1) An M.A. in Social Sciences will be conferred on students completing the master’s program. 2) The following four conditions must be satisfied in order to complete the master’s program.
- (a) The student must have attended the master’s program for at least two years.
- (b) The student must have obtained at least 32 credits in courses taught at this graduate school (this may include credits obtained at other specified institutions and graduate schools).
- (c) The student must, having received the necessary guidance from his or her supervisor, pass an examination of his or her master’s thesis and pass the final examinations.
- (d) The student must have paid the prescribed school fees.
3) The courses taught in the Master’s Program are categorized as follows.
Program |
Course category |
Master’s Program |
Master’s thesis |
Research guidance |
Seminars |
Lecture courses |
4) Credits are obtained as follows. There is no limit to the number of credits that can be obtained; nevertheless, the following presents standard numbers.
Year |
Course |
Total |
Seminars |
Lecture courses |
1st |
4 credits (Seminar I) |
16 to 20 credits |
20 to 24 credits |
2nd |
4 credits (Seminar II) |
4 to 8 credits |
8 to 12 credits |
Total |
8 credits |
24 credits |
32 credits |
- (a) Seminars are compulsory during the 1st and 2nd years. Students must attend seminars of the same name as the research guidance they were assigned. No other seminars may be selected.
- (b) In addition to taking seminars and lecture courses, students must receive research guidance. No credits are obtained for research guidance; however, supervision time is allocated in weekly timetables. If you want to enroll in lecture courses taught at the same time of your research guidance, you must obtain the approval of your supervisor and then notify the office of Graduate School of Social Sciences.
- (c) Each student must comply with the instructions given by his or her supervisor during course registration guidance.
- (d) Taking courses at the General Program (Japanese-based Degree Program) of the Graduate School of Social Sciences is possible up to 8 credits if the supervisor deems those courses as beneficial for the student’s research. In that case, you can take courses from both the Major in Global Society and the Major in Policy Sciences, regardless of your affiliation. Please apply for desired courses each semester during the designated period.
1) A Ph.D. in Social Sciences will be conferred on students completing the doctoral program. 2) The following three conditions must be satisfied in order to complete the doctoral program.
- (a) The student must have attended the doctoral program for at least three years.
- (b) The student must, having received the prescribed research guidance from his or her supervisor, pass an examination of his or her doctoral dissertation and pass the final examinations.
- (c) The student must have paid the prescribed school fees. It should be noted that doctoral dissertations can also be submitted within three years from the date of withdrawal from the program after having fulfilled the requirements for submitting them.
3) The courses taught in the Doctoral Program are categorized as follows.
Program |
Course category |
Doctoral Program |
Doctoral dissertation |
Research guidance |
4) If necessary for the purpose of research, doctoral program students can also take master’s program lecture courses. Any student wishing to do so should receive the approval of his or her supervisor and then complete the required course registration procedures. Upon first attendance at such a lecture course, furthermore, the student must obtain the permission of the lecturer in question. 5) Course registration procedures must also be completed by fourth and subsequent-year students working towards the completion of their degree. Students intending to withdraw from the program due to completion of the required minimum of three years of study must submit a prescribed application form for withdrawal from the program.