GPJS GPJS

International Graduate Program in Japanese Studies, Tohoku University

OutlineEducation Aims and Philosophy

International Graduate Program in Japanese Studies (GPJS)

The International Graduate Program in Japanese Studies (GPJS) is a new program offering Master’s and Doctoral degrees. It was established with the cooperation of all the university’s humanities and social sciences departments, including the Graduate School of Arts and Letters, the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Law, the Graduate School of Economics and Management, the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, the Center for Northeast Asian Studies, and the Institute for Excellence in Higher Education. This degree program makes use of images, data and language from the three unique sections of “Representation”, “Material” and “Empathy”. Along with affiliated overseas universities, it exceeds the conventional framework of Japanese Studies, and aims to build a platform for a new type of Japanese Studies which is academic and pluralistic, and rich in creativity. Furthermore, coursework will be developed to foster leaders who can rise to the challenge regarding issues in contemporary society.

Educational aims

  1. Develop a new type of Japanese Studies which is academic and pluralistic, and which works on urgent issues in contemporary society, such as conflict resolution and sustainability.
  2. Pursue a plan which achieves happiness by proposing solutions to issues based on understanding, the basic position from which to approach problems in contemporary society, and to integrate that which is different.
  3. Foster leaders who can succeed in a global society and who have wide-ranging knowledge, while fulfilling the two points listed above.
Curriculum Type of person who is developed

Philosophy

The students on the International Graduate Program in Japanese Studies will position their specialist field in one of the three learning areas below, and pursue research. At the same time, they will proactively study the other two widening areas while fusing them together organically. By doing so, we aim to create a new field of Japanese Studies, which involves original research that addresses contemporary problems.

  • Japanese Studies
    from the perspective
    of Representation

    Study the fields of art and performing arts and their history, cultural history, anthropology and archaeology, with a focus on images.

  • Japanese Studies
    from the perspective
    of Material

    Study the fields of political science, economics, management, sociology, behavioral science and psychology, with a focus on data.

  • Japanese Studies
    from the perspective
    of Empathy

    Study the fields of language and linguistics, philosophy and thought, law, history, literature and its history, and religious studies, with a focus on language and literature.