Study Abroad in Japan: Intensive Japanese Language & Culture Studies in Osaka – Faculty & Staff

Japan Faculty

Japanese language faculty are hired specifically for the CET program by the host university and CET. All faculty members hold teaching certificates and have experience teaching foreign students. Many have held teaching positions outside of Japan. CET arranges extensive and regular training opportunities for all CET Japan language faculty.

Area studies faculty come from the host university in Osaka.

Japan Staff

CET maintains full-time, bilingual staff at each of its study abroad locations.

The Academic Director oversees the curriculum, trains and manages language faculty, and monitors courses. S/he works with faculty to accommodate students’ specific learning needs.

The Resident Director manages housing, local roommates, activities and student acclimation, health and welfare. S/he is trained to prevent and handle student emergencies.

Staff Bios

Dr. Miho Young, Academic Director

Dr. Miho Ota Young received her PhD from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she also taught Japanese language. Her thesis, entitled Collaborative Reasoning in Japan: English Learners’ Discussions and Experiences, explored the dynamics of a new instructional model in foreign language learning in Japan. Dr. Young also has experience in software coding, testing, training and document translation.

Lauren Nakasato, Resident Director

After graduating from UCLA with a degree in sociology, with minors in Japanese and political science, Lauren moved to Okayama, Japan, to participate on the JET Programme for two years as a high school Assistant Language Teacher. She also taught elementary Japanese at a public high school in California. Besides language learning and teaching, Lauren enjoys watching and playing sports (particularly baseball and basketball), singing karaoke and dancing.

Japan Alumni

Hear what CET Japan program alumni have to say! Click here to contact a program alumnus.

Academic Advisory Board

To oversee program academics, the Academic Director works in conjunction with Osaka Gakuin University and a CET Japan Program Advisory Board comprised of scholars and administrators. The Advisory Board meets annually to discuss curriculum and derive teaching standards. Board members visit CET sites in order to evaluate programs and, when possible, teach courses.

Dan Dewey
Assistant Professor of Linguistics and TESOL, Brigham Young University

Mike Matsuno
Director of International Center, Osaka Gakuin University

Anthony Ogden
Director of Education Abroad, University of Kentucky

Reiko Tachibana
Associate Professor of Japanese and Comparative Literature, The Pennsylvania State University

John Treat
Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University