Well-Structured Curriculum
The Faculty of Global Studies offers lectures related to International Relations and Area Studies. International Relations is divided into two fields, namely International Politics, and Civil Society/International Cooperation, while Area Studies is also divided into two, namely Asian Studies and Middle Eastern/African Studies. FGS offers a wide spectrum of courses in global studies, sharing the perspectives of these two fields and four branches. This new system enables students to acquire knowledge from both global and local perspectives, an approach to education not available elsewhere in Japan.
In addition to the above, students are entitled to register for certain common courses that are offered to all in the university as well as courses in certain foreign languages, in accordance with their needs.
*Please click here for more information about the SPSF(English-taught Prgram)
Courses are offered in groups of four levels, namely introductory, basic, specialized, and applied. These courses are numbered from 100 through 400, in the manner followed with reference to higher education in the United States and Europe.
This group comprises courses at the primary stage. They are oriented to enable students to acquire global literacy and cultivate their academic skills.
This group of courses offers students specified knowledge and skills. They concentrate upon emphasizing the ability to proactively put into practice what they learn.
These courses are designed to advance and deepen specialized knowledge.
These courses, as well as the graduation thesis and research project, are intended to finalize and provide the concluding touch to the education of students at FGS.
Starting from the spring semester of the first year, students take required lecture courses (100 series), and in the fall semester, they learn the basics of Global Studies through the small-group “First year seminar (compulsory)”. Lecture courses (200 series) can be taken in the first year. In the second year, students take lecture courses (200 and 300 series) to further absorb specialized knowledge in Global Studies. At the same time, the path to “Independent studies” opens up, where you can set your own topics and conduct actual research. In the third year, students take seminars (compulsory) to acquire more advanced knowledge and clarify their own research themes through discussions with classmates. In the fourth year, you will give shape to your achievements through a graduation thesis or other final projects.
In addition to faculty- and department-offered courses, students deepen their learning by taking university-wide general studies courses and language courses, selecting subjects each year in accordance with their study requirements (compulsory, compulsory electives, and electives).
The Faculty of Global Studies offers two major fields: “International Relations” and “Area Studies,” allowing students to combine areas of interest in their learning. Students submit their preferences in their second year, and starting from their third year, they take courses in their chosen “major” as well as 400-level subjects (seminars) within that field. Courses in their minor field are also taken concurrently.
