HCDE 601/HCDE 495 - TJP Japan Internship

Value of the Internship

An important requirement of the Technical Japanese Master's Program is the internship with a Japanese company in Japan. Internships allow students to apply their technical knowledge and Japanese language skills to actual work situations and to learn more about Japanese business practices and culture.

Uniqueness of Each Internship

The internship begins the summer quarter after a TJP Master student's first academic year. The average internship is three to six months, but some are longer.

Students apply for positions best suited to their technical and academic background. However, all internships are not equal, and each position is unique. Benefits and opportunities in terms of transportation, housing, work assignments, and financial support vary from placement to placement.

Responsibilities of Student Interns

TJP has certain expectations of all its student interns. Maturity, professionalism, productivity, a positive attitude, and sensitivity to Japanese culture and issues are required. Japanese businesses expend a great deal of time, effort, and resources to accommodate interns without necessarily reaping any benefit in return.

Students are enriched by their internship experience and value the knowledge and expertise they gain. With a clear understanding of the goals and requirements, the internship should be a rewarding experience.

Who Else Can Apply For An Internship?

While internships are required for TJP Master students, they are also available to other UW graduate and undergraduate students who participate in TJP. Most positions require proficiency in Japanese language and some type of high-tech job skill and experience. Some non-technical internships may be available.  Only current, matriculated UW students are eligible to apply, and interns cannot graduate prior to the end of the internship.

Internship Requirements

To qualify, applicants must be able to converse in Japanese in daily life situations.  Interns must be a matriculated UW student during their stay in Japan and cannot graduate prior to the start of or during the internship.

When To Apply

The arrangement process begins in Autumn Quarter each year.

Internship Credit Option

Graduate-level students (HCDE 601) and undergraduate students (HCDE 495) can earn 3 credits for a summer quarter internship and up to 7 credits for longer internships.

For TJP Master students, credits are awarded upon submission of a final written report (in English) and completion of an oral presentation in TJP class (in Japanese).

For non-Master's students, only a written report (in English) is required.

For personal accounts of student internship experiences, click on one of the names below:

Diana Chu
Kathy Liu
Brianne Cohen
Tk Hayashi
Derek Inaba
Brent Jacobs and Michael O'Keefe
Brian Johnson
Ben Keim
Jordin Kurihara
Annette Lee
Youngmee Lee
Jullia O'Callaghan
Michael Postek
Rebecca Shia
Avid Shiau
Yina Shin
Peter Trinidad
Mike Yamashita

Sample Internship Companies

Internships have been offered by the following companies:

Fujitsu
Hitachi Device Development Center
Isuzu Motors Limited
Kyushu Electric Power Research Labs
Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Corp., Medical Equipment Division
NEC
New Oji Paper Company
Nippon System Development Company
Sony Corp.
Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT)
Secom
Seiko Epson
Toray Composite Materials Research Labs