts, literature and culture, from traditional music and theater through to contemporary anime and manga.
In a true expression of the interdisciplinary nature of iCLA’s curriculum, Japan Studies draws on courses from across our whole curriculum to provide a complete learning experience. Tailored study plans can lead our graduates to fluency in Japanese and career opportunities in the media, Japanese corporations, the tourism sector, and academia.