School of Political Science and EconomicsWaseda University

　Over the last couple of years, entrance exams and education have faced various restrictions because of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, but it seems the end is finally in sight. We thank you again for your understanding and cooperation during this time. Based on this experience and considering the implementation of 100-minute classes from the 2023 academic year, our faculty will continue to strive to create an optimal learning and research environment.
We are currently facing many serious problems. The emergence of COVID-19 can be traced back to the changing relationship between humans and nature, which climate change, another burning issue, has forced us to reexamine. Japan has been experiencing more disasters due to heavy rains, even as drought impacts other parts of the world, increasing the number of people starving. Meanwhile, widening socioeconomic disparities since the 1980s have contributed to the rise of populism and the weakening of liberal democracy worldwide—case in point: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year.
I believe we now need intellectual cooperation to fundamentally reconsider where the problems lie in social institutions and policies, both domestic and foreign. In addition, I also think the time has come to seriously discuss feasible alternatives to institutions and policies to determine the direction that must be taken to come out of the current situation.
Our faculty’s ideal of education, “Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE),” places emphasis on the close connection between empirical analysis and normative evaluation; moreover, based on our (as accurate as possible) perception of history and reality obtained from social science research centered on political science and economics, our aim is to explore how institutions and policies should be reorganized.
Our faculty has produced many leaders who play principal roles in such pursuits. Rather than pursuing short-term, inward-looking interests for profit, our faculty’s unwavering goal is to send out into society competent individuals who can think and act with a public spirit in terms of both space and time.
The curriculum of the School of Political Science and Economics has been developed based on the PPE ideal. We offer interactive, small-group learning opportunities each year in the form of basic seminars, academic literacy seminars, pre-seminars, specialized seminars, and so on, before providing guidance on the graduation (seminar) thesis, with the compulsory subjects Public Philosophy, Introduction to Political Analysis, Introduction to Microeconomics, Introduction to Macroeconomics, and Statistics, in addition to offering most subjects in a hybrid (i.e., Japanese + English) format. Students following this curriculum acquire a solid foundation in the social sciences, develop the ability to communicate across cultures, and improve their skills in presenting their own opinions with evidence and reasons. Our faculty will continue to work to improve the learning and research environment, but I believe what is most important is that students and teachers gain inspiration and strength from each other and inherit and further develop an open-minded culture of continuous study.
Even as society faces drastic changes in the future, our school will work rigorously to contribute to the realization of a fairer and better society. We would appreciate your continued understanding and support.

SAITO, Junichi
Dean, The School of Political Science and Economics