Master's degree program

Principles of Curriculum Design

　The Graduate School of Humanities designs its two-year curriculum focusing on three areas of education―Specialized education, Liberal Arts education and Global Literacy education―with the aim of helping students develop cutting-edge, advanced specialized knowledge and outstanding academic expertise in the humanities, advanced broad-based knowledge and deep critical thinking, a sophisticated international mindset and advanced design prowess.

1. Specialized education

   　Specialized education subjects are designed to help students develop the expertise and research ability necessary for the studies in their specialties, and linguistic proficiency to enable them to act internationally, while Common Subjects for the Graduate School of Humanities guide students to acquire fundamental knowledge and research methodology applicable to all the disciplines of the humanities, as well as a wide range of advanced knowledge in related fields, including foreign languages. Students must study "Foundations of Humanities (Humanities and Dialogue)," a required subject offered as one of the Common Subjects for the Graduate School of Humanities, to acquire cutting-edge knowledge regarding various current cultural and social problems and foster thinking skills that enable them to find solutions to such problems.

2. Liberal Arts education

   　Advanced Liberal Arts education subjects, including the required subject "Foundations of Humanities (Contemporary Liberal Arts)," are designed to help students acquire advanced broad-based knowledge and deep critical thinking in disciplines across the field of humanities as well as disciplines in other fields.

3. Global Literacy education

   　Advanced Global Literacy education subjects are designed to help students develop high-level proficiency in foreign languages and a sensitivity towards and knowledge of different cultures and peoples.

Contents and Methods of Education

　Lecture-based subjects are designed to help students acquire systematic knowledge in topics related to their research themes. Students are also given writing assignments to develop the ability to collect, analyze and study relevant data on their own and compile and describe the results of their studies appropriately and logically. Seminar-based subjects require students to give an oral presentation individually to develop the ability to comprehend and analyze literature written in Japanese and foreign languages in depth, conduct investigation and research appropriately, and present the results of such investigation and research in a logical and convincing manner.

1. Specialized education

   　Students select subjects to study from among the Specialized education subjects that consist of lecture-based and seminar-based subjects. In some areas of specialties, practical-training-based subjects involving off-campus training or fieldwork are offered. Especially, students must study "Foundations of Humanities (Humanities and Dialogue)" (one credit), a required subject offered as one of the Common Subjects for the Graduate School of Humanities. Students are also guided to develop the ability to explore and present their individual themes of study on their own in the process of writing a master's thesis.

2. Liberal Arts education

   　Students must study "Foundations of Humanities (Contemporary Liberal Arts)" (one credit), a required subject offered as one of the Common Subjects for the Graduate School of Humanities, while selecting subjects to study from among the advanced Liberal Arts education subjects that consist of lecture-based and seminar-based subjects.

3. Global Literacy education

   　Students select subjects to study from among the advanced Global Literacy education subjects, which are mainly lecture-based.

Academic Performance Evaluation Method

　The academic performance of students in lecture-based, seminar-based and practical-training-based subjects is evaluated by assessing the level of achievement of learning goals specified in the syllabus based on examinations, assignments and reports.
　Each master's thesis is comprehensively reviewed by two or more examiners taking into consideration the adequacy of the subject of the thesis, the clarity of discussion, the appropriateness of the method used to examine the data and literature, and the originality of the idea.

Doctoral-degree program

1. Principles of Curriculum Design

   　Lecture-based and seminar-based subjects related to individual students' research themes are offered to help students acquire: outstanding academic expertise; advanced research ability; broad-based knowledge and deep critical thinking; and linguistic proficiency to enable them to act internationally; and further enhance the ability to conceive and implement research plans on their own; and creative design prowess.
   　Students are also guided to study a wide range of subjects beyond their specialties to develop the ability to conduct interdisciplinary and cross-sector research. While students are given research guidance by a main supervisor of their respective divisions, they may also seek advice from a faculty member of a division other than theirs who is designated as a mentor, when necessary.
   　In addition, students are encouraged to participate in study abroad, overseas training and international exchange programs offered by Osaka University under its partnership agreements with foreign universities.
   　With the curriculum and programs mentioned above, students are guided to write a doctoral dissertation that is sufficiently original to qualify as an independent professional in the final year of enrollment.

2. Contents and Methods of Education

   　Lecture-based subjects are designed to help students acquire advanced broad-based knowledge and deep critical thinking, advanced specialized knowledge and outstanding academic expertise. Seminar-based and practical-training-based subjects, on the other hand, are designed to help students develop: (1) the ability to comprehend and analyze literature written in Japanese and foreign languages in depth; (2) the design prowess and ability to conduct investigation and research appropriately; and (3) the ability to present the results of such investigation and research in a logical and convincing manner. Students are also guided to develop the ability to explore research on each individual theme and present research results with high academic value on their own in the process of writing a doctoral dissertation.

3. Academic Performance Evaluation Method

   　The academic performance of students in lecture-based, seminar-based and practical-training-based subjects is evaluated by assessing the level of achievement of learning goals specified in the syllabus based on examinations, assignments and reports. Each doctoral dissertation is comprehensively reviewed by two or more examiners specialized in the relevant field taking into consideration the adequacy of the subject of the dissertation, the clarity of discussion, the appropriateness of the method used to examine the data and literature, and the originality of the idea.