It is a new field of study that aims at comprehending the globalized world. At FGS we tackle the topic of global studies from dual perspectives, namely the globally oriented perspective of International Relations, and the locally oriented focus of Area Studies. Sophia University has long been known for its academic tradition and achievements in both fields, and these two fields have now come together in FGS. Today, when much of the local phenomena we encounter daily is linked to the global as well, we need to develop the ability to view issues from both standpoints. Through the integration of these two fields FGS is opening up new horizons in education.

FGS trains students who understand the realities of the globalized world, and who think and act on their own initiative. Education at FGS will equip you to work as a professional endowed by an inter-linking of the global and local perspectives, a person who identifies valid solutions to problems and actualizes them, and who simultaneously is imbued with a spirit of empathy for others. Such people are blessed with a capacity to consider alternate standpoints, even in the midst of intense competition.

Globalization is multi-faceted and its impact encompasses both positive and negative elements. FGS first seeks to nurture the ability to incisively grasp how this phenomenon works in daily life in today’s world. Our desire is to foster people who can decide for themselves what ought to be done with regard to reality as they comprehend it, and act accordingly. Some may assume a critical stance and seek to be involved in change and reform, while others may view globalization in a positive light and devise ways and means to actively utilize it. Rather than supporting an affirmative view of globalization, FGS seeks to educate people who can arrive at their own conclusions.

The academic environment of the two Faculties differs very much.
• The Faculty of Global Studies fosters the ability to comprehend present-day society on the basis of the intertwined perspectives of the global and local, hinging on International Relations and Area Studies. International Relations at FGS constitutes not merely the customary pursuit of international politics, but includes the perceptions of sociology, economics, and workings of international bodies as well. Area Studies at FGS focuses for the most part on Asia, the Middle East and Africa, regions where the influence of the evolution of global society is intense. At FGS courses providing basic knowledge are taught in Japanese, with some advanced or specialized classes taught in English.
• Education in the Faculty of Liberal Arts (FLA) however presupposes that the students already possess a high or working-level grasp of English. It seeks to provide them with a comprehensive education and cultivate their ability for logical thinking (Liberal Arts). Areas of specialization in the FLA are Comparative Culture, International Business or Economics, and Sociology, and as English is the medium of instruction, the educational environment would basically match that of a university in an Anglophone country.

The number of specialized courses in International Relations is higher in the Faculty of Global Studies, and hence we usually counsel students to choose the FGS. But, at the Faculty of Foreign Studies (FFS) students can study International Relations with reference to area studies of North America, Europe, or Russia/Eurasia. Also, students of FFS are allowed to take courses on International Relations offered by FGS. However a comparison of the curriculums of the two faculties is advisable prior to making a decision.

In their first year, all students study International Relations and Area Studies in order to gain a rudimentary understanding and analytical skills, from both the global and local standpoints. In parallel, students lay their academic footing by selectively taking basic courses presenting the character of the globalized world, from the academic standpoints of political science, economics, sociology, cultural anthropology, and so on.

In their second year students begin to take some specialized courses, and during the autumn semester they begin to decide exactly what fields within International Relations (International Politics, Civil Society/International Cooperation), and what fields of Area Studies (Asian Studies or Middle East/African Studies) would constitute their major and minor (or sub-major). They are also urged to pursue some independent study, wherein they undertake some fieldwork or on-site research pertaining to globalization.

During their third year, students continue taking courses on specialized subjects, participate in seminars, and decide on a topic for their research project, and during their fourth year, students complete their graduation thesis or research.

Students decide on their major and minor during the second semester of their second year, and start taking courses in their chosen fields from the third year onwards. Courses in major and minor fields taken during the second year will also be counted towards requirements of your major or minor fields. Essentially the student’s choice of fields is accepted, but it does depend somewhat on the number of applicants.

If you choose to study International Relations under either International Politics or Civil Society/International Cooperation as your major, you must choose your minor from Area Studies, under either Asian Studies or Middle-Eastern/African Studies. Hence the answer to the question is no. You cannot combine a major in International Politics with a minor in Civil Society/International Cooperation, and by the same token you cannot combine a major and or minor in Asian Studies and Middle-Eastern/African Studies.［Japanese Track］

You are awarded one degree. For example, if you decide to major in Area Studies (either Asian Studies or Middle-Eastern/African Studies) and you make International Relations your minor (either International Politics or Civil Society/International Cooperation), your degree will be a B.A. in Area Studies. In that case, a certificate of completion will be issued to you for courses above a certain number earned in your sub-major or minor (International Relations).

No courses or supports are offered that explicitly prepare students for such openings, but faculty members with experience working in international organizations conduct a number of courses and seminars. Some courses in English provide practical knowledge for such careers.

Sophia’s Center for Language Education and Research (CLER) offers these courses. CLER provides a variety of CLIL-type courses at Sophia, and so we urge students starting in their second year to take courses in English in accordance with their areas of academic interest. CLIL refers to Content and Language Integrated Learning. This involves studying content through courses given in English, an approach that permits students to study a particular academic subject and at the same time increase their English language skills.

Yes. You may include maximum of 30 credits (26 – 34 credits for students enrolled in 2018) as your graduation requirement credits if you register for courses from the Faculty of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts and other foreign language courses. If you register for other courses than the ones mentioned above, you may also include up to 8 credits. However, it is generally not allowed to register for courses that are compulsory for other Faculties and Departments. Moreover, depending on some courses, specific Faculties and Departments are prioritized.

You can take a certain number of courses on the North American or European areas offered by the Faculty of Foreign Studies (FFS) and declare that as your minor. Also, FGS has courses on International Relations dealing with the Western World. However, if you wish to pursue area study of the West in specialized courses, you should perhaps consider which of the following cases would suit you best:

• Studying at FGS: After taking the basic courses in International Relations, declare International Relations as your major and take up the West as your case study (e.g., U.S. global strategy, U.S. Diplomacy, EU National Security). For your minor you could then take FFS courses relating to the West to fill out your knowledge of history and society.

• Studying at FFS: After gaining a solid grounding in a language and learning about culture and history, you could choose North American Studies or European Studies as your topic of research (e.g., Bilingual Education in the United States, Germany and EU Integration, De-colonization and Portugal). In conjunction with these studies, you can take FGS courses on International Relations.

FGS has about 20 courses in English, and most of them are specialized. In addition there are CLIL-type courses offered by Sophia’s Center for Language Education and Research, and basic and advanced courses relating to globalization offered by the Center for Global Education, which students can also sign up for as electives.

There are about 10-15 foreign students enrolled every year with a capacity of 220 students per grade. There is a great diversity of nationalities such as Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Burmese, Filipinos, Iranian, Americans, and Brazilians.

Yes, it is possible. We recommend you study abroad on a long-term basis, and thereby acquire the experience of living in a global society.
>> Learning Abroad

You may transfer up to 30 credits obtained at the host institution to Sophia. You can graduate in 4 years. However, as a matter of fact, about half of the students seem to spend 5 years before they graduate due to their job hunt activities upon their return from overseas.

Yes, both certificates can be acquired. At FGS, teaching licenses for Social Studies in junior high school and Citizenship Education in high school can be acquired. In addition, course subjects are widely accepted as credits for graduation as subject electives.

You may arrange fieldwork and internship for <Independent Studies 1-6 >, elective courses. Examples of fieldwork include visiting ASEAN countries to investigate situations on development and educations, visiting Muslim communities in Japan and interviewing their living conditions, or interviewing Taiwan and Korean election campaigns. You may set the research theme and region by yourself with the consultation of academic supervisors.

Examples of internship include training sessions at UN or practical training at NGOs in Asia that the University or supervisors prepare. Other internships can also be incorporated to your Independent Studies with the permission and guidance of a supervisor.

It is possible to graduate in 3 or 3 and 1/2 years. The requirements for graduation are to obtain 124 credits and to have GPA 3.7 or higher (out of 4.0).

It is possible to enroll in the SPSF course (a course in which you earn a degree in English) in the Autumn semester. SPSF (Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures), a collaborative degree program of six departments that considers sustainable futures, is a new course established within six departments—Journalism, Education, Sociology, Economics, Management, and Global Studies—where students do not study the English language itself, but take specialized subjects in English and can earn a degree. While studying the specialized courses in your own department, you will also take common core courses themed around “Sustainable Futures” as well as basic courses from other departments within SPSF. This curriculum enables you to acquire not only specialized expertise, but also problem-solving skills and diverse perspectives and ways of thinking.

Please read all sorts of books. Don’t believe in books that say, “this book is all you need to understand ”. It is important that you read widely and deeply enough to an extent where you can judge what you should read.

Always try to spend every day performing your best. Then, rather than just coming to the university just to be taught and lectured something, ask yourself constantly of what you want to learn and achieve proactively when you are here.

Train yourself to speak in your own language. It is easy to spot someone who uses other people’s words. The best way is to read and write a lot. It is also effective to ask a friend for a feedback on what you have written.

There are no specific measures, but please answer the questions clearly in a strong voice, looking at the interviewer’s eyes. It is not appropriate to lie or exaggerate and impersonate someone else. It is important to convey who you are, just the way you are, and this is what the interviewer wants to know best.

About 90% of the students start their career in companies and government offices, and the other 10% move on for further education in domestic and international graduate schools. For actual data of career paths, please visit the page on the website.