36 Social Science Master's Degree Programs in Japan

Upon successful completion of the study program students receive an international private Master of Arts (MA) in Liberal Studies degree awarded by the school's main campus in Zurich, Switzerland, based on the recommendation of the faculty of the local campuses where credits were earned, and upon the recommendation of the school's Academic Council.

Japan-Global Development program (JGDP) is a newly established two-year master’s program to provide students the opportunity to learn universal development and growth logic in the fields of politics, economy and management, using Japan’s experiences in economic development and corporate growth as basic case materials. The JGDP was jointly developed by JICA and IUJ under the JICA-DSP.* *JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP) ”JICA-DSP” is a program that invites future leaders from partner countries to Japan to complete master’s or doctor’s degrees at Japanese graduate schools, where they learn about Japan’s experiences with its own modernization and development experience with Japanese development cooperation to other countries. JICA and universities in Japan jointly built and offer the JICA-DSP. Students will not only study in their respective academic fields, but will also learn much from modern Japan’s experience of development, which differs significantly from the history of growth and development found in the West. Students can study the “Japanese experience” systematically, including even negative ones, so that they may use this knowledge to contribute to the development of their own countries.

Many people regard the 21st century as the “Asia Pacific century” as a result of the region’s continuous and robust growth. The region’s prominence can be witnessed through its increasing political power in the G-20 and economic interdependence that facilitates steady growth.

The Asia Pacific region and the international community as a whole are facing many urgent issues which need to be addressed in order to ensure equitable development and a livable environment. The social science program offers students a curriculum which is policy-oriented and practical.

Harmonize the three pillars of sustainability with Economic, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies through our applied research hubs and specialized concentration courses. You will develop a purpose-driven skillset by connecting management theory with responsible practice, culminating in a transformative Impact Project.

The former Graduate School of Social and Cultural Sciences was established in April 2002, which offered a three-year independent, interdisciplinary and comprehensive Doctoral Program based on a wide range of fields given in the Faculty of Letters and the Faculty of Law.

Two courses of study are offered in the M.A. program: Cultural Studies and Applied Social Sciences. The goal of each is to turn out highly qualified graduates who can deal with the transformations and institutional reforms that are occurring at both the regional and the global levels of current society.

We aim to train social workers as highly skilled professionals. In addition, we aim to improve the skills of operators and managers in social welfare facilities and institutions.

Today's world is entering an era of interdependence. Japan is a part of this system of global cooperation. However, it is also an era of wars, political strife, and many economic and environmental problems that cause disruption of societies' well-being. In order to deal with this complex international environment, there is a need for people trained in international affairs. This faculty hopes to equip people with the understanding of other cultures and languages necessary to meet future challenges. In the future, Japan will continue to be deeply involved with both the West and Asia. Knowledge of the languages and cultures of both these areas will become increasingly important. In response to these future needs, the faculty has attempted to structure its curriculum around the study of these two areas.

The program offers a comprehensive curriculum on social welfare. Graduates will be able to play a leading role in the field of social welfare in both the public and private sectors, as well as a variety of roles in private business.

The history of Meiji Gakuin University's undergraduate Department of Social Work reaches back 90 years, while the Graduate Program in Social Work has a history of more than 50 years. In order to respond fully to Japan's social-work-related needs in the 21st century, the Graduate Program has revised its curriculum. The master's program offers a diverse range of lecture classes that match student interests and foster their ability to respond to contemporary social welfare issues. The doctoral program focuses on developing independent research ability and advanced practical skills through guidance in writing a doctoral dissertation. The program participates in a credit transfer system with 13 graduate schools in the Tokyo metropolitan area offering master's degrees in social work, enabling students to take classes at any of these schools. Both the master's and doctoral programs have systems supporting recurrent education and welcome non-traditional students.

The Graduate School of International Politics and Economics offers a two-year master’s course aimed at fostering highly qualified professionals. The course is intended to train internationally-minded professionals with a broad global view and practical skills, through researches on politics, economics, laws and social situations in Asia from today’s standpoint in the Globalization Era.

This course focuses on international relations and international business. Students develop thinking skills that are grounded in the social sciences, and the skills for developing new methodology.

Cultivating problem-solving skills through a wide breadth of Buddhist education and research on the developments and style of the Jodo sect and on the ideas and culture of Buddhism in India, China, and Japan.

The Rikkyo Graduate School of Sociology was founded nearly six decades ago to cope with societal needs to understand the changing society in which people, groups, organizations interact with each other. It is one of the largest schools of sociology in Japan. We have eminent specialists in various fields not only based upon sociological discipline but also upon the related areas. Our competence lies in the study of sociological theories, qualitative and quantitative research methods, social interaction, social stratification, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, social gerontology, family, religion, politics and social movements, industry, consumer society and consumerism, city and community, migration, environmental problems and education, media, journalism, science, technology and society(STS), cultural anthropology, cultural studies, and so on. In addition to seminar classes dealing with the above topics, the School provides research programs based upon active learning, including quantitative data analysis and fieldwork in overseas locations. We offer intensive courses to complement the analytical skills of students, and with dedicated supervision to ensure the innovative and high-profiled completion of Master theses and Doctoral dissertations. All our graduates are expected to actively participate in the globalized community. Our aim is that our PhDs will be deemed to contribute significantly to sociological studies worldwide.