経済学研究科

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23修了生の声Messages from Alumni (Master’s Program) 経済学研究科を志望した理由高校生の頃（90年代）、大企業が経営難に陥り、国家も通貨危機に追いやられる状況を目の当たりにして、一体どうなっているのかと気になり、経済や経営に関心を持つようになりました。学部卒で大企業に入社し、人事部の配置に従って複数の部署を経験していくキャリアよりも、大学院でアカデミックな知見を深めつつ、企業の長期インターンで実務経験も積み、卒業後は複数の組織を渡り歩いても、一つの専門職を続けていくキャリアを歩みたいと考えました。早稲田大学高等学院、政治経済学部とも先生や仲間、設備に恵まれたため、大学院も迷わず早稲田にしました。院生生活を振り返って経済学研究科に進んで大変よかったと思っています。まず、世代や国籍を超えた良き友人ができました。優れた研究実績を残しているうえ、人柄も魅力的な指導教授の研究室に、経験豊かな社会人や向上心の強い留学生が集まりました。いまもよきおつきあいが続いています。加えて、奨学金制度が充実しています。幸運にも２年間の学費相当分の奨学金を給付していただきました。さらに、専門職に必要なスキルを学ぶことができました。明確な問題意識、論理的な展開、統計分析に基づく仮説検証などは、現在の仕事にも生かされています。現在の仕事エコノミストとして株式会社日本総合研究所に勤めています。専門分野は中国経済です。仕事内容は大きく分けて２つあります。第１は、マクロ経済分析です。国内総生産（GDP）などの経済統計、各種報道、現地視察、世界の専門家との意見交換などを通じて、中国がどうなっているのか、今後どうなるのかを分析します。月１～２本のペースでレポートにまとめ、社内外で発表します。第２は、テーマ研究です。中国債務問題など自分で決めたテーマについて、年１本論文を書いています。学会や政府の研究会で発表することもあれば、新聞やテレビで解説することもあります。先般は、日本経済新聞出版社より単著『中国経済成長の罠』を出版しました。修士課程を経て、エコノミストになるというキャリアもぜひ検討してみてください。Reason for applying to the Graduate School of EconomicsWhen I was in high school (during the ‘90s), I saw major corporations facing financial difficulties and the national government struggling to deal with the finan-cial crisis triggered by depreciating East Asian curren-cies. I wondered what on Earth was going on and became interest-ed in economics and business administration. Upon graduating from university, I was less interested in joining a large company and building a career by experiencing multiple placements in dif-ferent departments, just following the orders of those in HR. I was more interested in learning more profound academic knowledge in graduate school while also gaining real-world experience through long-term internships at companies. After graduation, I might still wander through multiple organizations, but I wanted a career in which I would continue to explore a single profession. Because I knew how excellent the instructors, my fellow students, and the fa-cilities were at Waseda University Senior High School and the School of Political Science and Economics, it was clear from the start that my choice for graduate school would also be Waseda.Looking back at life as a graduate studentI think I made a great decision in continuing my studies at the Graduate School of Economics. To start with, I became good friends with people of different generations and nationalities. For-mer businesspeople with a wealth of experience and international students with strong aspirations assembled in the office of my su-pervising professor, who had both contributed excellent research findings to the field and had a fascinating personality. I continue to meet with those with whom I pursued my studies to this day. In ad-dition, there is an ample scholarship system. I was fortunate enough to be granted scholarships that covered two years’ tuition. Furthermore, I was able to learn the skills needed to be a profes-sional. I continue to use in my current job the abilities my posts-graduate studies helped to instill in me, including how to obtain clear understandings of the issues, how to develop logical argu-ments, and how to validate hypotheses based on statistical analysis.Current jobI work at The Japan Research Institute, Limited, as an economist. My area of specialization is the Chinese economy. Broadly speak-ing, I do two things in my job: First, I perform macroeconomic analysis. I analyze what is happening in China now and what will happen there in the future based on various sources of information, including economic statistics such as gross domestic product (GDP), reporting by various outlets, field visits, and talking with other specialists from around the world. I compile one or two re-ports each month for both in-house and external consumption. Sec-ond, I engage in research on specific themes. Every year, I write a research paper about a theme of my own choosing, such as the is-sue of Chinese debt. I give presentations at academic conferences and government study groups, and I also provide analysis and commentary in newspapers and on TV. Recently, I had a book—without any coauthors—published by Nikkei Publishing and titled China’s Economic Growth Trap. I would definitely recommend considering a master’s program as a stepping stone to a career as an economist.関　辰一関　辰一修士課程　2006年３月修了職業：エコノミストSEKI, ShinichiCompleted Master’s Program in March 2006Occupation: Economist