The program includes core classes and electives. Core classes start at 9.00am and finish at 1.30pm from Mondays to Fridays. There are no weekend classes. Elective classes are offered each day from 1.40pm to 3.30pm. There are a minimum of 16 electives to choose from and you can select up to 4 elective classes (from April 2010, 2 semi-private lessons) per week. Each elective is offered in a course format and runs for 8 weeks each quarter. A class period is of 50 minutes duration. An average weekly schedule would resemble something similar to the following:

The above schedule is only a sample and would not apply across all classes.

"AJSP Plus"

Customized Option A:

AJSP students can choose to do up to 5 private lessons per week, for 10 weeks per quarter. These classes are usually scheduled for those periods where you do not have an elective, or from 3:40pm if preferred. These lessons require payment of a small extra fee.

Customized Option B:

This option does not impact on your quarterly schedule, as the field trips (3 days or 5 days) take place at the end of each AJSP quarter, commencing on the Saturday immediately after the quarter concludes. For more information about the schedule please contact the Coordinator of the field trip program, ground floor office, Aoi Hall. These field trips require payment of a small extra fee, with the deadline midway through the academic quarter. Numbers are limited so early application is advised.

Customized Option C:

AJSP students are able to enroll in the "Japanese for Business & Professional Purposes" course. These classes are usually held from 14:40, and most students taking this option (5 classes, 1 per day) do so either instead of electives, or by reducing the number of electives chosen to 2 in order to lessen the workload.

Customized Option D:

This option includes "hands on" Culture seminars such as music (learning to play shamisen & koto), traditional cooking techniques, dance, ceramics and other courses. Each course is held twice a week from 3:40pm for 2 hours each time. The courses run for 6 weeks, and are held once per quarter, participation fee is 37,800 yen.

You will also need to allocate sufficient time in your schedule for homework, preparation and review. In addition, all students enrolling in the AJSP will be able to learn how to use Japanese language browsers and send/receive email in Japanese during their FIRST quarter. The objective is to further improve the suitability of using the AJSP as a springboard to employment or further studies.

The electives vary slightly from quarter to quarter but usually include additional Kanji classes, Japanese language software (word-processing, spreadsheets and making homepages in Japanese), history, Japanese culture, preparation courses for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, amongst others. Students aiming for placement into national universities usually take Mathematics, English or World History. An optional culture program is also available on Friday afternoons as well as the weekend tour program.

NOTE 1: *"Program Hours" are usually defined as classes - each class is a minimum of 50 minutes. It includes time spent in essential tasks such as placement testing etc, but does not include ceremonies, social events or other activities even when such activities are integral to the program and combine with language learning.

AJSP students choose their electives in consultation with their academic advisors. Depending on the schedule of the electives you choose, you would normally finish at 1.30 pm on two afternoons per week, and at 3.30 pm on 2 afternoons. On Fridays classes are from 9.00am to 1.50pm. AJSP Plus students would usually finish an hour later. Optional tours and activities including excursions and sports are available in the afternoons for those who wish to participate.

To give you an idea of the intensity of the AJSP schedule, please note that in each academic year there are 4 start dates with a total of up to 972 classes including 128 classes of electives. Maximum class size is 12. The average class size is 8.3 students per class. The average and mean class size has been consistently trending downwards and as the overall size of the program continues to grow, this trend is expected to continue. The format offers not just intensity, but more classes and greater customization than any other APJLE accredited program. By comparison, the APJLE regulations require a minimum of 800 - and most institutes deliver around 810 program hours a year with the recommended 20-22 students per class format in use.

Yamasa has retained the low at-cost tuition rates only possible through a non-profit institute and so the intensity and smaller average class sizes is a further reason why Yamasa's programs are good value. Not only will your budget for public transport, accommodation costs etc be lower than for alternative education providers, but you will receive far more actual instruction in Japanese than anywhere else.