Educational Policy of Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Doctor's Course)
Fundamental Educational Goals
The Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences aims to provide an educational platform where various specialized fields of the humanities and social sciences are explored. Our mission is to foster the ability to identify societal challenges, conceive solutions, and apply these solutions in real-world settings. Furthermore, we facilitate dialogue and discussion through cooperation amongst students, faculty, and the local community, thereby aiding in the development of each student’s well-rounded character. Our ultimate objective is to educate and develop researchers and highly skilled practitioners equipped with advanced expertise in the humanities and social sciences.
Exemplary Students
To construct a sustainable society, we aim to be pioneers in identifying and solving societal issues in the humanities and social sciences.
Following Okayama University's "Fundamental Objectives of Education" and "Graduate Attributes", our graduate school fosters individuals who can identify social challenges and conceive frameworks for their resolution, whilst collaborating with specialists from various fields in the humanities and social sciences.
We will foster individuals to develop the following five abilities:
○ Implementation Ability: The ability to identify societal issues and present original insights to society.
○ Inquiry Ability: The capacity to uniquely discern the essence of societal challenges.
○ Communication Ability: The aptitude to build a new society together with people from a diverse range of specialties.
○ Liberal Arts Ability: The strength to enrich one's wisdom from a variety of perspectives and values.
○ Specialized Ability: The proficiency to create original solutions for societal challenges.
Degree Policy
Under the Degree Policy of Okayama University, the graduate school expects students to acquire advanced knowledge, skills, technology, and judgment within the fields of Literature, Law, and Economics. For those who have compiled a thesis through advanced specialized analysis that meets our standards, the following degrees are conferred:
In the Master’s Course, degrees of Master in Cultural Science, Literature, Law, Economics, Public Policy, Business Administration, and Academics are awarded. In the Doctor’s Course, degrees of Doctor in Cultural Science, Literature, Law, Economics, Business Administration, and Academics are granted.
Doctor’s Program
In the doctor’s program, students are expected to conduct research for a doctoral thesis. A doctor’s degree is awarded to those whose research exhibits academic creativity and meets our degree standards and have the ability to conduct independent research and use their academic knowledge in a wide range of fields.
Specifically, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Doctor’s Program) awards degrees to students who have studied for the prescribed period of time, acquired the following competencies and earned sufficient credits required for graduation.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Liberal Arts Ability, Specialized Ability
【Implementation Ability】Implementation Ability to address societal issues and demonstrate original insights to society
The ability to identify new values underlying major social challenges and to disseminate new insights to society.
【Inquiry Ability】Inquiry Ability that uniquely discerns the essence of social issues
The capacity to discern the essence of societal issues from unique perspectives, grounded in exceptional subject specific knowledge, and to explain them clearly to society.
【Communication Ability】Communication Ability to build a new society together with people from diverse specialties
The capacity to establish reciprocal relationships with people from various specialties, demonstrate leadership within these relationships, and collaboratively build a new society.
【Liberal Arts Ability】Liberal Arts Ability to strengthen one's wisdom from various perspectives and values
The ability to enhance one's wisdom from various perspectives and values, and to cultivate a rich humanity.
【Specialized Ability】Expertise to create original solutions for social issues
Depending on the specialties within the humanities and social sciences, the ability to devise original solutions to social issues.
【Doctor’s Program in Socio-Cultural Sciences】
As researchers and highly specialized professionals, individuals will acquire advanced specialized knowledge through individual research within the traditional academic fields of the humanities and social sciences. Students will develop expertise to identify various issues in each field and create original solutions.
Curriculum Policy
To cultivate individuals who have acquired the abilities described in the Degree Policy, we organize and implement our educational curriculum based on the following principles and ideas of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Doctor’s Course).
Education Implementation Policy
Our educational approach is to nurture continuous and autonomous learning to develop a sustainable society.
Education Principles, Methods and Evaluation
From the perspective of proactive, dialogical, and deep learning, "what the students have become capable of” is emphasized rather than "what has been taught", using the following educational content, methods, and principles of evaluation.
【Program Policy】
Based on the Curriculum Policy of Okayama University, our curriculum focuses on fostering individuals who can contribute to development of a sustainable society through a comprehensive, complex, and interdisciplinary education program. Through this approach, a collaborative educational system is established, where all students can think, act, create, and grow together.
With our cutting-edge research in various fields of the humanities and social sciences, our education is organized to enhance the ability of students to cultivate a deep and international sense of culture, and to insightfully recognize social changes.
To establish and improve our curriculum, discussions and reforms are being carried out through the Educational Committee of our graduate school.
【Program Philosophy】
At the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Doctor’s Course), based on the school's philosophy of "Constructing a Cohesive Society," we offer a graduate education program that supports research from diverse and interdisciplinary approaches, targeting culture, organizations, individuals, and local communities.
Our courses examine problems from various perspectives and encourage students to collaborate with individuals who have different viewpoints to apply these challenges to real-world scenarios, aiming to acquire knowledge and skills for innovative problem-solving. Through our program, students enhance their resilience and wisdom from various values and cultivate a "Liberal Arts Ability" that fosters a rich humanistic quality.
To acquire cutting-edge specialized knowledge in diverse fields of the humanities and social sciences (such as literature, law, and economics) and the ability to devise strategies to address global challenges, students complete program subjects (specialized education courses) specific to each field. As a result, students nurture "Expertise" that allows for innovative solutions to social challenges, tailored to their respective areas of expertise.
【Doctor’s Program in Socio-Cultural Sciences】
・In the doctoral course, as advanced professionals such as researchers, civil servants, and business people, students acquire advanced knowledge from their individual research in the traditional academic fields of humanities and social sciences. To gain the ability to identify and solve problems in many fields, students can take subjects in various fields of the humanities and social sciences.
【Educational Methods】
・To acquire advanced specialized knowledge in various fields of the humanities and social sciences (literature, law, economics), students can take lecture-style and seminar-style subjects.
・The courses conducted in a seminar format utilize active learning methods. Through participating in these courses, students accumulate experience in reporting and presenting, and cultivate a proactive approach to learning. As a result, students nurture "Communication Ability" to exhibit leadership while collaborating with professionals from various fields.
・In practicums and special seminars, students take courses led by their primary and secondary advisors and receive research guidance to write their doctoral dissertations. Through this process, students develop "Inquiry Ability" to innovatively discern the essence of social issues, and "Implementation Ability" to identify social challenges and present novel, original insights to the community.
【Evaluation Policy】
・To achieve the learning objectives listed in the syllabus, evaluations are strictly conducted. The evaluation methods are explicitly described in the syllabus and other documents.
・Final evaluations are conducted through the dissertation review and the final doctoral dissertation. In the final exam for the doctoral dissertation, a review committee composed of three or more members is organized to conduct the review.
Considering research activities and practical work in multilingual settings, we encourage opportunities for presentations and exchanges of ideas in various languages, not only Japanese, through research and Project-Based Learning (PBL) activities.
Extracurricular Education Policy
To help students grow beyond classroom learning, we offer various extracurricular opportunities. These include practical activities such as social contributions aimed at solving certain social problems, academic activities such as participating in academic societies and research groups, and applying for grants to acquire research funding. We also offer committee activities such as assisting with Teaching Assistant (TA) duties and Faculty Development (FD) activities. These opportunities aim to provide holistic learning experiences and help students apply their knowledge and skills in practical and meaningful ways.