Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
15065:IR18‐CA207 Bridge to International Studies III (RH) § 15066:IR-CA207 Introduction to International Studies in English Ⅲ(RH) 2023 Fall Wed2 College Of International Relations TREBILCO PETER WAYNE 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

RYOYUKAN RY209

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

This elective second-year course (BIS III) aims at developing students’ in-depth knowledge of a specialized topic in any of the four content areas. Building on the skills acquired in the previous semester, students will follow academic lectures and do independent reading, discuss the weekly assignments and develop their own
research project related to the course theme. In class, students will analyze and comment on the weekly material based on study guides and student-generated questions, develop discipline-specific vocabulary and expressions through close reading and discrete listening, and enhance their academic writing by planning,
drafting and revising their research paper over the course of the semester.
Formative evaluation is made through class participation including small quizzes and assignments.
Face to face classes unless COVID provisions are invoked. The theme for the semester is TED Talks. A range of TED Talks will explore topics such as the right to know, fear, communication and reputation. One of the topics may be the student's choice of topic for a final 2500-word essay.

Student Attainment Objectives

1. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of the topic of the course and be able to evaluate its implications for current theory and practice in that area.
2. Students will be able to follow academic lectures and comprehend academic readings related to the topic and extract information, concepts and language for later use.
3. Students will be able to express their opinions on the topic verbally and in writing by making reference to class readings and/or independent research.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor(When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction to Unit 1 - Free Therapy
Introduction and course overview

Unit 1 explores practical and free ways people can adopt new habits and behaviours that will enable them to live better lives.

2-3

Unit 2 - The Right to Know

Unit 2 raises the issue of what information people and societies should make open so that individuals can trust their leaders and their caregivers.

4-5

Unit 3 - Listen Up!

Unit 3 explores the idea that perhaps the path to true philanthropy (or business success) lies in finding out what other people really want, and that the best way to achieve this might be as simple as listening.

6-7

Unit 4 - Big Data

Unit 4 explores how the tools of information science can help not just businesses to make use of the huge amounts of information available, but also individuals and nations.

8

Review of Units 1-4
In-class open-book test on Units 1-4
Announce final essay topic.

In class we will revisit the first 4 Units and appreciate how our thinking has evolved since the beginning of the semester. This will be accompanied by an in-class, open-book test to review the content of those Units.

9-10

Unit 5 - Fear Factor

Unit 5 explores what literature and psychology have to say about how our fears can negatively impact the decisions we make, as well as what we can learn from our fears.

11-12

Unit 6 - Food for Thought

Unit 6 explores whether the demands of agribusiness and the philosophy of environmentalism conflict with each other, or whether they can work in harmony to produce food that is good for us and good for the planet.

13-14

Unit 7 - A Good Reputation

Unit 7 explores how a reputation is made, what it's made of, what it's worth, and how long it will last. It also looks at the new collaborative economy that the internet has given life to.

15

Semester Review and review of Units 5-8
In-class open-book test on Units 5-8
Final essay due.

A short, open-book review test will summarise the content of Units 5-8.
Then, this final class will summarise the learning that has taken place over the semester. Students will participate in an in-class discussion of content that has had a noticeable impact on their thinking about the future. Ideas will be compared, and small-group discussion will help students focus on the ideas they have about how they want to build their future.

Class Format

BCP停止の場合は、BCPレベル0~2の記載どおりに授業が行われます。
During the suspension period of BCP, classes will be as described in BCP levels 0-2.

The class Format for each class will be announced on manaba+R’s course news. Also, the class format for the first class will be notified on manaba+R’s course news before the first class(*).
For “Special Consideration”, please check manaba+R’s College of IR Student Page and the “Study Support Site”.

College of IR Student Page:https://ct.ritsumei.ac.jp/ct/course_1728150
Study Support Site:https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/pathways-future/eng/

(*)To check the class format for the first class of the course, you will need to apply for the “early use request function.” Refer to the Registration Guidebook AY 2023 for details. Please be careful that applying for the early use request does not sign you up for the course. You will need to register for courses during the designated period separately.

Recommendations for Private Study

Students are encouraged to apply their learning to challenge their environment if they believe it can be improved. Students are also encouraged to form interest groups within the university to foster ideas about how to improve the future of the planet.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment 
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)
100

10% Participation
40% Two in-class review tests (20% each)
40% Final essay on a selected topic.
10% Two homework assignments (5% each)

Grade Evaluation Method (Note)

Participation includes punctuality and presence, enthusiasm and contribution to the class discussion, and timely submission of assignments. The in-class review tests in Weeks 8 and 15 are open-book tests. The final essay is a 2500-word essay on one of the TED Talk topics. The seven-paragraph essay is to have an introductory paragraph, containing a topic sentence and a controlling idea, brief descriptions of the key points to be addressed, and a thesis statement that leads to a plan sentence describing the structure of the essay. There should be five body paragraphs, each addressing a single idea related to the topic, and in the order specified in the plan sentence.
The homework assignments will provide students with an opportunity to research one of the TED Talk topics and to write a 300-word paragraph on the findings of their research, including the references they explored while researching.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
21st Century Communication 4 Lee National Geographic 9781337275835

Textbooks (Frequency of Use, Note)

Reference Books

Reference Books (Frequency of Use, Note)

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Learning Management System (manaba+R),Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/