Educational Policy

In order to foster human resources capable of making an independent contribution to the global community, we will utilize the broad scope and unique characteristics of Waseda University to encourage exchange between diverse academic fields, cultures, languages and values, supported by systematic education courses and a university-wide teaching and student life environment.

The Graduate School of Education has been built on the foundations of the departments of Waseda University’s School of Education. It has five master’s course majors and two doctoral majors. In order to complete a master’s course, it is normally necessary for students to study at the Graduate School for at least two years, to obtain at least 32 course credits with a main focus on the major subject, and to pass their master’s thesis examination after receiving the necessary research instruction.  The Graduate School of Education confers Master’s Degrees in Education for its Educational Science, Japanese Language and Literature Education, English Language Education and Social Studies Education majors; and Master’s Degrees in either Education or Science for its Mathematics major.

What’s more, in order to receive a doctoral degree, it is necessary to study at the Graduate School for at least three years and to pass a doctoral thesis examination and other examinations after receiving the necessary research instruction.  Doctoral degrees are conferred as follows: for the Fundamental Studies of Educational Sciences major, students are conferred with a Ph.D. (Education) or Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Studies); for the Curriculum Area Sciences major, students are conferred with a Ph.D. (Education), Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Studies) or Ph.D. (Science).

As described above, the Graduate School of Education fosters leaders and researchers in the world of education equipped with highly specialist knowledge and practical skills in their respective majors, as well as a rich humanity and the ability to contribute to society, and confers master’s and doctoral degrees befitting such personnel.

The Graduate School of Education’s master’s program is composed of five different majors – Educational Science, Japanese Language and Literature Education, English Language Education, Social Studies Education and Mathematics Education. The program provides research guidance, seminars and special courses to meet the specialist requirements of each major.  In addition, cross-department elective courses and optional courses are offered in order to cultivate a broad knowledge of education studies and different subjects.   Students are able to obtain eight credits as exchange students from courses offered at the Keio University Graduate School of Letters and Graduate School of Human Relations, and courses are designed to allow students to sit elective subjects on other majors and courses offered at other graduate schools.  Students are also able to sit undergraduate level courses as optional subjects. It is also possible for students to opt to obtain a new primary school teacher’s license.

As described above, the master’s course curricula are designed to allow students to obtain a wide variety of specialist knowledge and practical skills in their chosen major, and to allow students to sit a large variety of courses.

What’s more, on the doctoral courses, in addition to receiving research guidance on their respective majors, students sit a “composite credit system” that includes one year of instruction from a supervisor outside their own specialist field with the aims of building the ability to pursue research from multiple perspectives and avoiding the trap of falling into a narrow specialization.

As part of its educational philosophy “Independence of Learning”, Waseda University welcomes numerous students from Japan and around the world who possess a certain level of basic academic ability, a strong intellectual curiosity, a richly progressive spirit in accordance with the University’s philosophy, and a passion to learn.

The aims of the Graduate School of Education are as follows: Firstly, it aims to foster researchers with basic training in all pedagogical fields and supporting fields of course education studies, and a high level of ability in the scientific fields that form a foundation for course content.  Secondly, it aims to train professionals equipped with advanced specialist skills in their respective fields of education, including teachers, and to reeducate professionals currently working at schools, community education facilities and education administration organizations.

In order to promote the acceptance of candidates with academic curiosity and a strong interest in the teaching profession, in accordance with the above aims, the Graduate School of Education has established an entrance examination system with a variety of different examinations.  In other words, to enter the master’s program, in addition to the recommended admission system and general admission examination, there is also a special selection examination for active professionals.  Consideration is given to examination content so that candidates’ abilities can be assessed in accordance with their particular characteristics.  Moreover, for the doctoral program, in addition to the general admissions examination, there is also a specialist professional selection examination for active professionals, including teachers.  There is also an overseas student admission system for students from overseas universities who wish to enter the Graduate School of Education.