Student Status
Non-degree students are those who enroll in the Faculty of Liberal Arts to take undergraduate courses and obtain credits but do not intend to receive an academic degree. This status is applicable only to international students who will enroll as full-time students. Most of the undergraduate courses, including certain Japanese language courses, are available to non-degree students unless there are enrollment conflicts with degree students. All courses in this faculty are conducted in English.

Fields of Study
Courses offered in this faculty :
　・ Comparative Culture (Art History, Literature, Religion-Philosophy)
　・International Business and Economics
　・Social Studies (Anthropology-Sociology, History, Political Science)
　・Japanese Language Program & Japanese Language Pedagogy
　・Japanese Studies

Note:
・The language of instruction is English. Please refer to the FLA website .
・FLA core programs (for Degree-students) and language programs other than Japanese are not open to Non-Degree students.

Accreditation
The academic programs of this faculty are chartered by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Credits earned are fully recognized by major universities in the United States of America and elsewhere. These credits are normally accepted for transfer provided they fit into the student’s overall program at his or her home institution.

The Academic Year
The Faculty of Liberal Arts follows the same calendar as the other faculties of the University. There are two semesters, beginning in April and September. Each semester consists of 15 weeks of classes, including final examinations.

(1) Spring Semester 2013
Entry date for Sophia University: April 1, 2013.
Classes start in April and end at the end of July.
(2) Autumn Semester 2013
Entry date for Sophia University: September 21, 2013.
Classes start in late September and end in early February.

Period of Study
In principle, the period of study is up to one year. If a student wishes to continue his/her studies after one year, permission for an extension of enrollment must be granted by the President.

Requirement for Enrollment
Students are required to register for at least 10 hours of class time per week (i.e., 4 regular courses). If a student fails to register for courses in a given semester, or fails to meet the deadline for tuition payment, he/she will lose his/her status as a student at Sophia.

For Learners of Japanese
The Faculty of Liberal Arts offers several multiple-track Japanese language courses at various proficiency levels. All students who plan to take Japanese language courses must take a language placement test before course registration. Students will be assigned to classes on the basis of the results of the placement test.

Student Financial Aid
There are no scholarships available for non-degree students at Sophia University.