Three policies for the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Division of Law and Letters: Diploma Policies (DP: Policies on certifying completion and awarding degrees)

Educational Philosophy and Objectives

In the Division of Law and Letters (DLL), the objective of education and research is to cultivate practical research skills to solve social problems and improve local culture in cooperation with others, with a high sense of ethics and responsibility appropriate for graduates of a master’s degree program.

Personnel image to foster

The DLL aims to provide students with advanced and specialized knowledge in the humanities and social sciences, as well as research skills based on this knowledge. It also fosters human resources equipped with the abilities and qualities to contribute to a symbiotic society in the region with advanced and specialized knowledge in each specialized field of law and humanities.

Goals of learning

1. Knowledge of specialized fields and ability to carry out research
   The students have acquired advanced and specialized knowledge and the research ability based on this knowledge in the humanities and social sciences: ability to collect materials, ability to analyze information, logical thinking, and writing skills.
2. Ability to identify problems with bird’s-eye-view thinking
   The students have ability to analyze various human activities and thus identify various problems with the ability to see the human society from a higher perspective.
3. Communication ability and its social roles
   The students have the ability to communicate to bridge the gaps between diversity and universality through repeated dialogues with others and texts, and recognize the importance of its social roles.
4. Knowledge of humanities and social sciences and the qualities to utilize it
   The students have the qualities to contribute to the local symbiotic society with the advanced and specialized knowledge of humanities and social sciences, as well as to precisely investigate various issues related to their specialized field.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, the graduating students have a high sense of ethics and responsibility, and have a practical attitude to solve social issues in collaboration with others.

Certifying completion and awarding degrees

The students who have completed their educational program stipulated by the DLL, enrolled for a specified period, and earned required credits through strict performance evaluation, as well as have submitted their thesis or research paper for review, will be eligible for certification for completion by the DLL and accordingly be awarded a master’s degree appropriate to their field of specialization.

The Division of Law and Letters: Curriculum Policies (CP: Policies on formulating and implementing educational programs)

Organization of curriculum and contents of education

1. The basic courses for the Law and Letters majors are designated for the first semester of the first year of study to provide practical training of the basic skills to be required for research in the specialized fields in the following years that students of any major should acquire in common. At the same time, the basic courses for the Graduate School are offered to help students to consider, across the fields, the themes related to the Graduate School’s educational philosophy of “creating new values and solving issues facing local communities,” and thereby to cultivate a broad range of thinking skills.
2. As for the specialized courses, we arranged Specialized courses (lecture) and Specialized courses (seminar) in a well-balanced manner in the first year, while allowing Specialized courses (lecture or theory) from other Courses and/or other Division to be taken up to five credits. This arrangement enables graduate students to take a wide range of courses outside their specialized fields and thus acquire broad knowledge as well as the ability to think from a higher perspective. Specialized courses (seminar) are to develop practical research ability and include such courses as project seminars. Seminar courses also incorporate classes for literature survey and field survey in line with research practice.
3. For master’s thesis guidance, thorough thesis guidance by advisors is provided to develop versatile research or practical research ability. Through research papers guidance, the ability to present practical proposals and solutions is developed. Coaching for master’s theses or research papers will be conducted not only by the Advisor and the Assistant Advisors, but also joined by multiple faculty members in the Division of Law and Letters and the Graduate School through the “Thesis Proposal Presentations,” “Interim Presentations,” and “Achievement Presentations,” all of which are held by the Division.
4. Internships as a career development course are set up to help students acquire the business mindset required to play an active role in the real world after completing the graduate school, and also prepared are other courses that can be taken according to their desired career paths after completion.

Method of education and performance evaluation

In the DLL, each course group is systematically arranged in a way to deepen from basic and cross-disciplinary courses to specialized fields. Students take courses that are offered in accordance with the curricular goals in a well-balanced manner over a two-year period. While cultivating an interdisciplinary perspective by taking basic courses of the Graduate School, basic courses of the Division, and courses in other Courses and/or Divisions, students can take career development courses such as internships, which allows them to get prepared for their career paths after completion of the degree program. Classes are conducted in line with research practices with the aim of training highly specialized professionals and people with advanced intellectual resources who can find value in society based on universal theory and the ability to view things from a higher perspective.
In accordance with the achievement goals of each course, independent study is in practice in specialized courses (lecture), specialized courses (seminar), as well as research guidance, and classes are offered in the optimal format, while students are encouraged to study outside their class hours. In the guidance of the master’s thesis or research paper, the main and assistant advisors provide research support from a broad perspective.
Students create an academic portfolio to reflect on their own study and to realize independent learning. In the second year, multiple research presentations are held to allow them to confirm their own achievement.
In all courses, students are rigorously assessed for their performance based on objective evaluation criteria through written examinations, papers, etc.

Evaluation of curricula

We analyze the results of surveys conducted by various methods, including the contents of master’s theses or research papers, student self-evaluations based on their academic portfolios, student questionnaires, and questionnaires and interviews with employers of graduates, to verify the status in achieving academic goals and the academic level of the degrees awarded.

The Division of Law and Letters: Admission Policies (AP: Policies on admitting students)

Applicants desirable for admission

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to their desired field of study in the humanities and social sciences, the successful applicants possess specialized knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree and can accurately express the content.
2. Broad perspectives for humanities and social sciences and the ability to set up research topics
   With regard to their desired field of study in the humanities and social sciences, the applicants can logically grasp the field from a broad perspective and set up research topics with autonomy.
3. Intellectual curiosity about society and motivation to learn
   The applicants have an intellectual curiosity about the society and are motivated to study to contribute to its development.
4. Responsibility and attitude as a BA holder
   The applicants possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude to build collaborative relationships with others while respecting diversity.

Admission policy

Basic knowledge and skills, the ability to utilize them, and the attitude of learning independently in collaboration with diverse people are evaluated in a multifaceted and comprehensive manner through written and oral examinations.
The selection methods include general selection, admission for adult education (who have work or other experiences in society for two years or more) , admission for international students, and open selection. Besides the general selection, we also evaluate adult applicants, international students, and other examinees who wish to specialize in a field different from their bachelor’s program (open selection) by establishing a selection method based on their knowledge, experience, and achievements, and in this way open the door to motivated students with diverse abilities.

Admission policies

The Law and Politics Course of the Division of Law and Letters aims to foster individuals who acquire, through the study and its practice in law and politics, advanced and specialized knowledge and the ability to perform research that is based on such knowledge, and can contribute to the development of local communities. To provide the admitted graduate students with a grounding in law and politics, we assess their knowledge, ability, and qualities under the following admission policies:

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to their desired field of study in law and politics, the successful applicants possess specialized knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree program and can accurately express the content.
2. Broad perspectives for the social sciences and the ability to set up research topics
   With regard to their desired field of study in social sciences, the applicants can logically grasp it from a broad perspective and set up research topics with autonomy.
3. Intellectual curiosity about society and motivation to learn
   The applicants have an intellectual curiosity about society and are motivated to study to contribute to its development.
4. Responsibility and attitude as a BA holder
   They possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude of associating with others in a collaborative manner while respecting diversity.

Diploma policies

In the Law and Politics Course of the Division of Law and Letters, the graduate students acquire the following knowledge, abilities, and qualities through their study and practice in law and politics.

1. Knowledge of specialized fields and the ability to carry out research
   The students have acquired advanced and specialized knowledge and the research ability based on this knowledge in the law and politics, i.e., ability to collect materials, ability to analyze information, logical thinking, and writing skills.
2. Ability to identify problems with bird’s-eye-view thinking
   The students have the ability to analyze various human activities and thus identify various problems in a comprehensive and multifaceted manner.
3. Communication ability and its social roles
   With practical interests in solving social issues in their background, the students have the ability to communicate with diverse people in the society to resolve issues and recognize the importance of its social roles.
4. Knowledge of social sciences and the qualities to utilize it
   The students have the qualities to contribute to local communities with the knowledge of social sciences, as well as to precisely investigate various issues related to social science.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, the graduating students have a high sense of ethics and responsibility, and have a practical attitude to solve social issues in collaboration with others.

Admission policies

The Humanities Course of the Division of Law and Letters aims to foster individuals who acquire, through the study and its practice in the Humanities, advanced and specialized knowledge and the ability to perform research that is based on such knowledge, and thus can turn the learning into intellectual resources and contribute to the development of local communities. To provide the admitted graduate students with a grounding in humanities, we assess their knowledge, ability, and qualities under the following admission policies:

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to their desired field of study in the humanities, the applicants must possess specialized knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree program and be able to accurately express the content.
2. Broad perspective for the humanities and the ability to set up research topics
   With regard to their desired field of study in the humanities, the applicants must be able to logically grasp it from a broad perspective and set up research topics with autonomy.
3. Intellectual curiosity about society and willingness to learn
   The applicants must have an intellectual curiosity about society and are willing to study to contribute to its development.
4. Responsibility and attitude as a BA holder
   The applicants must possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude of associating with others in a collaborative manner while respecting diversity.

Diploma policies

In the Humanities Course of the Division of Law and Letters, the graduate students acquire the following knowledge, abilities, and qualities through their study and practice in humanities.

1. Knowledge of specialized fields and the ability to carry out research
   The students have acquired advanced and specialized knowledge and the research ability based on this knowledge in the humanities, i.e., ability to collect materials, ability to analyze information, logical thinking, and writing skills.
2. Ability to identify problems with bird’s-eye-view thinking
   Capturing humans, languages, history, and regions from the holistic perspectives, the students have the ability to analyze various human activities and thus identify various issues in a comprehensive and multifaceted manner.
3. Communication ability and its social roles
   The students have the ability to communicate to bridge the gaps between diversity and universality through repeated dialogues with others and texts, and recognize the importance of its social roles.
4. Knowledge of humanities and the qualities to utilize it
   The students have the qualities to contribute to the local symbiotic society with the advanced and specialized knowledge of humanities, as well as to precisely investigate various issues related to humanities.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, graduating students have a high sense of ethics and responsibility, and have a practical attitude to solve social issues in collaboration with others.

The Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation: Diploma Policies (DP: Policies on certifying completion and awarding degrees)

Educational Philosophy and Objectives

The “Industrial Systems Management and Innovation” combines the core concept of “Industrial System” with the educational objective of “Management and Innovation.” As the issues on regional industries and economic activities are becoming increasingly diversified and multilayered, solving these issues requires us to comprehensively and integrally understand each specialized field of conventional economics and its related fields, to view regional industries and economic activities wholly from a higher perspective, and then to present appropriate solutions. Therefore, in this Division, the aim of our education and research is set to create new value through appropriate management and innovation in each component of industry, the social environment and resources surrounding it, and their organic relationships.

Personnel image to foster

The Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation (DISMI) fosters human resources that own highly specialized, cross-disciplinary knowledge as well as problem analysis skills on economics & business management and management of environment & natural resources; are equipped with theory-based research skills and practical research skills, with which theory is put into practical use; and further lead to creation of new value and sustainable growth.

Goals of learning

1. Knowledge and understanding of specialized fields
   The students have advanced expertise in social sciences and can understand the essence of industrial systems.
2. Ability to identify issues and ability to perform practical research
   The students have a wide range of knowledge in social sciences, and can give multifaceted considerations with accurate analysis on industrial systems using theory and practice to identify issues in industrial systems. In addition, they can accurately set up research topics and goals and steadily advance their practical research using logical thinking and appropriate research techniques.
3. Communication skills and leadership
   The students have communication skills and can communicate and collaborate with various stakeholders. They can demonstrate leadership in society and organizations.
4. Ability to analyze and transmit information
   The students can efficiently collect and organize necessary information, accurately analyze research topics and issues quantitatively and qualitatively using data analysis techniques, and show the path to resolving issues. They can also accurately put out the results.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, the graduating students have a rich sense of humanity, can continue to have strong interests in sustainable development of local communities and lead new value creation voluntarily using their practical research skills.

Certifying completion and awarding degrees

The students who have completed their educational program stipulated by the DISMI, enrolled for a specified period, and earned required credits through strict performance evaluation, as well as have submitted their thesis or research paper for review, will be eligible for certification for completion by the DISMI and accordingly be awarded a master’s degree.

The Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation: Curriculum Policies (CP: Policies on formulating and implementing educational programs)

Organization of curriculum and contents of education

1. The basic courses for the Industrial Systems Management and Innovation majors are designated for the first year of study to provide practical training of the basic skills to be required for research in the specialized fields in the following years that students of any major should acquire in common. At the same time, the basic courses for the Graduate School are offered to help students to consider, across the fields, the themes related to the Graduate School’s educational philosophy of “creating new values and solving issues facing local communities,” and thereby to cultivate a broad range of thinking skills.
2. As for the specialized courses, we arranged Specialized courses (theory) and Specialized courses (practice) in a well-balanced manner in the first year, while allowing Specialized courses (lecture or theory) from other Courses and/or other Division to be taken up to five or six credits. This arrangement enables graduate students to take a wide range of courses outside their specialized fields and thus acquire broad knowledge as well as the ability to think from a higher perspective. Specialized courses (practice) are to develop practical research ability and include such courses as the project seminar.
3. For master’s thesis guidance, thorough thesis guidance by advisors is provided to develop practical research ability. Through research papers guidance, the ability to present practical proposals and solutions is developed. Coaching for master’s theses or research papers will be conducted not only by the Advisor and the Assistant Advisors, but also joined by multiple faculty members in the Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation and the Graduate School through the “Thesis Proposal Presentations,” “Interim Presentations,” and “Achievement Presentations,” all of which are held by the Division.
4. Career development courses are set up to help students acquire business mindset required to play an active role in the real world after completing the graduate school, and also prepared are other courses such as “Internship Practice,” “Special Lecture on Practical Skills,” and “Leaderships” that can be taken according to their desired career paths after completion.

Method of education and performance evaluation

In the DISMI, each course group is systematically arranged so that learning deepens from basic and cross-disciplinary courses to specialized fields, with most courses being one-credit ones. Students take courses that are offered in accordance with the curricular goals in a well-balanced manner over a two-year period. Also, the “Career Development Course” placed in the second year, helps students cultivate their business mind. Furthermore, in the Specialized Course (practice), in cooperation with local stakeholders, students develop practical research skills.

• In accordance with the educational objectives of each course, we offer classes in the optimal format, such as lectures, fieldwork, discussion, group work, presentation, e-learning, etc., while encouraging learning outside their class hours.
• In seminars, group instruction by multiple instructors from a wide range of specialized fields is incorporated.
• Students create an academic portfolio to reflect on their own study and to realize independent learning. In the second year, multiple research presentations are held to allow them to confirm their own achievement.
• In all courses, students are rigorously assessed for their performance based on objective evaluation criteria through written and oral examinations, papers, etc.

Evaluation of curricula

We analyze the contents of master’s theses or research papers, student self-evaluations based on their academic portfolios, student questionnaires, and interviews with employers of graduates, to verify the status in achieving academic goals and the academic levels of degrees awarded.

The Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation: Admission Policies (AP: Policies on admitting students)

Applicants desirable for admission

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to economics and management, or interdisciplinary complex areas of social sciences, the successful applicants possess specialized knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree program and can express the content accurately.
2. Broad perspectives for social sciences and the ability to set up research topics
   With regard to economics and management, or interdisciplinary complex areas of social sciences, the applicants can consider their expertise from a broad perspective and set up their own research topics with autonomy. To achieve their research goals, they can logically consider various issues from a multifaceted perspective using appropriate research methods and organize their own ideas.
3. Interest in local communities and motivation to solve problems
   The applicants have strong interests in sustainable development of local communities and are motivated to resolve various issues in the regions to contribute to the creation of new values.
4. Communication skills and attitude to collaborate with others
   The applicants can accurately communicate their research topics and results through oral and written expressions while communicating with others. In addition, they possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude to build collaborative relationships with others while respecting diversity.

Admission policy

Basic knowledge and skills, abilities to utilize them, and attitudes of learning independently in collaboration with diverse people are evaluated in a multifaceted and comprehensive manner through written and oral examinations.
For international students, admission for international students is in place to open the door to motivated students with diverse attributes. For working people, we adopt admission for adult education (who have work or other experiences in society for two years or more), in which knowledge and experience gained through activities at companies, local governments, NPOs, etc. are evaluated through written and oral examinations.

Admission policies

The Economics and Management Course of the Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation aims to foster individuals who acquire, through the study and its practice in economics and management, advanced and specialized knowledge and ability to perform research that is based on such knowledge, and can contribute to the development of the industrial societies. To provide the admitted graduate students with a grounding in economics and management, we assess their knowledge, ability, and qualities under the following admission policies:

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to their desired field of study in economics and management, or general social sciences, the successful applicants possess fundamental knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree program and can express the content accurately.
2. Broad perspectives for social sciences and the ability to set up research topics
   With regard to social sciences, especially economics and management area, the applicants can consider their expertise from a broad perspective and set up their own research topics with autonomy. To achieve their research goals, they can logically consider various issues from a multifaceted perspective using appropriate research methods and organize their own ideas.
3. Interests in local communities and motivation to solve problems
   The applicants have strong interests in sustainable development of regional industries and local communities and are motivated to resolve various issues in the regions to contribute to the creation of new values.
4. Communication skills and attitude to collaborate with others
   The applicants can accurately communicate their research topics and results through oral and written expressions while communicating with others. In addition, they possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude to build collaborative relationships with others while respecting diversity.

Diploma policies

In the Economics and Management Course of the Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation, the graduate students acquire the following abilities and qualities through their studies and practice in economics and business management:

1. Knowledge and understanding of specialized fields
   The students have advanced expertise in economics and management, and can understand the essence of various problems in economic and industrial societies.
2. Ability to identify issues and ability to perform practical research
   The students have a wide range of knowledge in social sciences, and can give multifaceted considerations with accurate analysis on practice of economic activities and business management activities using economic theories to identify issues in industrial societies. In addition, they can appropriately set up research topics and goals and steadily advance their practical research using logical thinking and appropriate research techniques.
3. Communication skills and leadership
   The students possess communication skills and can communicate and collaborate with various stakeholders. They can demonstrate leadership in society and organizations.
4. Ability to analyze and transmit information
   The students can efficiently collect and organize necessary economic and management information, accurately analyze research topics and issues quantitatively and qualitatively using data analysis techniques, and show the path to resolving the issues. They can also accurately put out the results.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, graduating students have a rich sense of humanity, can continue to have strong interests in sustainable development of local communities and lead new value creation voluntarily using their practical research skills.

Admission policies

The Environment and Resource Management Course of the Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation aims to foster individuals who acquire, through the study and its practice in environment and resource (social environment, regional resources, etc.) management, advanced and specialized knowledge and the ability to perform research that is based on such knowledge, and can contribute to the development of local communities. To provide the admitted graduate students with a grounding in environment and resource management, we assess their knowledge, ability, and qualities under the following admission policies:

1. Specialized knowledge and expressiveness in the field of application
   With regard to the area of social sciences or interdisciplinary complex area, the successful applicants possess specialized knowledge equivalent to the completion of a baccalaureate degree program and can express the content accurately.
2. Broad perspective for social sciences and ability to set up research topics
   With regard to social sciences, especially areas of social environment and regional resources, the applicants can consider their expertise from a broad perspective and set up their own research topics with autonomy. To achieve their research goals, they can logically consider various issues from a multifaceted perspective using appropriate research methods and organize their own ideas.
3. Interests in local communities and motivation to resolve issues
   The applicants have strong interests in sustainable development of local communities and regional industries, and are motivated to resolve various issues in the regions to contribute to the creation of new values.
4. Communication skills and attitude to collaborate with others
   The applicants can accurately communicate their research topics and results through oral and written expressions while communicating with others. In addition, they possess a sense of responsibility as a baccalaureate graduate and an attitude to build collaborative relationships with others while respecting diversity.

Diploma policies

In the Environment and Resource Management Course of the Division of Industrial Systems Management and Innovation, the graduate students acquire, through the interdisciplinary study and its practice in environment and resources (social environment, regional resources, etc.) management, the following abilities and qualities through their studies and practice in management:

1. Knowledge and understanding of specialized fields
   The students have interdisciplinary expertise in social environment and regional resources, and can understand the essence of various problems in local communities.
2. Ability to identify issues and ability to perform practical research
   The students have a wide range of knowledge in social sciences, and can give multifaceted considerations with accurate analysis to practice of environment and resource management using interdisciplinary theories to identify issues in local communities and industrial societies. In addition, they can appropriately set up research topics and goals and steadily advance their practical research using logical thinking and appropriate research techniques.
3. Communication skills and leadership
   The students have communication skills and can communicate and collaborate with various stakeholders. They can demonstrate leadership in society and organizations.
4. Ability to analyze and transmit information
   The students can efficiently collect and organize the necessary information on the regions, accurately analyze research topics and issues quantitatively and qualitatively using data analysis techniques, and show the path to solving problems. They can also accurately put out the results.
5. Attitude as a master’s degree recipient
   As a master’s degree recipient, graduating students have a rich sense of humanity, can continue to have strong interests in sustainable development of local communities and lead new value creation voluntarily using their practical research skills.