Educational/Research Objectives and Policies - Division of Economics

Educational and Research Objectives

Master's Program

The Division of Economics aims to nurture highly skilled professionals, researchers, and individuals with an advanced intellectual grounding, who can objectively analyze and examine economic issues in modern society having learned the latest economic theories and analytical methodologies under a curriculum that facilitates multifaceted learning.

Doctoral Program

The Doctoral Program aims to nurture independent researchers with outstanding research abilities characterized by rich creativity.

Policies

Diploma Policy

Master's Program

Based on the educational and research objectives of the Master’s Program, to ensure that students acquire the following four qualities, the Division of Economics administers a final examination to students who have completed the curriculum established by the Division, earned the required number of credits, and submitted a master’s thesis, and confers a “master’s degree (in economics)” on students who have fulfilled the completion requirements:

Systematic knowledge of economic problems in the globalized modern society and ability to process economic information
Mastery of advanced theories and analytical methodologies built upon the economic knowledge and skills acquired, and ability to analyze and examine economic problems
Capacity to play an active role in the globalized society based on the knowledge and skills acquired
Willingness to apply economic thought to understand and analyze trends in economic society logically and from a multilateral perspective, and ability and enthusiasm to fulfill one’s social role with moral integrity

Doctoral Program

Based on the educational and research objectives of the Doctoral Program, to ensure that students acquire the following four qualities, the Division of Economics administers a final examination to students who have completed the curriculum established by the Division, earned the required number of credits, and submitted a doctoral thesis and confers a “doctoral degree (in economics)” on students who have fulfilled the completion requirements:

Advanced economic insight, research abilities, and rich academic knowledge into economic problems in the globalized modern society
Ability to combine various research abilities, including objective confirmation of facts, logical analysis, and creative ideas in one’s major field of study, to develop solutions to various socio-economic problems
Practical skills for appropriately conveying opinions on aspects such as the validity of processes used to derive one’s solutions, and the effectiveness of those solutions, to specialists in the relevant field and to the general public
Excellent insight into each major field of study based on one’s own convictions and social mores, and willingness to actively address a wide range of problems

Curriculum Policy

Master's Program

In addition to graduates of the Faculty of Economics at Kyoto Sangyo University, we welcome students with a variety of backgrounds, including students who “skip a year” (academic acceleration) after the third year in the Faculty of Economics, students from other faculties and universities, international students, and working adults. In view of this situation, we have established a curriculum that enables the goals set out in the Diploma Policy (for approving graduation and conferring degrees) to be achieved through a two-year course of study.

Our courses are divided into the three specialized areas of “public policy,” “industrial economics,” and “international economics” to reflect the three programs offered at undergraduate level, and the curriculum facilitates systematic, highly specialized study while ensuring continuity of research from undergraduate education.

We provide opportunities for students to receive research guidance having reached a common understanding with their research supervisor through the preparation of research guidance plans, which students submit at the beginning of each academic year. By systematically sharing information on all research guidance plans through the Division of Economics Meeting, and periodically conducting systematic inspections of each course syllabus, we are preparing an environment guaranteeing the quality of the educational content outlined above while gathering information that will help enhance the quality of our education in subsequent years.

1. Educational Content
Year 1
To confirm students’ fundamental understanding of micro and macroeconomics, enhance their knowledge of “economic theory,” and strengthen their “positive analysis ability” and “linguistic skills,” we offer core courses as “required elective courses,” in which students can learn from the basics while also acquiring advanced knowledge.
We offer “elective courses,” which consist of lecture and seminar courses offered in each of the three specialized areas, that students can select based on relevance to their individual research themes and their areas of interest. We have established a system in which students can receive detailed research guidance in Seminars I and II, which are taught by their research supervisors, as well as taking classes in small groups in other lecture and seminar courses.

Year 2
In Seminars III and IV, which are taught by the students’ research supervisors, students can continue receiving detailed research guidance. In addition, in the Interim Report Meeting held during the first half of the fall semester, students have the opportunity to present their current research achievements and receive advice from faculty members other than their research supervisor in the question-and-answer and feedback sections.

2. Educational Methods
In the lecture courses, the focus is on acquiring the economic knowledge and skills required to conduct research, and in the seminar courses, on developing the ability to independently conduct economic analyses on the chosen research theme using the knowledge and economic data analysis skills acquired. In addition, students acquire the ability to convey their learning achievements to third parties through report writing assignments in lecture and seminar courses, research results presentations at the Interim Report Meeting, and preparation of their master’s thesis.

3. Evaluation of Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes of each course are evaluated according to the methods and standards of assessment stipulated in the syllabus of each course, including presentations during each lecture session and submission of assignments during the semester. In addition, students who have earned the specified credits and submitted a master’s thesis undergo master’s thesis review and a final examination, and conferment of degrees is determined following deliberations in the Faculty.

Doctoral Program

We have established a curriculum that enables the goals set out in the Diploma Policy (for approving graduation and conferring degrees) to be achieved through a three-year course of study.
We provide opportunities for students to receive research guidance having reached a common understanding with their research supervisor through the preparation of research guidance plans, which students submit at the beginning of each academic year. Information on all research guidance plans is systematically shared through the Division of Economic Meeting, and students can receive guidance and advice from faculty members other than their research supervisor through relay lectures and the annual Interim Report Meeting.

1. Educational Content
Year 1 (enrolled from FY2017)
By taking Lectures on Special Research in Economics, which are delivered in a relay format by multiple faculty members, students have the opportunity to come into contact with faculty members other than their research supervisor and develop wide-ranging academic knowledge of subjects outside their major field of study.

Years 1 to 3
(1) Courses on theory, history, policy, international economics, and statistics are offered as “Special Research” to enable students to continue pursuing research conducted in the Master’s Program.
(2) Research supervisors provide detailed guidance on a one-to-one basis to help graduate students obtain a doctoral degree, and in addition to this, where it is necessary to improve a graduate student’s research content or research skills, guidance can also be provided by other faculty members from the graduate school division.
(3) All graduate students present their current research achievements each year at the Interim Report Meeting, where they can also receive advice from faculty members other than their research supervisor.
(4) Once graduate students have made the necessary research achievements, research supervisors provide advising to enable students to present research reports to research groups and learned societies.

2. Educational Methods
In “Special Research,” research supervisors provide guidance for thesis writing and advice about giving reports on research achievements as required. By writing academic papers, students develop research skills grounded in advanced knowledge and skills in economics. Moreover, the advice received from research supervisors through opportunities such as the Interim Report Meeting helps students develop rich academic knowledge. In addition, under the guidance of the research supervisors, students are encouraged to improve their practical skills for properly conveying research achievements to specialists in the relevant field and to the general public by reporting research to research groups and learned societies.

3. Evaluation of Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes of each course are evaluated according to the methods and standards for assessing grades stipulated in the syllabus of each course. In addition, students who have earned the specified credits and submitted a doctoral thesis undergo Doctoral dissertation review and a final examination, and conferment of degrees is determined following deliberations in the faculty.

Admission Policy

Master's Program

The Division of Economics seeks students with the following qualities who can be expected to meet the requirements of the Division of Economics Diploma Policy (for approving completion and conferring degrees), which is based on the school philosophy of the university, through the two-year program of study:

Ambition to become a highly skilled professional or researcher or clear goal of acquiring advanced intellectual grounding
Keen interest in investigating economic issues
Basic ability to objectively analyze and examine economies

With the above students in mind, we implement five selection methods (general entrance examination, entrance examination for working adults, entrance examination for international students, entrance examination for internally recommended students, and entrance examination for internally recommended students [academic acceleration/year-skipping])

Doctoral Program

Clear goal of becoming an independent economic researcher
Keen interest in conducting advanced research in a specialized field of economics
Specialized ability to objectively analyze and examine economies

With the above students in mind, we implement two selection methods (general entrance examination and entrance examination for international students).