Academics

Curriculum

Our program aims to help students build practical skills to develop effective policy solutions to real-world social problems. In the first and second years, students acquire academic and critical thinking skills, as well as basic knowledge necessary to study in the core discipline areas of the program.

Project-based learning equips students with skills and experiences critical to gaining more in-depth knowledge and advanced reasoning abilities in preparation for their advanced seminar courses in their third and fourth years, where they write a final graduation thesis based on their original research.

Example of Study Path

1st YEAR
In the first semester, students learn basic skills and knowledge for conducting research and writing papers through 4 mandatory courses (“Introduction to Academic Research”, “Academic Writing Skills 1”, “Information Processing 1” and “Cross Border Policy Issues”). They prepare for their first research project that starts in their second semester (“Introduction to On-site Research 1”).
Vision Building Courses are also available from the first semester.
Students will also take Japanese language courses. We offer 6 different levels, which allow students to learn on a suitable course based on their fluency.
2nd YEAR
Students keep working on their research project in groups and conclude it with presentations and a research paper (“Introduction to On-site Research (Summer Session)” and “Introduction to On-site Research 2”). What they learn from this project will lead to their future research.
Advanced lectures on Policy Science are also available for the second-year students or senior.
“Internship Seminar” is a course available for second and third year students who are interested in working in Japan after graduation. It offers an opportunity to join an internship program at a Japanese company.
3rd YEAR
Students choose and join a seminar class, in which they will conduct and deepen their own research to finish their graduation thesis (“Policy Seminar 1” and “Policy Seminar 2”).
4th YEAR
They continue working on their research to finish their graduation thesis (“Policy Seminar 3” and “Case Study Seminar”). To support the writing process, there are academic writing skills course that are exclusive for fourth year students (“Thesis Writing I” and “Thesis Writing II”).

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.

Courses

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

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

  • 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

  • Courses Offered by Other Colleges

    Elective *

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