Academic Writing ProgramWaseda University

The Academic Writing Program at Waseda University—one of the five core educational programs offered by the Global Education Center—consists of two core components: the Writing Center and the undergraduate course “Academic Writing”.

The Writing Center offers extracurricular support to all undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty members, across the university. Writers are encouraged to consult individually with trained graduate student tutors regarding any academic writing or writing-related tasks, even those that have not yet taken written form. Support is available for a wide range of writing activities in both English and Japanese, including coursework, reports, theses and dissertations, academic articles, study abroad application essays, and research proposals. Sessions are conducted in multiple languages, with English and Japanese serving as the primary languages of discussions. The center operates during the academic semesters with approximately 30 tutors on staff. Branches are also open once a week on the Nishi-Waseda and Tokorozawa campuses.

The “Academic Writing” course is a credit-bearing class primarily intended for first-year undergraduate students to develop foundational academic writing skills. Students from any school and faculties are eligible to enroll. Over a seven-week period, students watch online video lectures and submit weekly writing assignments (approximately 400–600 Japanese characters per task). Each assignment receives individualized written feedback from a trained graduate student instructor. The course is offered four times per academic year and is supported by 60 to 70 instructors. For several faculties, the course constitutes a required component of the first-year curriculum.

Both the Writing Center and the “Academic Writing” course share a common objective: fostering independent writers. Tutors nor instructors do not revise or rewrite students’ texts. Instead, they offer feedback from the perspective of an engaged reader, providing diagnostic insights and strategic suggestions for revision to help students improve their writing autonomously.

All tutors and instructors—approximately 30 and 60 to 70, respectively—are graduate students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs in a variety of academic disciplines at Waseda University. Upon completion of pre-service, onboarding, and in-practice training, they not only gain expertise in writing instruction but also enhance their own professional development as educators and researchers.

Writing Center History

• 2004: Established within the School of International Liberal Studies (supported by the Contemporary GP Grant)
• 2008: Relocated to the Center for International Education (supported by the Global 30 Initiative)
• 2009: Affiliated with the Open Education Center (supported by the Education GP Grant from 2010–2012; subsequently funded by the university)
• 2012: The branch office opened at the Nishi-Waseda Campus
• 2013: The branch office opened at the Tokorozawa Campus
• 2014: Integrated into the Global Education Center
• 2020: Online tutoring sessions launched

Academic Writing Course History

• 2007: Pilot classes initiated
• 2008: Officially launched by the Open Education Center (supported by the Education GP Grant from 2010–2012)
• 2013: School of Human Sciences designated the course as compulsory for first-year students
• 2014: Became part of the Global Education Center curriculum
• 2014: School of Political Science and Economics and School of Commerce designated the course as compulsory for first-year students
• 2019: School of Social Sciences designated the course as compulsory for first-year students

• 4 Faculty Members (Full-time)
• 9 RAs (Research Associates / Assistant Professors)
• Approximately 30 Tutors (Graduate students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs at Waseda University with specialized training)
• Approximately 70 Instructors (Graduate students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs at Waseda University with specialized training)