Policy

Human Resource
Development Aims

The College of Global Liberal Arts aims to develop individuals who acquire broad knowledge about various issues in global society through liberal arts education encompassing the humanities, social sciences, and science and technology, and who can contribute practically to problem identification and problem-solving.

Educational Goals

• Knowledge and Understanding

  • Acquire broad knowledge about various issues in global society and develop a deep understanding of academic disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and science and technology related to one’s interests and career path.

• Thinking and Judgment

  • Independently identify various issues in global society, analyse them using research methods gained through studying multiple academic disciplines, and develop solutions.
  • Engage with social diversity and develop one’s own views through critical thinking.

• Interest, Motivation, and Attitude

  • Demonstrate awareness and intellectual interest in various issues in global society with motivation to solve them proactively and practically.
  • Demonstrate mutual respect and cooperative attitude toward diverse cultures, values, and different positions.

• Skills and Expression

  • Demonstrate writing skills for logical texts in English backed by critical thinking.
  • Develop research skills to identify and analyse of various issues in global society.
  • Demonstrate intercultural communication in English for mutual understanding.

Admission Policy

The College of Global Liberal Arts at Ritsumeikan University seeks students who have the following abilities, skills, interests, and aspirations:

• Students who possess English language ability and basic academic skills to intellectually discuss various issues in global society (specific English requirements are listed separately).
• Students who have a strong interest in various issues in global society, respect diverse cultures and values, and can work cooperatively with others.
• Students who aspire to become global leaders who will proactively and practically solve various issues in global society by mastering academic skills and deepening their understanding of academic fields related to their interests and career paths through humanities, social sciences, and science and technology.

Curriculum Policy
(Curriculum Organization
and Implementation Policy)

The College of Global Liberal Arts provides a curriculum that allows each student to design a personalized program of study according to their interests and career path to achieve its human resource development aims and educational goals. Students who begin their studies at Ritsumeikan will acquire “academic skills” common to all academic disciplines in their first year. Following this, all GLA students, including those who begin their studies at ANU, will systematically learn about their chosen academic disciplines while also freely selecting courses according to their interests and career paths in a planned manner as part of the liberal arts program. In the final year, students culminate their studies by participating in research seminars (zemi) focused on identifying, analysing, and solving various issues in global society. The curriculum also includes a group of courses designed to help students develop proactive and practical solutions to various issues in global society.

The overview of each course group is as follows:

• Foundation Courses Group This group offers first-year education focusing on acquiring the fundamentals of academic writing, critical thinking, and research skills as "academic skills" essential for liberal arts education and living in global society.
• Introductory Courses Group This group offers introductory courses in various disciplines. While recommended for students in their early years of the degree program, these courses remain available until graduation, allowing students to begin studying new disciplines of interest even in their upper years.
• Special Lectures Group This group offers courses that examine special themes related to humanities, social sciences, and science and technology not covered in other course groups. These courses enable students to expand knowledge, enhance critical thinking, and deepen liberal arts education learning. Available from first year through graduation.
• Intermediate Courses Group This group offers intermediate-level courses in various disciplines. Available from second year through graduation.
• Advanced Courses Group This group offers advanced-level courses in various disciplines, including required seminar courses. While a graduation thesis is not required to maintain liberal arts learning flexibility, students culminate their liberal arts studies through seminar assignments. For students starting the program at Ritsumeikan, these courses are available in their fourth year. For students starting the program at ANU, these courses are available in their third year (a year before their return to Australia.
• Japanese Language Courses Group This group offers courses that develop Japanese language skills. Available from first year through graduation.
• Others Group This group offers courses including “Career Design”, "Internship" and "Liberal Arts Experience", aiming for proactive and practical solutions to various issues in global society, and enabling students to apply them in society. Available from first year through graduation.

Diploma Policy
(Degree Conferment Policy)

The College of Global Liberal Arts establishes the following educational goals to achieve its human resource development aims. Upon completing the required credits in each course group and total credits (124 credits), the educational goals of the bachelor's program are considered achieved, and a Bachelor's degree (Global Liberal Arts) is conferred.