Job Discussion Forums

Matt_22 · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 193

Anyone know of any respectable graduate schools (with English curriculums) in Japan? I'm trying to find out what's available as far as masters programs in Political Science or International Relations, but all I've found is a program at the International University of Japan in Urasa. If there are others out there, please let me know.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

Why do you want to go to grad school in Japan?

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

And why in the world do you want to do it in English?

I've met a few people who've done master's programs here and they almost universally agree the academic side was crap. The only worthwhile point of the whole experience was being able to improve their Japanese.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:02 pm Post subject:

Matt_22 · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 193

why do i want to do it in english? because i can't speak japanese.

why do i want to do it in japan? because i want to learn japanese.

two birds one stone?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

If you want to come to Japan to learn Japanese, come as a language student and go to a Japanese language school. I do not think you will find your 'two birds with one stone' idea very effective unless your Japanese is already at an advanced level.

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Sophia offers Global Studies, but in English only, right?
http://grad.fcc.sophia.ac.jp/downloads/MA_Appl_Proc.pdf

I'd say do an English language grad study program and study the language on the side. My two cents.

TRod · Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 59

I'm planning on going to Sophia University. I hear it's an excellent school and they offer a lot of International courses. My home university has a special exchange with Sophia so I can take some Japanese classes along with the grad work. Check to see if there is something like that in your home city universities.

I think it's a great idea to go to grad school here. Just being in Japan will help you with your language abilities.

Good luck!

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:23 am Post subject:

FYI--You can do a grad program with University of Phoenix or Univ. of Oklahoma on any American military base in Japan, if there's one near you. I think the options are Education, Management, Human Relations, and Business. But that is one option. Some of the classes are face to face, many others are only computer based. The Education grad program with Phoenix has a ton of concentration options and there are Japanese students that take the classes also. If you are in Yokosuka area, there's an excellent Japanese teacher who does University of Maryland's Japanese I/II classes. You can take that and get college credit and learn the language at the same time.The good thing is you get an id card to go on base for days that your classes are on, the classes are a bit cheaper than taking them in the states, and you can meet lots of people. But most of the people will be U.S. military or dependents, the class will be taught in English, and of course you have to be near a base to do any of this.
Like I said earlier, this is just an FYI--I'm not trying to make any cosmic point, just there if you are interested. Smile