Department of Political Science
Department of Law
Department of Current Legal Studies
Department of Political Science
Politics is the process by which the constituent members of a society reach and implement joint decisions to solve problems occurring in their society. Dealing with political problems calls for scientific approaches, historical understanding, and conceptual abilities based on philosophy and thought. The Department of Political Science aims to develop “cultivated political citizens,” meaning human beings who can tackle such problems with comprehensive judgment and critical faculties, courage, and the ability to imagine the position of others.
Content and Characteristics
Thorough research of topics in small seminars
In the Department of Political Science, you can settle down to four years of solid studies in small groups. Immediately after entering the university, students refine their debating and presentation skills in a Political Science Foundation Seminar, and in the second year, they pursue on-site study through fieldwork. In the third year, you select a seminar group that suits your own topic, and join with people who have the same interests for study building up to writing the graduation thesis in the fourth year.
Developmental study of three fields according to employment and career plans
After taking Principles of Political Science in the first year to form a foundation in political science, you proceed to developmental and systematic study of the three fields of Governance, on topics of public policy and regional politics, Global Politics, on topics of international relations and diplomacy, and The Media and Politics, on topics of polimetrics and mass media. There are also lectures by practitioners, allowing you to learn directly from instructors who are playing active roles in the forefront of their various fields.
Key Points about the Department of Political Science
Career building through university learning that ties in with real world settings
In collaboration with the Yomiuri Shimbun, a full range of lectures by practitioners is offered, with instructors including Diet members, civil servants, and members of corporations, international agencies, and non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NPO, NGO).
- ● Lecture series by practitioners
We offer lecture series that enable study while experiencing the actuality of politics and public administration. These include Lectures on Minato Ward Administration by local government employees, Diet Member Lectures by Diet members and Diet Member Secretary Lectures by their secretaries, and Lectures on International Careers by employees of international NGOs and other organizations.
- ● Lecture series in collaboration with the Yomiuri Shimbun
This department has obtained the cooperation of the Tokyo head office of the Yomiuri Shimbun to offer the Yomiuri Shimbun Lectures in Support of Education. You can attend the General Lecture 1, which is presented by executives of the Yomiuri Shimbun speaking in succession, English for Current Events, given by a newspaper reporter who uses The Japan News to teach how to read English-language newspapers, and Yomiuri Career Formation Lectures, which gives lessons on article writing and other subjects to students who want to work in mass media.
- ● Fieldwork
Following up the topic you have set yourself, you can make visits to election locations and political parties, government agencies, television broadcasters, and other such destinations for interviews and other activities that bring you into contact with real-world situations. With individual instruction from faculty members, you will read the related literature and ultimately write a research report of 10,000 characters or more in Japanese.
- ● Learning the realities of society
Internship A and B are organized as workshop courses giving employment experience.
- ● Freshers Camp
At Freshers Camp, opposing seminar teams hold student debates and famous politicians come to give lectures. It is a Department of Political Science tradition that the students themselves produce these events. The camp can develop your flexible adaptivity for dealing with real-world problems.