This program is currently under application to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for establishment in April 2027, and the plan is subject to change.
Master's Program
Human Resources to be Developed
The program cultivates research support professionals and highly specialized professionals who, in diverse settings where social issues and their solutions are required, possess a broad and interdisciplinary perspective connected to the latest social sciences and social innovation, identify the essence of social issues, and support the planning and management of industry–academia–government collaborative projects, as well as conduct professional analysis and evaluation and assist in the formulation of improvement measures and solutions.
<Career Paths after Completion>
Private companies, government agencies, venture entrepreneurs, research institutions, school educators, NPO staff, etc.
Degrees to be Conferred
Master of Arts in Social Sciences
●Diploma Policy
The degree of Master of Arts in Social Sciences is awarded to those who have fulfilled the requirements for completion of the master's program as stipulated in the Graduate School Regulations of the University of Tsukuba and related regulations, and who are recognized as having acquired the following knowledge and abilities.
- Competence 1
- Knowledge application competence: Ability to apply advanced knowledge to society
- Competence 2
- Management competence: Ability to address issues appropriately from a broad perspective
- Competence 3
- Communication competence: Ability to clearly and accurately convey specialized knowledge
- Competence 4
- Teamwork competence: Ability to collaborate as a team and actively contribute to achieving goals
- Competence 5
- Internationality competence: Awareness of contributing to international society
- Competence 6
- Ability to understand the latest research outcomes: Ability to understand recent academic achievements across various fields from an interdisciplinary perspective
- Competence 7
- Creative thinking ability: Ability to logically identify actions to be taken based on solid knowledge and an ethical attitude that respects diversity
- Competence 8
- Knowledge application and innovation competence: Ability to contribute to research and utilize academic outcomes for social transformation
●Curriculum Policy
Curriculum Design Framework
- The curriculum is organized to provide students with opportunities to learn through engagement with real-world settings such as research institutions and industry, and to gain practical abilities required in interdisciplinary and integrated fields, by offering foundational courses including Graduate General Education Courses and Graduate School Common Foundation Courses.
- The program provides foundation courses in specialized fields such as Introduction to Social Ecology, Organizational Management, Basic Game Theory I, Basic Microeconomics I, and Introduction to Entrepreneurship, enabling students to gain fundamental concepts related to social ecology.
- The program provides specialized courses such as Public Economics, Finance I, and Urban Sociology, enabling students to gain advanced specialized knowledge in the field of social ecology.
- The program assigns faculty members (mentors) who provide research supervision so that students gain the ability to formulate and revise appropriate plans for problem-solving based on an understanding of societal needs using specialized knowledge.
- The program provides courses such as Social Ecology Research Workshops A and B and Project-Based Learning (PBL) I and II, through which students gain the ability to systematize new specialized knowledge and develop practical abilities for implementation in society.
Learning Methods and Processes
- Students gain theoretical knowledge required in interdisciplinary fields through Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies and gain practical abilities required in society and industry through Master's-Level Practical Training.
- Students gain a comprehensive understanding of fundamental concepts in the social sciences through foundation courses and develop interdisciplinary perspectives, while gaining advanced specialized knowledge through specialized courses.
- Students gain the ability to implement solutions to academic issues underlying social problems through project-based learning and related activities.
- Students gain the ability to formulate and implement appropriate research and practical plans under the guidance of academic advisors, based on an understanding of the essence of social issues, and develop problem-solving abilities; the outcomes are compiled either as a thesis with an emphasis on theory or as a project report with an emphasis on practice.
- Students gain fundamental research methods related to social ecology and interdisciplinary perspectives in the first year through theoretical and experimental courses and develop basic research ability.
- Students gain specialized knowledge and enhance analytical and critical thinking abilities regarding their own research topics through practical courses, while developing management competence, communication competence, and teamwork competence.
- Students gain practical experience through professional courses under practitioners in areas such as venture business, research administration, intellectual property, technology transfer, and legal support.
- Students prepare a master's thesis or project report to be submitted in the second year, and academic advisors provide guidance with thorough research ethics education and support the entire research process.
●Admission Policy
Desired Student Profile
We seek candidates who have a strong motivation to realize innovation in a wide range of social science fields, and who possess the foundational qualities necessary to acquire advanced research ability, as well as practical and professional skills required for implementation in society, and the communication skills necessary to play an active role on the global stage.
Doctoral Program
Human Resources to be Developed
The program cultivates highly specialized professionals who possess comprehensive and interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of social ecology, identify the essence of social issues, and promote the implementation of such knowledge in society through planning and execution in areas such as problem-solving and industry–academia–government collaboration.
<Career Paths after Completion>
University faculty members, researchers, research administrators (URA), employees of private companies and government agencies, venture entrepreneurs, and professionals engaged in industry–academia–government collaboration, etc.
Degrees to be Conferred
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Sciences
●Diploma Policy
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Sciences is awarded to those who have fulfilled the requirements for completion of the doctoral program as stipulated in the Graduate School Regulations of the University of Tsukuba and related regulations, and who are recognized as having acquired the following competences.
- Competence 1
- Knowledge creation competence: Ability to create new knowledge that contributes to future society
- Competence 2
- Management competence: Ability to identify issues from a comprehensive perspective and to plan and implement strategies for their resolution
- Competence 3
- Communication competence: Ability to clearly and effectively communicate the essence of academic achievements
- Competence 4
- Leadership competence: Ability to exercise leadership and achieve objectives
- Competence 5
- Internationality competence: Awareness of and motivation to contribute to international society
- Competence 6
- Ability to design interdisciplinary research: Ability to plan research by integrating knowledge across multiple disciplines based on an understanding of the latest academic developments
- Competence 7
- Creative integration competence: Ability to generate new concepts and values by transcending existing frameworks and integrating different perspectives
- Competence 8
- Independent research, problem-solving, and innovation competence: Ability to independently identify academic and social issues and contribute to social transformation through original research outcomes
●Curriculum Policy
Curriculum Design Framework
- The curriculum is organized to provide practical courses such as Doctoral-Level Practical Training within Graduate School Common Foundation Courses, enabling students to gain the ability to create new knowledge through collaboration with researchers in other fields, including internships and practical experience in research institutions and industry.
- The program provides specialized courses such as Advanced Social Ecology Seminars A, B, and C, through which students gain the ability to organize and reconstruct knowledge from their own perspective and share it with experts in other fields.
- The program assigns faculty members (mentors) who provide research supervision and provides project-based courses such as Social Ecology Project-Based Learning I and II, enabling students to gain the ability to identify emerging issues, formulate appropriate research plans, and develop research contributing to integrated knowledge in social ecology.
- Students gain the ability to systematize research outcomes as new knowledge contributing to society and to promote their implementation through academic dialogue beyond formal coursework.
Learning Methods and Processes
- Students may take Graduate General Education Courses and Graduate School Common Foundation Courses according to their career paths.
- Students take Advanced Social Ecology Seminars A, B, and C as seminar-based specialized courses under the guidance of academic advisors.
- Students take required individual supervision courses, Social Ecology Project-Based Learning I and II, for the preparation of their doctoral dissertation.
●Admission Policy
Desired Student Profile
We seek candidates who possess fundamental research ability in specialized fields related to social sciences and social ecology, nd who have the foundational qualities necessary to acquire specialized knowledge, communication ability, and practical skills required to create new social and economic value and promote its implementation in society.
Admission Information
Enrollment Period
April
Entrance Examination
For details, please refer to the Outline of Admissions below and the Application Guidelines to be published in September 2026.
Outline of Admissions
