School of Political Science and EconomicsWaseda University

The School of Political Science and Economics (SPSE) is one of the original academic units established when Waseda University was founded in 1882. The SPSE offers a unique combination of its vibrant, international student culture in central Tokyo and curricula in political science and economics that are fully comparable to those of top universities in North America and Europe. This means that students can take full advantage of being at one of the most prestigious and selective universities in Japan,¹ and at the same time acquire universal skills and knowledge that make them “employable” all around the world.²
<sub>1. No 1 private university in Japan (QS World University Rankings 2025).
2. Ranked No. 30 in the world for Employer Reputation (QS World University Rankings 2025).</sub>

Our B.A. degree programs in Political Science and Economics are equivalent to majors in these disciplines from top universities in North America and to the respective single honors degree programs at leading UK universities. Our B.A. in Global Political Economy is similar to a double major where students take an even balance of coursework in both subjects, but we do not require students to complete any more credits than in the two other B.A. programs we offer. Our curriculum emphasizes quantitative methods and data analysis, which have become particularly sought-after skills. For both political science and economics, we teach essential methodology, including mathematics, statistics, game theory, experimental methods, network analysis, and programming.

Many of our full-time faculty members who teach for the English-based Degree Program at the SPSE have extensive teaching and research experience at leading universities outside of Japan. Prof. Teppei Yamamoto (PhD in Political Science, Princeton) taught for more than 10 years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Prof. Marisa Kellam (PhD in Political Science, UCLA) taught at Texas A&M University for six years before joining Waseda. Prof. Kohei Kawamura (PhD in Economics, Oxford) was a college lecturer at the University of Oxford and later taught at the University of Edinburgh for nine years. Prof. Masaru Kohno (PhD in Political Science, Stanford) taught at the University of British Columbia. Prof. Dmitriy Kvasov (PhD in Economics, Penn State) taught at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and the University of Adelaide (Australia). Prof. Satoru Shimokawa (PhD in Agricultural Economics, Cornell) taught at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prof. Róbert Veszteg (PhD in Economics, Autònoma de Barcelona) taught at Carlos III University (Spain). Prof. DeJarnette (PhD in Applied Economics, U. Penn) taught at National Taiwan University. In addition to those just mentioned, other faculty members received PhDs from Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Essex, UCLA, Chicago, Columbia, UCSD, Wisconsin-Madison, UC Irvine, Grenoble, and Rennes.

At the SPSE, students engage in discussion-based courses known as “seminars” throughout their studies. These seminars are conducted in small groups, typically ranging from 5 to 15 students, which fosters collaboration on in-depth discussions and analyses with their professors. To further enrich the educational experience, some professors organize social gatherings or seminar trips once or twice a year, creating a relaxed atmosphere for additional interaction. Moreover, these seminars often provide opportunities for students to connect with seniors and juniors, enhancing their networking and collaborative skills. In their final year, students have the option to write a thesis under the supervision of their seminar professor.

The following members of our faculty offer Advanced Seminars in the English-based Degree Program:

Many other professors at the SPSE teach courses in English, for instance:

The SPSE welcomes about 800 new students each year in April into the Japanese-based Degree Program (JDP), and approximately 100 new students in September into the English-based Degree Program (EDP). While our EDP students can obtain all credits for completion by taking courses entirely in English, we offer most courses at all levels (introductory, intermediate, and advanced) in both English and Japanese. Taking courses in Japanese may be particularly beneficial for EDP students who are proficient in both languages and seek careers in or related to Japanese companies or organizations.

Waseda University has numerous student exchange agreements with universities all around the world. SPSE students have the opportunity to participate in university-wide programs offered by the Center for International Education (CIE), and exclusive study abroad programs that are only open to SPSE students. Recent SPSE students’ destinations include Yale University, UC Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, UC San Diego, McGill University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The University of Sydney, City University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University, and Peking University.

In addition to excellence in employability, the quality of our program is also reflected in the universities our graduates progress to. For example, since 2014, SPSE students have sought further studies in Master’s and PhD programs at Yale University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, UCLA, University of Rochester, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, University of Warwick, University of Bonn, University of Sydney, Peking University and University of Tokyo, among others.