School of EducationWaseda University

Educational Policy

The School of Education has two primary objectives. The first objective is to produce outstanding educators in line with the School’s tradition of sending out many educational leaders to various fields of society, going back to its inception as a higher normal school. The second objective is to foster capable individuals who can work in a variety of fields outside academia. These two objectives are never separate. Whichever path one may choose, the ultimate goal of the School is the development of broadminded individuals with extensive knowledge and great academic sophistication.  Needless to say, the School’s educational philosophy also lies in the nurturing of broadminded individuals.

Three Policies

Diploma Policy (Revised on July 17, 2018)

The School has a goal of fostering outstanding educators who can contribute to society by connecting research and education and capable individuals who can play active roles in various fields in society. The School is characterized by an open curriculum policy that does not require students to obtain a teacher’s license as a condition for graduation, even though one of its primary objectives is the cultivation of teachers for elementary, middle, high, and special-support schools. The School’s curriculum is structured in this manner because, first, it would be beneficial for students not to settle on a career path in the initial stages of their education as they ponder their future, even if they ultimately decide to become teachers. By considering a career in teaching as an option, students would have the opportunity to learn to think in different ways. Second, regardless of whether or not students will become teachers, the personal traits required for educators are also required in many areas of society, of which they will become a part upon graduation, both in organizational and family settings. It goes without saying that teachers must have specialized knowledge about their subject matter. However, the abilities to make decisions based on academically backed knowledge are required in every profession. With its open curriculum, the School aims to help building a society that guarantees diversity. Based on such principles, the School will utilize the comprehensive and unique university-wide teaching and student-life environment of Waseda University to create a systematic teaching curriculum.

The School of Education has seven departments across arts and sciences, with two majors and seven specializations. Accordingly, it awards the following eight types of degree in accordance with department, major, and specialization.

 

1. Bachelor of Education: Specialization in Education; Specialization in Adult and Community Education; Major in Primary Education

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired insights and abilities to logically understand phenomena related to education.

2. Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: Department of Education, Specialization in Educational Psychology

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired psychological insights and abilities to understand human psychology and behavior through various methods.

3. Bachelor of Arts in Literature: Department of Japanese Language and Literature; Department of English Language and Literature

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired linguistic and literary insights and abilities to understand various cultures of human societies.

4. Bachelor of Arts in Geography: Department of Social Studies, Specialization in Geography and History

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired geographical insights and abilities to understand the various natural and cultural assets of the world.

5. Bachelor of Arts in History: Department of Social Studies, Specialization in Geography and History

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired historical insights and abilities to understand the various societies and cultures of the world.

6. Bachelor of Arts in Civil Society and Citizenship Studies: Department of Social Studies, Specialization in Civil Society and Citizenship Studies

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired social scientific insights and abilities to understand the relationship between individuals and organizations in various situations.

7. Bachelor of Science: Department of Science; Department of Mathematics

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired insights and abilities related to natural science to logically understand various phenomena.

8. Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Department of Cultural Sciences

This degree is awarded to those who have acquired insights and abilities to understand various cultures of human societies in a multidimensional and multifaceted manner.

In general, degrees are awarded to those who have acquired highly specialized skills, broad knowledge, great academic sophistication, and outstanding communication skills.

Curriculum Policy (Revised on July 17, 2018)

To produce outstanding educators, to nurture capable individuals who can play active roles in various fields of society, and, as their bases, to foster individuals who have highly specialized skills, broad knowledge, great academic sophistication, and outstanding communication skills, the School creates its curriculum under the following policies:

1. From the first year, students belong to their respective departments and pursue their chosen majors and specializations. They receive coherent and specialized education over the four years to become individuals with a high level of specialized knowledge.

2.  Students who seek to become teachers receive full training from the first year, undergoing the Teacher Education Program to become teachers of the highest caliber.

3.  By taking cross-faculty courses, minor courses, major and specialization courses offered by other departments, and courses offered outside the School, students go beyond their own specialization to acquire extensive knowledge and great academic sophistication.

4. Students also acquire outstanding communication skills by taking well-developed courses in foreign languages and attending small group practical courses.

The following is an overview of the School curriculum under the abovementioned policies. In the first and second years, students take courses that provide them with the basic knowledge required for studies in their specialized fields. They also take cross-faculty courses in six fields –humanities, social studies, natural sciences, mathematics and information sciences, integrated studies, and physical education – as well as foreign language courses. In addition to courses in their respective specializations, students may also take specialized courses from other departments, majors, and specializations, as well as courses offered outside the School, such as those available through the Global Education Center, according to their interests. Practical courses begin in full swing in the third year. In the fourth year, students focus on a research theme they have proactively developed based on the specialized learning they have gained so far. Students complete their graduation thesis/research at the end of the fourth year, which is the culmination of their four-year studies. During this period, those who seek to become teachers take courses in the Teacher Education Program to obtain a teacher’s license with the goal of becoming educators who have deep knowledge and great academic sophistication. In addition, students may also take some courses from the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, the Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, and the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, as part of a university-graduate school integrated program.

Admission Policy (Revised on July 17, 2018)

As part of its “independence of learning” educational principle, Waseda University welcomes many students from Japan and abroad who have a high level of basic academic skills, strong intellectual curiosity, great progressive spirit in accordance with the University’s philosophy, and a passion for learning.

The School of Education has two primary objectives. The first objective is to produce outstanding educators in line with the School’s 100 years of tradition of sending out many educational leaders to various fields of society, going back to its inception as a higher normal school. The second objective is to foster capable individuals who can work in a variety of fields outside academia. These two objectives are never separate. Whichever path one may choose, the ultimate goal of the School is the development of broadminded individuals with extensive knowledge, great academic sophistication, and excellent communication skills.

In light of these objectives, applicants to the School should have: ①solid basic academic skills related to the subject matter, ②strong critical thinking and language skills, which form the basis for their teaching and communication abilities; and ③an eagerness to proactively pursue their own studies by relating to different people. After admission, students are expected to acquire skills through the School’s curriculum to perceive and analyze various phenomena in a multidimensional fashion based on academically backed knowledge, as they seek to play active roles in various fields in society, including school settings, with the personal traits expected of an educator.

Open to various students, the School has several types of entrance examinations: general entrance exams, exams with recommendations from designated schools, exams for Japanese students returning from abroad and for international students, and exams for those who already have a bachelor’s degree.

For general exams, ① and ②are the admission criteria. For exams with recommendations from designated schools, ①and ③ are evaluated based on submitted documents and ② and ③ are evaluated through candidate interviews. As for Japanese students returning from abroad and international students, ①, ②, and ③ are comprehensively evaluated through submitted documents, subject-matter exams, essay exams, and candidate interviews.

Page Top
WASEDA University

Sorry!
The Waseda University official website
<<https://www.waseda.jp/fedu/edu/en/>> doesn't support your system.

Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again.

Continue

Suporrted Browser

Close