Features and Educational Goals of the Master’s Program

To fulfil FWU’s motto of “Developing Female Leaders for the Next Generation” in the field of humanities, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers master’s programs in Language and Culture and Social Sciences.
The Master’s Program for Language and Culture is divided into two specializations, Japanese Language and Culture and English Language Culture, while the Master’s Program for Social Sciences offers the choice between International Industrial Sciences and International Relations. These programs are designed to develop expertise and practical skills required of advanced professionals in their respective areas of specialization.

Diploma Policy

The Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences confers a master’s degree on students who have

• (1) gained the required credits and are able to (a) thrive in society and/or their academic field as an open-minded, inquisitive, and highly-skilled next-generation leader, and (b) overcome the challenges women face in different life stages and maintain scholarly motivation throughout life to succeed in a variety of settings; and
• (2) enrolled at FWU for the specified number of years, successfully defended their thesis, and passed the final examination.

Curriculum Policy

To realize the graduate school’s purposes and objectives set out in the diploma policy, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences aims to develop the traits and skills demanded by an increasingly diverse and globalizing world, including integrity, advanced expertise and skills, for students to play a leading role in various sectors of society. To achieve this aim, the Graduate School offers two master’s programs, Language and Culture and Social Sciences, whose curricula are designed in accordance with the policy stated below.

• (1) Provide Common Subjects, a cross-disciplinary component that develops the foundational capabilities required to plan and undertake research ethically and creatively with a broad, global perspective.
• (2) Provide opportunities to engage in international research projects, such as academic exchanges with a Japanese or overseas partner institution and overseas field work, in order to develop insights on the close connections between research and the wider world.
• (3) Provide Department Major Subjects designed to develop research implementation skills, judgement to determine the validity of research, and the ability to identify and locate sources. These courses offer a structured learning path consistent with their research themes.
• (4) Provide the Seminar for MA Thesis to balance the disciplinary focus with interdisciplinary learning and develop the depth and breadth of research capabilities.
• (5) Provide research training appropriate to individual student needs through collaborative teaching involving a primary and secondary supervisor whose expertise align with the student’s research field.
• (6) Establish a guideline for rigorous and fair grading for graduate schools and consistently apply the criteria set out in the guideline to ensure proper grading.
• (7) Evaluate theses strictly in accordance with the Assessment Criteria for Master’s Theses of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences to ensure that degree award decisions are made properly and fairly.

Admission Policy

The Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences seeks graduates of FWU’s undergraduate programs and working adults with the aspiration to succeed in society as a highly-skilled female leader or pursue an academic career at a research and education institution. The admission criteria focus on the applicants’ skills to undertake independent, graduate-level research, academic expertise, and global competencies.
Specifically, applications are welcomed from female students and working adults who have the following abilities, attributes, and attitudes:

• (1) A keen interest in the humanities and social sciences, the ambition for self-improvement, and strong intellectual curiosity and creativity.
• (2) Motivation and drive to undertake research projects.
• (3) Basic academic aptitude and specialized knowledge in the humanities and social sciences.
• (4) A strong interest in culture and language, international politics, economics, and society, and analyzing the issues and phenomena caused by corporate and other activities.
• (5) Motivation to drive the creation of a gender-equal society in which women can thrive by sharing research findings with the public.

Admission of working adults

(1) Acceptance of working adults
There is growing momentum for university graduates working at companies, educational institutions, government ministries and agencies, and various other organizations to pursue graduate studies to further their knowledge and skills as part of life-long learning. To actively support working adults who desire to return to education, various scheduling accommodations are offered, including the Special Provision for Working Adults described below.

(2) Special Provision for Working Adults
The special provision for learning arrangements allows working teachers, public servants, company employees, organization and facility staff, and individuals with legitimate and extenuating circumstances, such as childbirth and elderly care, to take classes in the evening, on Saturdays, or during summer or winter breaks. Note that all first-year students should in principle attend daytime classes regardless of their entitlement to this provision. Second year students can attend classes or receive research training in the evening or at other specified times or periods with the approval of their supervisor.

Program extension policy

To encourage motivated working adults to pursue graduate studies, the program extension policy grants students an extension of time to complete their program beyond the standard timeframe, based on a request for extension and a proposed schedule submitted by the student at the time of enrollment. The program extension policy applies also to individuals with legitimate and extenuating circumstances, such as childbirth and elderly care.
By taking advantage of this policy, students can be granted an extension up to a maximum of four years for the master’s programs and six years for the doctoral programs to earn the required credits for their degree without additional tuition or fees.