Education Policy(Master's Programs)

Diploma Policy

At this graduate school, the following abilities are stipulated as those which students should have acquired upon completion of programs, with students satisfying completion requirements in accordance with the University Regulations recognized as having acquired such abilities and awarded a Master's Degree.

  1. Acquisition of expertise, interdisciplinary nature, internationalism
  2. Writing of thesis
  3. Contribution to society as a researcher, educator, and professional

Degree conferral policy for respective majors

  • Major in Sociology
    In order to obtain a master's degree in the Sociology major, the following is required of students: (1) Acquisition of a high level of specialized knowledge, (2) Acquisition of high-level investigative and analytical skills related to quantitative and qualitative sociological research, (3) Acquisition of the ability to flexibly utilize a broad range of knowledge to allow consistent interaction of an interdisciplinary nature with related disciplines, and (4) Acquisition of the discernment to contribute to society and on the international stage into the future.
  • Major in Psychology
    In order to obtain a master's degree in the Psychology major, the following is required of students: (1) Acquisition of a high level of specialized knowledge, (2) Acquisition of specialized skills required to perform experimental and practical psychological research, (3) Acquisition of the ability to flexibly utilize a broad range of knowledge to allow consistent interaction of an interdisciplinary nature with related disciplines, and (4) Acquisition of the discernment to contribute to society and on the international stage into the future.
  • Major in Education
    In order to obtain a master's degree in the Education major, the following is required of students: (1) Acquisition of a high level of specialized knowledge, (2) Acquisition of the specialized skills required to perform theoretical and empirical research, (3) Acquisition of the ability to flexibly utilize a broad range of knowledge to allow consistent interaction of an interdisciplinary nature with related disciplines, and (4) Acquisition of the discernment to contribute to society and on the international stage into the future.

The below standards will apply to thesis and dissertation writing guidance and screening, in accordance with the aims of the respective majors of the graduate school.

Master's thesis

  1. Clarity of issues identified
    How clearly does the student identify issues for research?
  2. Suitability of chosen research topic
    Is the student's research topic suitable considering the current state of the field?
  3. Literature review
    Does the student give a suitable review of previous research and show its relevance to their chosen topic?
  4. Validity of research methods
    Are the student's research methods valid for the chosen topic, and are analytical methods used appropriately?
  5. Logical cohesion of the thesis
    Is the thesis written in a manner which is logical and cohesive?
  6. Meaningfulness of research results
    Does the research give us new insights?
  7. Possibility to develop the research further
    Does the student demonstrate how the research can lead to further studies?
  8. Appropriateness of expression, notation, and format
    Are the student's expressions, quotations, references, etc. of a manner which is appropriate for an academic paper?
  9. Are research ethics taken into consideration?

Process For Earning Your Diploma

Process For Earning Your Diploma

Curriculum Policy

Our curriculum and the skills which students will acquire are based on our diploma policy.

Curriculum organization policy common to all majors

  1. The curriculum is based on small-group seminar classes and the use of diverse languages in classes
  2. Guidance for master's theses will mainly be provided by an academic advisor; however, a co-advisor may also be enlisted
  3. Exchange with overseas research institutes, study abroad referrals
  4. Provision of opportunities for guidance from guest lecturers and guest professors from Japan and overseas
  5. Taking classes at other graduate schools, credit transfer with other graduate schools
  6. Provision of support courses for international students
  7. Classes to support composition of papers in English
  8. The master's thesis screening will involve a thesis review by one chief examiner and two or more co-examiners, as well as an oral examination and final approval at the Faculty Meeting.
  9. Regular support by the Graduate School of Human Relations FD committee

Sociology

To achieve learning outcomes consistent with the above degree conferral policy, a curriculum as per the below will be established in accordance with the aims of the Sociology major at the graduate school.

Curriculum Structure

The Sociology major is made up of four fields: sociology, cultural anthropology & folklore, communication & mass-communication research, and social psychology.

Classes on the history of sociology and sociological methodology form the foundation of the curriculum. Additionally, lectures and seminars are offered on more individualized and specialized topics such as theoretical sociology, family sociology, urban sociology, sociology of local communities, sociology of culture, social stratification, international sociology, sociology of religion, medical sociology, and history of society as well as practical courses for quantitative and qualitative surveys. In addition, courses to refine basic theories and methodologies of sociology, as well as those for the study of sociology in the native tongues of international students, will be provided.

In cultural anthropology & folklore, a wide range of lecture and seminar classes are offered which cover everything from the fundamentals to applied fields. Examples include history of various schools of thought, research methods, specific research topics, and regional studies. As part of Cultural Anthropology and Folklore, you will engage in fieldwork to prioritize primary data from qualitative surveys, with studies in respective research topics to be elaborated while linking empirical data with theoretical considerations.

In the field of communication & mass-communication research, we conduct research and education regarding various communication processes and phenomena including interpersonal and mass communication. More specifically, we offer lecture and seminar classes on media use, information behavior, mass communication theory, as well as news production processes and journalism, media policy and the media industry.

The social psychology field conducts research and education regarding the various areas of social psychology. More specifically, we offer lecture and seminar classes on various issues in social, industrial and organizational psychology, including interpersonal behavior (interpersonal communication, interpersonal influence such as requests and persuasion, social support, interpersonal attraction, interpersonal conflict, etc.), gaming, group psychology, career development, and investigative methodology.

In each field, lectures and seminars are mainly taught by faculty of the Graduate School of Human Relations. However, we aim to provide our students with an internationally high level of specialized knowledge by annually inviting eminent professors from both inside and outside Japan to lecture on recent topics and related fields. There is a high degree of freedom as to the courses which can be taken to encourage interdisciplinary research across disciplines in the four research fields.

Psychology

To achieve learning outcomes consistent with the above degree conferral policy, a curriculum as per the below will be established in accordance with the aims of the Psychology major at the graduate school.

Curriculum Structure

As lecture classes, we offer Advanced Studies Experimental Psychology, Advanced Studies of Basic Psychology, Advanced Study of Behaviormetrics, Advanced Studies in Behavior, and Advanced Study of Neuroscience. Lectures and seminars are mainly taught by faculty of the Graduate School of Human Relations. However, we aim to provide our students with an internationally high level of specialized knowledge by annually inviting eminent professors from both inside and outside Japan to lecture on recent topics and related fields.

Furthermore, we hold annual seminar in the core subjects of behavior analysis, perceptional psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, biopsychology, and cognitive neuroscience. Students in these classes will read related specialist papers as well as acquire experimental and applicative skills. Similarly, in the Experiment: Special Study of Psychology classes, students assist professors in supervising the experiments of undergraduate students taking practical classes. This allows students the opportunity to review their own basic knowledge, as well as gain teaching experience.

Advanced Studies in Clinical Psychology, Human Engineering and Ergonomics, and Practice of Behavior Modification are all classes which aim to provide students with a wide range of knowledge which links with related fields, and to allow students to acquire a mindset of contributing to society. These classes also in part allow students to learn applicative techniques. Furthermore, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the school, students have the opportunity to take classes from other majors, which significantly contributes to their knowledge of related fields.

All Psychology major students are able to take classes from majors other than their own after consulting with their academic advisor. This gives students the opportunity to learn alongside and have discussions with students studying majors other than experimental psychology.

Education

To achieve learning outcomes consistent with the above degree conferral policy, a curriculum as per the below will be established in accordance with the aims of the Education major at the graduate school.

Curriculum Structure

The Education major is made up out of four fields: philosophy of education, history of education, educational psychology, and comparative education. As all four fields share the common thread of examining character formation from the viewpoint of education, master's course students from all fields are expected to take the Seminar: Education Studies class. This course aims to facilitate the acquisition of broad perspectives through discussions among students in the various domains of educational research with shared concerns in education and character formation.

In the field of philosophy of education, we offer lectures and seminars on the philosophy of education and its history. Lecture classes are intended to give students a wide breadth of knowledge regarding the trends of the field, while seminars aim to promote the acquisition of specialized reading comprehension and technical skills, as well as skills in setting problems and the planning and carrying out of research in the context of philosophy of education or history of philosophy of education.

The field of history of education provides classes and lectures on the history of education in Japan. Classes cover not only empirical history but also the history of philosophy of education in Japan.

In the field of educational psychology, we offer practical classes in educational psychology in addition to lectures and seminars. Lecture classes are more common than in other fields and cover a wide range of material including the psychology of learning, behavioral genetics, and adolescent psychology.

The seminar classes are supervised by more than one full-time faculty member. Although these classes are a part of the field of educational psychology, in effect they are run as common courses.

The comparative education field provides lectures and seminars on a range of topics including comparative education methodology and comparative research regarding education reform. The major research themes of the field are higher learning and comparisons between Japan and the United States.

In each field lectures and seminars are mainly taught by faculty of the Graduate School of Human Relations. However, every year we also invite eminent professors from both inside and outside Japan to give classes.

Admissions Policy

The master's programs aim to foster the basic research abilities required to conduct research in the fields of sociology, psychology, and pedagogy, in addition to the abilities required to engage in professions requiring high levels of specialization. For this reason, as an independent graduate school renowned for its interdisciplinary nature, unbound by faculty affiliations, we accept graduates from all faculties of Keio University, as well as those from other universities in Japan and overseas. Admission is unconstrained by student's fields of specialization during their undergraduate studies. Admission will be possible for students with a robust problem-oriented mindset and the ability to pursue their studies at graduate school, with sufficient foundational levels of academic specialization to perform research. In addition, a user-friendly system of follow-up instruction for students from overseas is in place, including meticulous support by Japanese language tutors. In the Sociology major, classes held in the native languages of faculty members from overseas, who also serve as mentors for international students, will be newly instituted, reducing the anxiety associated with university life in a foreign country. Furthermore, in the Education major, we hold special entrance exams for educators who are currently working with the aim of supporting the recurrent education of professional educators. The enrollment screening process for these entrance exams also differs from that of the general entrance examinations.