Graduate School of Education (Professional Degree Program)Waseda University

The Graduate School of Teacher Education has designed a curriculum that is composed of a foundation of “common courses” in five fields that all students must complete, as well as “electives by field” and “Practical training at schools” that make use of our core fields of scholarship.

In “electives by field,” students focus their studies on subjects that contribute to developing their abilities as educational specialists. The goal of these courses is for students to further study their areas of expertise, with the intent to complement their studies as they continue to draw connections with their “common courses.” We have prepared 24 courses in four fields to satisfy the scholastic and practical interest of students who come from a variety of teaching backgrounds, and the necessity that comes from the qualities of the subject matter.

“Practical training at schools” is split into three levels. “Clinical School Teaching I” provides comprehensive practical training that includes teaching and teacher skills. “Clinical School Teaching II” provides practical training over a certain period of time regarding identified issues in the form of internships. Finally, “Clinical School Teaching III” pursues issues with developing teacher skills.

Our multi-layered curriculum also includes “freely-chosen elective courses” to provide students with a broader education and to help develop rich human resource skills.

Teaching method features

In order to cultivate social cooperation abilities (one of our educational policies), the Graduate School of Teacher Education provides students from a variety of teaching backgrounds with opportunities to learn and improve together. For this learning environment to function effectively, students are not separated by their backgrounds (whether they are new graduates of undergraduate programs or in-service teachers). Students are mixed together in classes and groups and work on exercises together. New graduates of undergraduate programs can study as they receive advice from their in-service teacher classmates. Meanwhile, by offering advice in-service teachers can learn how to cooperate with colleagues in a leadership role.

Finally, research specialist teachers and more practically-minded teachers can form teams and take responsible roles in an attempt to combine theory and practice, in courses with a strong direct relationship to educational practices such as education techniques and student guidance.

Completion requirements

1. Up to 39 credits may be taken in a single year.
2. Upon examination and approval by the Graduate School of Teacher Education, up to 7 credits (practical training exempted) may be recognized for practical training at school courses, in consideration of factors such as the student’s work experience, and based on the university entry essay submitted by the student during the application process.

“Clinical School Teaching I” is a form of practical training that focuses on improving teaching skills and overall teaching work. Students put the knowledge and techniques they have acquired during their undergraduate practical training into practice, in a way that is independent from their supervising teachers and colleagues. Students without any teaching experience (such as new graduates of undergraduate programs) chiefly aim to improve their comprehensive class administration skills and practical teaching abilities.

“Clinical School TeachingII” is a form of practical training in which students engage with assignments over a two- or three-month period, in the form of an internship. Students engage with assignments and practical training on topics such as teaching ability, class administration, student guidance, career education, special education, and regional cooperation, based on what they studied in their common courses and electives by field. Students gain knowledge and skills to build systems required in classes and school grades through actual practice in schools.

In “Clinical School Teaching III” students go into more detail on assignments they identified in “Clinical School Teaching I” and “Clinical School Teaching II.” It is here that students improve their ability as school leaders. Students cooperate with school administration and faculty members in solving education research issues.

Students improve their abilities as individuals in “Clinical School Teaching I” and work on their ability to cooperate with colleagues and other teachers as a team in ”Clinical School Teaching Ⅱ.” Finally, they improve their ability to work with school administration and faculty members toward resolving education research issues in schools during ”Clinical School Teaching Ⅲ.”

The curriculum of the Graduate School of Teacher Education is composed of compulsory “common courses” and “practical training at schools,” and elective “electives by field” and “freely-chosen elective courses.” Students are required to obtain at least 46 credits to complete the program. 13 courses (for a total of 21 credits) in five fields have been set as compulsory “common courses.” “Practical training at schools” (a total of 10 credits) consists of three courses (focused model, internship model, and issue resolution model), and features a system to increase students’ teacher skills. Students can choose from 24 courses in four fields for their “electives by field.” This allows students to select the courses they need to improve their abilities as teachers. “Freely-chosen elective courses” allow students to study a wide range of topics. Courses are taught by education research and educational practice experts, and each course combines such teaching methods as group work and case studies, in order to effectively “combine theory and practice.” Students improve their theoretical and practical foundation skills through lectures and exercises, and then proceed toward practical training at collaborating/cooperating schools. In addition to gaining practical experience, students engage in solving education research issues during and after practical training. Finally, students can obtain specialized licenses equivalent to primary teaching licenses.

• Thorough and practical leadership based on simulated teaching and group work
• Practical leadership in conjunction with local schools
• Curriculum based on the careers and interests of each student

Common courses (compulsory, elective compulsory)

Practical training at schools (compulsory)

Electives by field

Freely-chosen elective courses

※One-year course students may take classes regardless of academic year.

Diverse course models that support a wide range of teaching careers

The Graduate School of Teacher Education is open to students who aim to become teachers in a variety of teaching careers (new graduates of undergraduate programs with teaching licenses but no experience, and teachers with anywhere from a few years of experience to more than ten) and types of schools (such as elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools). Outside of common courses, students in the Graduate School of Teacher Education are able to choose the courses they will study, in order to deal with the many of diverse issues in educational practices in each type of school and teaching career. While there are many course patterns students can take, this page introduces just a few of these course models.

Common courses (compulsory): 16 credits

Model 1: For those who intend to become new teachers with advanced student guidance abilities

Students who intend to become “new teachers who could become key players in new school development” with advanced student guidance skills could consider focusing their studies on the elective by field, “subject group related to developing student guidance/class administration abilities.” Students continue their theory-based studies that focus on common courses and electives by field during their first academic year, then tackle practical training (“Clinical School Teaching I” and “Clinical School Teaching II”) once their class administration skills have reached a relatively stable level. During the first term of their second academic year, students engage in “Clinical School Teaching III” and study student guidance and class administration on-site, from the initial stage to until they are at a level where they feel comfortable. This process allows students to gain advanced student guidance skills through applying “theory” in “practice.”

Model 2: For those who have experience teaching and want to become school leaders

Students with teaching experience and who intend to become “school leaders who boast a strong understanding of leadership theory, as well as superior practical and application abilities” already have an understanding of education environments. Backing this up with a strong theoretical background should allow them to play roles in improving situations in schools. Based on these practices, students will be able to gain insight and ability that will be required in the future, through preparing an educational practices thesis and gaining a better theoretical understanding of their own practices.

Model 3: Single-year course for in-service teachers

In-service teachers taking one-year courses aim to become teachers playing central roles even among other school leaders. They therefore will go through the “theory, practice, theory” cycle to deepen their understanding. In order to reflect back on their teaching experiences based on prolific practices on-site in a theoretical context, students will first attend lectures that combine theory and practice during the first term of the year. During the second term, students will accumulate practical experience during “Clinical School Teaching III” as they engage with their own assignments and deepen their understanding of theory during lectures.

Cooperation & collaboration with boards of education

In order to enhance education research with collaborating/cooperating schools, the Graduate School of Teacher Education collaborates and cooperates with boards of education at the metropolitan, prefecture, ward, and city levels.

Collaborating/cooperating schools

「“Practical training at schools” is conducted at collaborating/cooperating schools.　　Summary of collaborating/cooperating schools

2014 academic year (as of April 2014)

Tokyo Metropolitan Area

Kanagawa Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture

Chiba Prefecture

Attached/group schools

• Waseda University Senior High School
• Waseda Jitsugyo
• Waseda Jitsugyo
• Waseda Junior & Senior High School