Greetings（Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences）

28.03.2016 Update

Greetings

Greetings from the Dean

The Ochanomizu University Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences was reorganized in April 2007 to meet the needs of graduate education in the twenty-first century. From its inception, the graduate school at Ochanomizu University has emphasized interdisciplinary learning and made the integration of the humanities and the sciences its guiding principle. With the reorganization, this ideal has been made even clearer.

The Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences is the university’s overarching graduate school body. Starting in the 2015 academic year, we will reorganize the school’s faculty. Teaching staff will be attached to a Faculty of Core research, which is independent from the graduate schools, and engage in education and research through the graduate schools, undergraduate faculties and centers in accordance with each individual’s aptitudes and specializations. The master’s program and doctoral program of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences each have five divisions, and one can plot a clear and direct path from the master’s program through to the doctoral program.

The aim of a graduate school is to refine the knowledge of students with a focus on research and turn them into experts in their respective fields. However, as one gains more expertise, it is also vital to expand one’s academic horizons. Society needs specialists who are also knowledgeable in areas outside their field.

For this reason, in addition to further enriching the university’s education in specialty fields, we have also created subjects within the master’s program that synthesize divisions and courses to spark interest among students in related fields of study. In addition, we have set up a number of cross-disciplinary minor programs to encourage interdisciplinary study and boost the applicability of specialty knowledge and student skills.

In addition, in the 2014 academic year, we established a new program (the “Science and Technology for Global Leaders” graduate program) that aims to produce talented, innovative women doctorate holders. Furthermore, as part of our goal to cultivate talented women able to flourish worldwide, students may also take part in the Advanced Communication Training (ACT) program, which seeks to improve the foreign language abilities of participants.

Students in the doctoral program conduct research under a primary faculty advisor in their specialty. They may also tap researchers in closely related fields as secondary advisors, enabling them to look at things from different angles and gain new perspectives. We also offer joint degree programs with universities overseas in keeping with our international emphasis.

A diverse range of students study in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences. In addition to students from nearby South Korea and China, we have many here who come to Japan from Afghanistan in Western Asia, Europe, North America and elsewhere to pursue their studies. Many of our students have already started their careers, including adult learners.

We offer a variety of systems to meet the needs of all these students. One such example is our long-term study program. This system allows students to extend the ordinary two-year master’s program up to four years. We also have a system for those looking to engage in both childrearing and graduate study. One of our graduate school’s key characteristics is that it enables women to take on new challenges while also taking into consideration their lifecycles, incorporating common life circumstances such as employment, marriage, childbirth, childrearing, a spouse’s job relocation and caring for elderly family members.

April 1, 2015

MOGAMI Yoshihiro

Dean of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences

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