Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Academic Information
  1. Chapter 8: College of Asia Pacific Studies

3. Graduation Requirements & Areas of Study

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232023 Curriculum

  • 1.Students who enrolled as new (1st-semester) students from AY 2023 onwards.
  • 2.Students who enrolled as 2nd-year transfer students from AY 2024 onwards.
  • 3.Students who enrolled as 3rd-year transfer students from AY 2025 onwards.
2023 Curriculum
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Graduation Requirements

Your graduation requirements depend on your enrollment language and whether you are a domestic or international student. In order to graduate from the College of Asia Pacific Studies, you must fulfill all of the requirements marked by 〇 in the table below. Please check the column that corresponds to your language basis and status as an international/domestic student.

No. Graduation Requirement Language Basis & Domestic / International Student
Japanese-basis English-basis
Domestic Student International Student ―
1 Enroll for at least four years 〇 〇 〇
2 Complete at least 124 credits in total 〇 〇 〇
3 Complete all required language subjects
(or be exempted from required language subjects)		 〇 〇 〇
4 Fulfill the credit requirements for each subject field 〇 〇 〇
5 Complete at least 20 credits of subjects held in English
(Japanese-basis domestic students only) 		〇 ― ―
6 Register for one of the APS Areas of Study 〇 〇 〇
7 Complete at least one of the required Common Liberal Arts Subjects for each of the three Areas of Study, earning a total of at least 6 credits for these subjects 〇 〇 〇
8 Complete at least 36 credits from the Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study (including the credits from No. 9) 〇 〇 〇
9 Earn credits for “Graduation Research II” 〇 〇 〇

Credits Required for Graduation

The following tables show the credit requirements for graduation of APS 2023 Curriculum. (How to check your curriculum) However, each student’s starting level for required language subjects (English or Japanese) differs depending on the results of the placement test taken after enrollment. For this reason, even though students belong to the same curriculum, the number of required credits for “English Language Subjects” or “Japanese Language Subjects” may also differ between students. Please see “Graduation Requirement 3” for more information about required language subjects.

How to Check your Individual Credit Requirements

Credits Required for Graduation (APS 2023 Curriculum)

Total Subject Field Required Credits Subject Field Required Credits Subject Field
At least
124 credits		 Common Education Subjects 40 Credits Language Education Subjects 0~24 Credits* English Standard Track Subject (Required)
0~12 Credits* English Advanced Track Subject (Required)
0~16 Credits* Required_Japanese
ー AP Language Subjects, Specific Subjects
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 16 Credits ー APU Literacy Subjects
ー Introduction to Major Studies Subjects
2 Credits Elective Required [CSM] Introduction to Major
2 Credits Elective Required [GE] Introduction to Major
2 Credits Elective Required [IR] Introduction to Major
ー Grobal Citizens Foundation Subjects
APS Major Education Subjects 62 Credits APS Major Education Subjects 36 Credits Area of Study's Major Education Subjects
*The following are included in this field:
APS Common Subjects B, Seminar Subjects, Required_Graduation Research II.
ー The Major Education Subjects for your non-registered Area of Study
ー Core Subjects
ー APS Common Subjects A
Other College Major Education Subjects ー Up to 22 credits can be counted toward graduation requirements.
Subjects Not Counted Towords Graduation ー Subjects not included in the graduation requirements will be counted.

*The required number of credits for English/Japanese language courses varies depending on the results of the placement test taken during new student orientation period and any course exemption requests submitted during enrollment at APU.

Explanation of Each Graduation Requirement

Graduation Requirement 1: Enroll for at least four years

Students must be enrolled at APU for at least four years.
Students enter their first semester upon enrollment and progress to the next semester level every half a year.

Year Level 1st Year Student 2nd Year Student 3rd Year Student 4th Year Student
Semester Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Enrollment Enroll Graduate ―
Graduation Requirement 2: Complete at least 124 credits in total
Students must earn a total of at least 124 credits to graduate.
However, even if a student has earned 124 credits overall, they cannot graduate if they have not fulfilled any of graduation requirements 3 to 9.
Graduation Requirement 3: Complete all required language subjects (or be exempted from required language subjects)

The number of required credits for English or Japanese Language Subjects differs between students based on the results of the placement test taken after enrollment. APU automatically registers and assigns students to these classes until they earn credits for all their required language subjects.

【English】Required Language Subjects for Japanese-Basis Students

  • Students can only proceed to the next level after earning credits for both English A and B at a given level. Students who fail either subject A or B cannot proceed to the next level. (For example, if a student passes English A but fails B, then they will only be registered for English B again in the next semester.)
  • At all levels, English A is worth 4 credits and English B is worth 2 credits.
  • Please refer to the “English Language Subjects” page for more details.
Track Starting
Level 		No. of
Credits
Required for
Graduation 		Standard Track
Registration Period for Required English Subjects 		Advanced Track
Registration Period for Required English Subjects
Elementary A Pre-Intermediate A Intermediate A Upper-Intermediate A Advanced 1A Advanced 2A
Elementary B Pre-Intermediate B Intermediate B Upper-Intermediate B Advanced 1B Advanced 2B
Standard Track Elementary 24 1st Semester After
Completing
Elementary		 After
Completing
Pre-Intermediate		 After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Pre-
Intermediate		 18 Exempt 1st Semester After
Completing
Pre-Intermediate		 After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Intermediate 12 Exempt Exempt 1st Semester After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Upper-
Intermediate		 6 Exempt Exempt Exempt 1st Semester (Optional) (Optional)
Advanced
Track 		Advanced 1 12 Cannot Register 1st Semester After
Completing
Advanced 1
Advanced 2 6 Exempt 1st Semester
Exempt 0 Exempt Exempt

※The "XX semester" in red font indicates the semester in which APU registers the subject in question

【Japanese】Required Language Subjects for English-Basis Students

Starting Level No. of Credits
Required for
Graduation 		Registration Period for Required Japanese Subjects
Foundation I
(4 Credits)		 Foundation II
(4 Credits)		 Foundation III
(4 Credits)		 Intermediate
(4 Credits)
Foundation I 16 Both Registered in 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation I – II		 After Completing
Foundation I – III
Foundation II 12 Exempt 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation I – II		 After Completing
Foundation I – III
Foundation III 8 Exempt Exempt 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation I – III
Intermediate 4 Exempt Exempt Exempt 1st Semester
Higher than
Intermediate		 0 Exempt Exempt Exempt Exempt

※The "XX semester" in red font indicates the semester in which APU registers the subject in question

Graduation Requirement 4: Fulfill the credit requirements for each subject field
  • Of the 124 credits required for graduation, students need to earn 102 credits in specific subject fields (Graduation Requirements 3,4 and 6-9).
  • Although students are required to complete 102 credits in the set subject fields, they can complete the remaining 22 credits (124 credits – 102 credits) in any subject field they are interested in.
  • Depending on each student’s starting level for required language subjects, the number of required credits for “English/Japanese Language Subjects” and “Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects” will change. However, all students are still required to earn a total of 102 credits in the required subject fields.
【E.g.: English-basis Students (Starting from Foundation Japanese I)】
Total Subject Field (First Layer) Subtotal Subject Field (Second Layer and Below) Required Credits
At least 124 credits Common Education Subjects 102 Credits 40 Credits Required_Japanese 16 Credits
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 10 Credits
Elective Required [CSM] Introduction to Major 2 Credits
Elective Required [GE] Introduction to Major 2 Credits
Elective Required [IR] Introduction to Major 2 Credits
APS Major Education Subjects 62 Credits Area of Study's Major Education Subjects
*Including 2 credits of Required_Graduation Research II		 36 Credits
Other College Major Education Subjects 0 Credits
Subjects Not Counted Towords Graduation 0 Credits
Graduation Requirement 5: Complete at least 20 credits of subjects held in English (Japanese-basis domestic students only)

Japanese-basis domestic students must complete at least 20 credits of Common Liberal Arts or Major Education Subjects (either from their own college or another college) held in English.
Japanese-basis students must fulfil the following requirements in order to register for subjects held in English.

English Track Requirements for Taking Subjects Held in English
Standard Track (JST) Complete credits for or be exempted from “Intermediate English A/B”
Advanced Track (JAT) No specific requirements. Can register for subjects held in English from their 1st semester.

（NOTE）

  • Language Education Subjects and subjects held in both English and Japanese (E/J) do not count towards this total.
  • Japanese-basis international students do not need to complete this requirement for graduation.
  • Even if your residence status (domestic/international) changes after enrollment, your curriculum and graduation requirements do not change.
  • The subject “Bridge Program” counts as a subject held in English.
“Bridge Program”
Subject Outline		 Bridge Program is a Common Liberal Arts Subject where students study a wide variety of liberal arts topics while improving their English ability.
This subject was established to serve as the first step towards students taking regular classes held in English.
Students cannot register for this subject again if they have already earned credits for it before.
Eligibility Only Japanese-basis domestic students on the English Standard Track can register for this subject.
Registration
Restrictions		 Available after completing “Pre-Intermediate English A & B” and before completing “Upper-Intermediate English A & B”.
The classes are separated by college, so students cannot register for the “Bridge Program” of other colleges.
Students who want to take this subject should register for it themselves during Prior Application Period.
Graduation Requirement 6: Register for one of the APS Areas of Study

Registering for one of the three Areas of Study is a graduation requirement for APS students.

  • The name of each student’s registered Area of Study is noted on their diploma.
  • APS students can only register for one Area of Study.
APS Areas of Study
Culture, Society, and Media (CSM)
Global Economy (GE)
International Relations (IR)
Schedule for Area of Study Registration
Eligible Semesters 2nd Semester – Final Semester
Registration Periods Priority Registration Period A, Priority Registration Period B, Course Drop Period 1, Priority Registration Period C, Course Drop Period 2

*After registering for an Area of Study, students can change their registration an unlimited number of times within the registration periods above.
*Students are not permitted to register or change their Area of Study outside of the periods listed above.

How to Register for an Area of Study

Please register via the link below.
2023 APS Area of Study Application Form

How to Comfirm your Registerd Area of Study, and Check your Completed/Registered Credits for your Registered Field of Study

Please comfirm P.13～19「6. Confirming Courses Registered and Grade Report」in the Student Manual for Course Registration & Checking Grade Report_20251222ver.

Graduation Requirement 7: Complete at least one of the required Common Liberal Arts Subjects for each of the three Areas of Study, earning a total of at least 6 credits for these subjects

Students must earn credits for at least one of the Common Liberal Arts subjects assigned to each of the three Areas of Study for a total of at least 6 credits overall.

Area of Study Subject
Code		 Subject Name No. of
Credits		 Graduation
Requirement		 Semester
Available From		 Registration
Method
Culture, Society and Media
(CSM)		 020035 Introduction to Culture and Society 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2
subjects		 1st Semester Registered
by the
Student
028002 Introduction to Media Studies 2 1st Semester
Global Economy
（GE）		 020031 Introduction to Economics 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2
subjects		 1st Semester
028013 World Economy and Global Issues 2 1st Semester
International Relations
（IR）		 020023 Introduction to International Relations 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2
subjects		 1st Semester
028001 Introduction to Comparative Politics 2 1st Semester

*Students also can take both of the subjects for one Area of Study if they want to. In this case, the credits for one of the two subjects will count towards “Common Liberal Arts Subjects” for their graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirement 8: Complete at least 36 credits from the Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study (including the credits from No. 9)

Students are required to earn at least 36 credits (including 2 credits for “Graduation Research II”) from the Major Education Subjects for their registered Area of Study.

These 36 credits should
comprise of:
Registered Area of Study’s Major Education Subjects 34 credits
Graduation Research II（Graduation Requirement No.9） 2 credits

* If a student earns more than the required credits for “Registered Area of Study’s Major Education Subjects (34 credits)” and “Graduation Research II (2 credits)”, then any excess credits will count towards “APS Major Education Subjects (26 credits)” instead.
* "APS Common B Subjects" as well as "Seminar Subjects" can be included within the required "Registered Area of Study's Major Education Subjects" 36 credits"

Major Education Subjects for Each Area of Study

【Culture, Society, and Media (CSM)】
Students who register for “Culture, Society and Media” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 34 credits from the following subjects.
They also must complete “Graduation Research II” (2 credits).

▼List of Major Education Subjects, Seminar Subjects, and APS Common B Subjects that can be counted towards "Culture, Society, and Media" Area of Study's Major Education Credits.

*Check the “APS 2023 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030011 Social Theory 037125 Peace Studies
030013 Cultural Anthropology 037128 Human Rights
030022 Gender Studies 037144 Media and Politics
030025 Cultural Studies 037146 Ethnicity and the Nation State
030032 Language and Society 037148 Area Studies
030035 Social Stratification 037151 Field Research Project
030100 Transnational Sociology 038101 Sociology
030110 Multiculturalism and Society 038102 Religion and Society
030181 Political Theory 038103 Food System and Society
030191 Globalization and Regionalism 038104 Global Poverty
030195 Identity and Politics 038105 Digital Technology and Society
030266 Environment and Society 038131 Introduction to Research in Asia Pacific Studies
032005 Social Psychology 038132 Research Method
032006 Education and Society 038141 Advanced Sociology
037114 Media and History 038142 Media and Conflict
037118 Media and Culture 038143 A World History of Interaction
037119 Global History 038171 Major Seminar
037120 The Humanities and Modernity 038172 Graduation Research I
037121 New Media and Society 038181 Graduation Thesis
037122 Media and Law 038407 Big Data Analysis
038409 Advanced Area Studies

【Global Economy (GE)】
Students who register for “Global Economy” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 34 credits from the following subjects.
They also must complete “Graduation Research II” (2 credits).

▼List of Major Education Subjects, Seminar Subjects, and APS Common B Subjects that can be counted towards "Global Economy" Area of Study's Major Education Credits.

*Check the “APS 2023 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030013 Cultural Anthropology 038103 Food System and Society
030035 Social Stratification 038104 Global Poverty
030100 Transnational Sociology 038111 Agriculture and Resources
030104 International Organizations 038112 Analysis of Global Economy
030182 Politics of Development 038113 Econometrics
030184 Conflict and Development 038114 Game Theory
030186 Comparative Political Economy of the Asia Pacific 038131 Introduction to Research in Asia Pacific Studies
030266 Environment and Society 038132 Research Method
030267 Environmental Economics 038151 Behavioral Economics and Experimental Economics
030268 Industrial Ecology 038152 Japanese Economy
030673 Microeconomics 038153 Global Health Economics
030674 Macroeconomics 038154 American Economy
030675 Asian Economy 038155 European Economy
030820 International Finance 038156 Public Policy
032019 International Cooperation 038157 Special Lecture (Economic Issues in Asia, Middle East & Africa)
032080 Development Economics 038171 Major Seminar
032081 International Economics 038172 Graduation Research I
032082 International Political Economy 038181 Graduation Thesis
037104 Environmental Communication 038401 Energy Management
037148 Area Studies 038402 Project Management
037151 Field Research Project 038407 Big Data Analysis
038409 Advanced Area Studies

【International Relations (IR)】
Students who register for “International Relations” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 34 credits from the following subjects.
They also must complete “Graduation Research II” (2 credits).

▼List of Major Education Subjects, Seminar Subjects, and APS Common B Subjects that can be counted towards "International Relations" Area of Study's Major Education Credits.

*Check the “APS 2023 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030102 International Law 037125 Peace Studies
030104 International Organizations 037126 Strategic Decision Making
030181 Political Theory 037127 Geo-Politics and Post Cold War Conflicts
030182 Politics of Development 037128 Human Rights
030184 Conflict and Development 037144 Media and Politics
030186 Comparative Political Economy of the Asia Pacific 037146 Ethnicity and the Nation State
030187 International Relations in the Asia Pacific 037148 Area Studies
030191 Globalization and Regionalism 037151 Field Research Project
030192 Global Issues and Policies 038131 Introduction to Research in Asia Pacific Studies
030193 International Conflict Resolution 038132 Research Method
030195 Identity and Politics 038142 Media and Conflict
030197 Violence and Terrorism 038156 Public Policy
032015 History of International Politics 038161 Globalization and Law
032019 International Cooperation 038171 Major Seminar
032082 International Political Economy 038172 Graduation Research I
037102 International Relations Theory 038181 Graduation Thesis
037103 Foreign Policy of Japan 038409 Advanced Area Studies
Graduation Requirement 9: Earn credits for “Graduation Research II”
Students must earn credits for “Graduation Research II”.
Please check the “Seminar Subjects” page for more details about seminars.

Number of Credits Earned from Distance Learning Courses

Number of Credits from “Distance Learning Courses” Included in Credits Counted Toward Graduation

A maximum of 60 credits earned from Distance Learning Courses may be counted toward graduation.

Under the Standards for the Establishment of Universities and APU’s University Regulations, the maximum number of credits from Distance Learning Courses that can be counted towards graduation for undergraduate students is 60 credits. Please note that if a student earns more than 60 credits, the additional credits will not count toward the number of credits needed for graduation. In addition, please note that even if a student earns more than 60 credits for applicable courses, this will not be indicated under “Subjects Not Counted Towards Graduation” on the “Grade Report [Credit Completion]” page of CAMPUS WEB.

As such, students must check and manage the number of credits earned through Distance Learning courses themselves and make sure they do not exceed 60 credits.

Please check this page for the list of Distance Learning Courses and other information.

172017 Curriculum

  • 1.Students who enrolled as new (1st-semester) students between AY 2017 and AY 2022.
  • 2.Students who enrolled as 2nd-year transfer students between AY 2018 and AY 2023.
  • 3.Students who enrolled as 3rd-year transfer students between AY 2019 and AY 2024.
2017 Curriculum
PRINT

Graduation Requirements

Your graduation requirements depend on your enrollment language and whether you are a domestic or international student. In order to graduate from the College of Asia Pacific Studies, you must fulfill all of the requirements marked by 〇 in the table below. Please check the column that corresponds to your language basis and status as an international/domestic student.

No. Graduation Requirements Language Basis &
Domestic / International Student
Japanese-basis English-basis
Domestic
student		 International
student		 ―
1 Enroll for at least four years 〇 〇 〇
2 Complete at least 124 credits in total 〇 〇 〇
3 Complete all required language subjects
(or be exempted from required language subjects) 		〇 〇 〇
4 Fulfill the credit requirements for each subject field 〇 〇 〇
5 Complete at least 20 credits of subjects held in English
(This requirement only applies to Japanese-basis domestic students) 		〇 ― ―
6 Select and register for an Area of Study 〇 〇 〇
7 Complete at least 2 credits of required subjects for your registered Area of Study (Common Liberal Arts Subjects) 〇 〇 〇
8 Complete at least 28 credits of Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study 〇 〇 〇

Credits Required for Graduation

The following tables show the credit requirements for graduation of APS 2017 Curriculum. (How to check your curriculum)
However, each student’s starting level for required language subjects (English or Japanese) differs depending on the results of the placement test taken after enrollment. For this reason, even though students belong to the same curriculum, the number of required credits for “English Language Subjects” or “Japanese Language Subjects” may also differ between students. Please see “Graduation Requirement 3” for more information about required language subjects.

How to Check your Individual Credit Requirements

Credits Required for Graduation (APS 2017 Curriculum)

Total Subject Field Required Credits Subject Field Required Credits Subject Field
At least
124 credits		 Common Education Subjects 40 Credits Language Education Subjects 0~24 Credits* English Standard Track Subject (Required)
0~12 Credits* English Advanced Track Subject (Required)
0~16 Credits* Required_Japanese
ー AP Language Subjects, Specific Subjects
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 16 Credits ー APU Literacy Subjects
ー Global Citizens Foundation Subjects
2 Credits Area of Study's Global Citizens Foundation Subjects
ー Response to Social Needs Subjects
APS Major Education Subjects 62 Credits APS Major Education Subjects 28 Credits APS Major Education Subjects
*The following are included in this field:
APS Common Subjects B, Seminar Subjects.
ー The Major Education Subjects for your non-registered Area of Study
ー Core Subjects
ー APS Common Subjects A
Other College Major Education Subjects ー Up to 22 credits can be counted toward graduation requirements.
Subjects Not Counted Towords Graduation ー Subjects not included in the graduation requirements will be counted.

*The required number of credits for English/Japanese language courses varies depending on the results of the placement test taken during new student orientation period and any course exemption requests submitted during enrollment at APU.

Explanation of Each Graduation Requirement

Graduation Requirement 1: Enroll for at least four years

Students must be enrolled at APU for at least four years.

Year Level 1st year student 2nd year student 3rd year student 4th year student
Semester Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Enroll Enroll Graduate ―
Graduation Requirement 2: Complete at least 124 credits in total
Students must earn a total of at least 124 credits to graduate.
However, even if a student has earned 124 credits overall, they cannot graduate if they have not fulfilled any of graduation requirements 3 to 8.
Graduation Requirement 3: Complete all required language subjects (or be exempted from required language subjects)

The number of required credits for English or Japanese Language Subjects differs between students based on the results of the placement test taken after enrollment. APU automatically registers and assigns students to these classes until they earn credits for all their required language subjects.

【English】Required Language Subjects for Japanese-Basis Students

  • Students can only proceed to the next level after earning credits for both English A and B at a given level. Students who fail either subject A or B cannot proceed to the next level. (For example, if a student passes English A but fails B, then they will only be registered for English B again in the next semester.)
  • At all levels, English A is worth 4 credits and English B is worth 2 credits.
  • Please refer to the “English Language Subjects” page for more details.
Track Starting Level No. of
Credits
Required for
Graduation 		Standard Track
Registration Period for Required English Subjects 		Advanced Track
Registration Period for
Required English Subjects
Elementary A Pre-
Intermediate A		 Intermediate A Upper-Intermediate A Advanced 1A Advanced 2A
Elementary B Pre-
Intermediate B		 Intermediate B Upper-
Intermediate B		 Advanced 1B Advanced 2B
Standard
Track 		Elementary 24 1st Semester After
Completing
Elementary		 After
Completing
Pre-Intermediate		 After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Pre-
Intermediate		 18 Exempt 1st Semester After
Completing
Pre-
Intermediate		 After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Intermediate 12 Exempt Exempt 1st Semester After
Completing
Intermediate		 (Optional) (Optional)
Upper-
Intermediate		 6 Exempt Exempt Exempt 1st Semester (Optional) (Optional)
Advanced
Track 		Advanced 1 12 Cannot Register 1st Semester After
Completing
Advanced 1
Advanced 2 6 Exempt 1st Semester
Exempt 0 Exempt Exempt

【Japanese】Required Language Subjects for English-Basis Students

Starting Level No. of Credits
Required for
Graduation 		Registration Period for Required Japanese Subjects
Foundation I
(4 Credits)		 Foundation II
(4 Credits)		 Foundation III
(4 Credits)		 Intermediate
(4 Credits)
Foundation I 16 All Registered in 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation I – III
Foundation II 12 Exempt Both Registered in 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation II & III
Foundation III 8 Exempt Exempt 1st Semester After Completing
Foundation III
Intermediate 4 Exempt Exempt Exempt 1st Semester
Higher than
Intermediate		 0 Exempt Exempt Exempt Exempt
Graduation Requirement 4: Fulfill the credit requirements for each subject field
  • Of the 124 credits required for graduation, students need to earn 102 credits in specific subject fields (Graduation Requirements 3 - 8).
  • Although students are required to complete 102 credits in the set subject fields, they can complete the remaining 22 credits (124 credits – 102 credits) in any subject field they are interested in.
  • Depending on each student’s starting level for required language subjects, the number of required credits for “English/Japanese Language Subjects” and “Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects” will change. However, all students are still required to earn a total of 102 credits in the required subject fields.
【E.g.: English-basis Students (Starting from Foundation Japanese I)】
Total Subject Field (First Layer) Subtotal Subject Field (Second Layer and Below) Required Credits
At least
124 credits		 Common Education Subjects 102 Credits 40 Credits Required_Japanese 16 Credits
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 14 Credits
Area of Study's Required elective Common Liberal Arts Subjects 2 Credits
APS Major Education Subjects 62 Credits Area of Study's Major Education Subjects 28 Credits
Other College Major Education Subjects 0 Credits
Subjects Not Counted Towords Graduation 0 Credits
Graduation Requirement 5: Complete at least 20 credits of subjects held in English (This requirement only applies to Japanese-basis domestic students)

Japanese-basis domestic students must complete at least 20 credits of Common Liberal Arts or Major Education Subjects (either from their own college or another college) held in English.
Japanese-basis students must fulfil the following requirements in order to register for subjects held in English.

English Track Requirements for Taking Subjects Held in English
Standard Track（JST） Complete credits for or be exempted from “Intermediate English A/B”
Advanced Track（JAT） No specific requirements. Can register for subjects held in English from their 1st semester.

（NOTE）

  • Language Education Subjects and subjects held in both English and Japanese (E/J) do not count towards this total.
  • Japanese-basis international students do not need to complete this requirement for graduation.
  • Even if your residence status (domestic/international) changes after enrollment, your curriculum and graduation requirements do not change.
  • The subject “Bridge Program” counts as a subject held in English.
Subject
Outline		 Bridge Program is a Common Liberal Arts Subject where students study a wide variety of liberal arts topics while improving their English ability.
This subject was established to serve as the first step towards students taking regular classes held in English.
Students cannot register for this subject again if they have already earned credits for it before.
Eligibility Only Japanese-basis domestic students on the English Standard Track can register for this subject.
Registration
Restrictions		 Available after completing “Pre-Intermediate English A & B” and before completing “Upper-Intermediate English A & B”.
The classes are separated by college, so students cannot register for the “Bridge Program” of other colleges.
Students who want to take this subject should register for it themselves during Prior Application Period.
Graduation Requirement 6: Select and register for an Area of Study
  • The College of Asia Pacific Studies has established four Areas of Study for students to develop specialized knowledge and comprehensive problem-solving abilities regarding the various issues facing the Asia Pacific region. These studies center around solid language proficiency and a basic understanding of the diverse cultures, histories, societies, natural environments, and historical conditions within the Asia Pacific region. The name of that Area of Study will be noted on their diploma.
  • Students can only register for one Area of Study.

Students can only register for one Area of Study.

APS Areas of Study
Environment‌ and ‌Development (ED)
Hospitality‌ and ‌Tourism (HT)
International‌ Relations ‌and ‌Peace‌ Studies (IRP)
Culture, ‌Society‌ and ‌Media (CSM)
Schedule for Area of Study Registration
Eligible Semesters 2nd Semester – 6th Semester
Registration Periods Priority Registration Period A, Priority Registration Period B, Course Drop Period 1, Priority Registration Period C, Course Drop Period 2

*After a student has registered for an Area of Study, they can change it an unlimited number of times within the registration periods above.
*Students are not permitted to register or change their Area of Study outside of the periods listed above.
*Some of APU’s systems and programs require applicants to have registered for an Area of Study. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students register for an Area of Study as early as possible.

How to Register for an Area of Study

Please register via the link below.
2017 APS Area of Study Application Form

How to Comfirm your Registerd Area of Study, and Check your Completed/Registered Credits for your Registered Field of Study

Please comfirm P.13～19「6. Confirming Courses Registered and Grade Report」in the Student Manual for Course Registration & Checking Grade Report_20251222ver.

Graduation Requirement 7: Complete at least 2 credits of required subjects for your registered Area of Study (Common Liberal Arts Subjects)

In the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS), there are set required subjects for each Area of Study. These subjects provide students with a general and comprehensive overview of the academic fields each Area of Study belongs to as well as the issues and objectives within each field. By studying the basic knowledge and theories needed to understand the target of each discipline, these subjects serve as the first step to broader and deeper study of each Area of Study.

  • APS students are required to complete at least 2 credits of the required Common Liberal Arts Subjects for their registered Area of Study to graduate.
Area of Study Subject Code Subject Name No. of
Credits		 Semester Available
From		 Registration Method
Environment‌ and
‌Development (ED)		 021011 Introduction to
Environmental Studies		 2 1st Semester Registered by the
Student
020036 Introduction to Development
Studies		 2 1st Semester
Hospitality‌ and ‌Tourism (HT) 020039 Introduction to Tourism and
Hospitality		 2 1st Semester
International‌ Relations ‌and
‌Peace‌ Studies (IRP)		 020023 Introduction to International
Relations		 2 1st Semester
Culture, Society‌ and ‌Media
(CSM)		 020035 Introduction to Culture and Society 2 1st Semester
027001 Introduction to Media Studies 2 1st Semester
  • Both “Environment and Development” and “Culture, Society and Media” have two required subjects each. However, students are only required to register and earn credits for at least one of the subjects to graduate.
  • Students can also register for the introductory subjects for other Areas of Study.
Graduation Requirement 8: Complete at least 28 credits of Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study

Students are required to earn at least 28 credits from the Major Education Subjects for their registered Area of Study.

【Environment and Development (ED)】
Students who register for “Environment and Development” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 28 credits from the following subjects.
All subjects are worth 2 credits except for “Graduation Research II”, which is worth 4 credits.

▼List of Major Education Subjects for Environment and Development (ED)

*Check the “APS 2017 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030104 International Organizations 032060 Major Seminar I
030182 Politics of Development 032070 Major Seminar II
030184 Conflict and Development 032080 Development Economics
030261 Development Sociology and Anthropology 032081 International Economics
030262 Biodiversity 037104 Environmental Communication
030263 Global Environmental Issues 037110 Field Study for Environment and Development
030266 Environment and Society 037115 Community Based Tourism
030267 Environmental Economics 037130 Preliminary Seminar for Environment and Development
030268 Industrial Ecology 037131 Urban Environment and Development
030269 Project Management in Development 037132 Special Lecture in Environment and Development
030273 GIS and Remote Sensing 037133 Resource Management
030274 Environmental Modeling and Analysis 037147 NPO/NGO Studies
030275 Development Policy 037148 Area Studies
030276 Community Development 037149 Introduction to Research Methods
030300 Environmental Policy 037151 Field Research Project
030400 Ecotourism 037155 Graduation Research I
032019 International Cooperation 037156 Graduation Research II

【Hospitality and Tourism (HT)】
Students who register for “Hospitality and Tourism” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 28 credits from the following subjects.
All subjects are worth 2 credits except for “Graduation Research II”, which is worth 4 credits.

▼List of Major Education Subjects for Hospitality and Tourism (HT)

*Check the “APS 2017 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030013 Cultural Anthropology 037135 Tourism and Hospitality Law
030269 Project Management in Development 037136 Tourism Development and Planning
030340 Hospitality Management 037137 Health and Wellness Tourism
030346 Hospitality Marketing 037138 Resort Development
030350 Sociology of Tourism 037139 Heritage Tourism
030400 Ecotourism 037140 Travel Industry
030740 Operations Research 037141 Destination Marketing and Management
032060 Major Seminar I 037142 Special Lecture in Tourism and Hospitality
032070 Major Seminar II 037143 MICE Tourism Industry
037105 Culture and History of Tourism 037148 Area Studies
037106 Tourism and Social Media 037149 Introduction to Research Methods
037107 Agri-heritage and Tourism 037151 Field Research Project
037111 Field Study for Tourism and Hospitality 037155 Graduation Research I
037112 Event and Festival Management 037156 Graduation Research II
037115 Community Based Tourism 037301 Advanced Organizational Behavior
037116 Tourism Economics 037303 Advanced Human Resource Management
037134 Preliminary Seminar for Tourism and Hospitality

【International Relations and Peace Studies (IRP)】
Students who register for “International Relations and Peace Studies” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 28 credits from the following subjects.
All subjects are worth 2 credits except for “Graduation Research II”, which is worth 4 credits.

▼List of Major Education Subjects for International Relations and Peace Studies (IRP)

*Check the “APS 2017 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030102 International Law 032082 International Political Economy
030104 International Organizations 037101 History of Japanese Foreign Relations
030150 Globalization and Law 037102 International Relations Theory
030181 Political Theory 037103 Foreign Policy of Japan
030182 Politics of Development 037109 Field Study for International Relations and Peace Studies
030184 Conflict and Development 037124 Preliminary Seminar for International Relations and Peace Studies
030186 Comparative Political Economy of the Asia Pacific 037125 Peace Studies
030187 International Relations in the Asia Pacific 037126 Strategic Decision Making
030188 Regional Systems in the Asia Pacific 037127 Geo-Politics and Post Cold War Conflicts
030191 Globalization and Regionalism 037128 Human Rights
030192 Global Issues and Policies 037129 Special Lecture in International Relations and Peace Studies
030193 International Conflict Resolution 037144 Media and Politics
030195 Identity and Politics 037145 Global Media and Conflict
030197 Violence and Terrorism 037146 Ethnicity and the Nation State
030275 Development Policy 037148 Area Studies
032015 History of International Politics 037149 Introduction to Research Methods
032019 International Cooperation 037151 Field Research Project
032060 Major Seminar I 037155 Graduation Research I
032070 Major Seminar II 037156 Graduation Research II

【Culture, Society and Media (CSM)】
Students who register for “Culture, Society and Media” as their Area of Study need to earn at least 28 credits from the following subjects.
All subjects are worth 2 credits except for “Graduation Research II”, which is worth 4 credits.

▼List of Major Education Subjects for Culture, Society and Media (CSM)

*Check the “APS 2017 Curriculum Subject List” for more details.

Subject Code Subject Name Subject Code Subject Name
030011 Social Theory 037108 Field Study for Culture, Society and Media
030013 Cultural Anthropology 037114 Media and History
030021 Religion and Belief 037117 Preliminary Seminar for Culture, Society and Media
030022 Gender Studies 037118 Media and Culture
030025 Cultural Studies 037119 Global History
030032 Language and Society 037120 The Humanities and Modernity
030034 Sociology of Organizations 037121 New Media and Society
030035 Social Stratification 037122 Media and Law
030100 Transnational Sociology 037123 Special Lecture in Culture, Society and Media
030110 Multiculturalism and Society 037144 Media and Politics
030150 Globalization and Law 037145 Global Media and Conflict
030191 Globalization and Regionalism 037146 Ethnicity and the Nation State
030195 Identity and Politics 037147 NPO/NGO Studies
032005 Social Psychology 037148 Area Studies
032006 Education and Society 037149 Introduction to Research Methods
032060 Major Seminar I 037151 Field Research Project
032070 Major Seminar II 037155 Graduation Research I
037101 History of Japanese Foreign Relations 037156 Graduation Research II

Core Subjects *Not a graduation requirement

The social sciences are made up of two aspects: (1) society as the subject of research and (2) approaches for examining society and the theoretical framework of those approaches. Following this understanding, the subject of research in APS is the “Asia Pacific region”, and the four Areas of Study make up the approaches and theoretical frameworks for observing the Asia Pacific region. As the study of these two aspects is the foundation of APS, the following two subjects have been positioned as core subjects, and students can learn about the principles and goals of APS through taking these subjects. Neither subject is required for graduation, however, students are strongly encouraged to take these subjects in order to understand the college of APS. Credits acquired through these courses will count towards “APS Major Education Subjects”.

Subject
Code		 Subject Name（Subject Field） Course Objectives & Overview Registration Method
037113 Introduction to APS
(APS Major Education subject)

【Objective】
Students learn the approaches and theoretical frameworks of
each Area of Study to gain an understanding of what it will be like to
pursue major studies in the Areas of Study.

【Overview】
In this subject, new students learn the information they need to
study in the College of Asia Pacific Studies.
Structured as a lecture series, faculty from the four Areas of
Study take turns providing students with insight into three topics:

What is a university and what should I do there?
What kind of college is the College of Asia Pacific Studies,
what can I study there, and what is ‘Asia Pacific Studies’?
What can I study and research in the four different areas?
By taking this course, students will have an opportunity to think
about what they want to study over the next four years
and gain a clearer idea of their end goal.

Registered by the University (Cannot Drop)

【Registration Period Set by APU】
Japanese-basis students:
Spring Semester (1st year)

English-basis students:
1st semester

037152 Introduction to Area Studies
(APS Major Education subject)

【Objective】
Students learn the methods for studying the Asia Pacific region,
the subject of research in APS.
【Overview】
In this subject, students will learn the fundamentals they need to
understand the Asia Pacific region.
The aim is to provide insights from multiple angles covering
the characteristics and diversity of the Asia Pacific region.
At the same time, students will tackle the question of
‘What is area studies as it pertains to the Asia Pacific region?’
and receive a general and comprehensive overview of the objectives in the field.
By providing students with the basic knowledge they need to
understand the Asia Pacific region,
this subject serves as the first step to broader and deeper learning about the region.

Registered by the Student

Number of Credits Earned from Distance Learning Courses

Number of Credits from “Distance Learning Courses” Included in Credits Counted Toward Graduation

A maximum of 60 credits earned from Distance Learning Courses may be counted toward graduation.

Under the Standards for the Establishment of Universities and APU’s University Regulations, the maximum number of credits from Distance Learning Courses that can be counted towards graduation for undergraduate students is 60 credits. Please note that if a student earns more than 60 credits, the additional credits will not count toward the number of credits needed for graduation. In addition, please note that even if a student earns more than 60 credits for applicable courses, this will not be indicated under “Subjects Not Counted Towards Graduation” on the “Grade Report [Credit Completion]” page of CAMPUS WEB.

As such, students must check and manage the number of credits earned through Distance Learning courses themselves and make sure they do not exceed 60 credits.

Please check this page for the list of Distance Learning Courses and other information.

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