Curriculum

All classes in the Community and Regional Policy Studies major will be held in English. 1st and 2nd year students will take academic skills courses, liberal arts courses, and introductory courses to research methods and policy science. 3rd and 4th year students choose one of the three programs (Sustainable Urban Policy Program, Regional Economy and Development Program, and Multi-level Governance Program) and engage in in-depth learning with a focus on specialized courses and seminars. 4th year students write a graduation thesis. During the last semester, students undertake a project-based practical survey as a capstone for learning about policy science based on scientific social surveys.

Additionally, students take intensive Japanese language courses from the first year, and work towards the goal of achieving an intermediate level Japanese by the time they graduate.

Example of Study Path

  • 1st
    YEAR
  • 2nd
    YEAR
  • 3rd
    YEAR
  • 4th
    YEAR

Academic skills courses necessary to university learning, liberal arts courses, and policy science introductory lecture courses, as well as reading course and Japanese language courses.
In debate courses, participate in exchanges with Japanese students from the Policy Science major of the College of Policy Science.

Policy science introductory courses, policy research courses including social survey methodology, and specialized reading seminars to prepare for the three programs. Students are expected to continue Japanese language studies. Students may request to participate in fieldwork programs abroad.

Specialized learning in courses in one of the three programs and specialized seminars.

Students write graduation thesis and complete project-based practical social seminar based on the social research methodologies learned in the major.

To obtain a BA in Policy Science you will be required to take the following courses (124 credits in total) in four years.

*Please note that course details are subject to change.

Graduation Requirements (124 credits)

Vision Building Subjects 20 or more Graduation
Requirements:
124 or more (*5)
English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 12 or more (6 or more *2)
Foreign Languages (Japanese or Other Languages)(*1) 12 or more (6 or more *3)
Computing and Research Methods 10 or more
Policy Science Subjects Introductory Lectures 8 or more 50 or more
Advanced Lectures
Policy Science Common Courses
Seminars
Exchange Study Courses
Elective Courses Courses offered by other Colleges Elective (*4)
  • Credits earned in excess of the requirements in any category may be counted toward those required for graduation.
  • Those who wish to register for Other Languages must get the approval of the College.
  • Students who are approved to be native English speakers or have an equivalent proficiency according to their application documents are required to take a minimum of 6 credits from English for Academic Purposes courses.
  • Students who are placed to “Proficient” level after the Japanese language placement tests (online test & interview) upon enrollment are required to take a minimum of 6 credits from Foreign Language courses.
  • Students can register up to 20 credits including previous credits earned.
  • Up to 20 credits out of 124 can be earned from Courses offered by other major.

Vision Building Subjects

  • Foundation Course to Policy Science I - VII
  • General Education Course I - III
  • Vision Building Special Lecture I - IV

English for Academic Purposes(EAP)

  • Academic Writing Skills I, II
  • Academic Communication Skills I, II
  • EAP Special Lecture
  • The Language of Policy Science
  • Integrated Acadeimc Skills I, II
  • Thesis Writing I, II

Foreign Languages

A. Japanese

  • Elementary Japanese 1 (Comprehensive)
  • Elementary Japanese 1 (Reading & Writing)
  • Elementary Japanese 1 (Listening & Speaking)
  • Elementary Japanese 2 (Comprehensive)
  • Elementary Japanese 2 (Reading & Writing)
  • Elementary Japanese 2 (Listening & Speaking)
  • Intermediate Japanese 1 (Comprehensive)
  • Intermediate Japanese 1 (Listening & Speaking)
  • Intermediate Japanese 2 (Comprehensive)
  • Intermediate Japanese 2 (Listening & Speaking)
  • Advanced Japanese (Listening & Speaking)
  • Advanced Japanese (Grammar & Writing)
  • Advanced Japanese (Career Japanese)
  • Japanese VII (Composition a)
  • Japanese VII (Composition b)
  • Japanese VII (Reading Comprehension a)
  • Japanese VII (Reading Comprehension b)
  • Japanese VII (Listening & Oral Comprehension a)
  • Japanese VII (Listening & Oral Comprehension b)
  • Special Japanese Lecture
  • Japanese Reading for Policy Science
  • Japanese VIII (Academic Japanese a)
  • Japanese VIII (Academic Japanese b)
  • Japanese VIII (Career Japanese a)
  • Japanese VIII (Career Japanese b)

B. Languages for Global Actions (Other Languages) (*1)

  • Introduction to Languages for Global Actions
  • [ ] Basic 1, 2 (*2)
  • [ ] Intermediate 1, 2 (*2)
  • Culture and society in [ ] 1, 2 (*3)
  • [ ] with Audio-Visual Aids and CALL 1, 2 (*3)
  • Inter-Cultural Communication [ ] 1, 2 (*3)
  • Those who wish to register for Other Languages must get the approval of the College.
  • Insert one of the following languages in [ ]: Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, French, German, Spanish, Russian, or Italian
  • Insert one of the following languages in [ ]: hinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian However, “Inter-Cultural Communication [ ] 1 and 2” are the only courses available for Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Russian and Italian.

Computing and Research Methods

  • Policy Information Processing 1, 2
  • Gaming Simulation Method
  • Introduction to Social Research
  • Statistics
  • Spatial Analysis
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Survey Analysis

Policy Science Subjects

A. Introductory Lectures

  • Introduction to Policy Science
  • Studies of Political Process
  • Introduction to Mathematics for Policy Studies
  • Theories of Justice
  • Macroeconomics for Policy Studies
  • Microeconomics for Policy Studies
  • Constitutional Law
  • Civil Law

B. Advanced Lectures

Sustainable Urban Policy Program
  • Sustainable Urban Policy I - IV (V - VIII) *
Regional Economy and Development Program
  • Regional Economy and Development I - IV (V - VIII) *
Multi-level Governance Program
  • Multi-level Governance I - IV (V - VIII) *
  • One or more classes among I to VIII will be held in each of 3rd to 8th semester.

C. Policy Science Common Courses

  • Policy Science Special Lecture
  • Internship Seminar
  • International PBL Seminar 1, 2

D. Seminars

  • Introduction to Academic Research
  • Policy Seminar 1 - 3
  • Intensive Policy Seminar A31, A32, B31, A41, A42, B41
  • Case Study Seminar

E. Exchange Study Courses

  • Cross Border Policy Issues
  • Introduction to On-site Research 1, 2
  • Introduction to On-site Research Summer Session

Elective Courses

Courses Offered by Other Colleges

Elective *

  • Students can register up to 20 credits including credits previously earned.