Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
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  1. College of Asia Pacific Studies

Graduation Requirements・Areas of Study・Required Subjects

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232023 Curriculum

  • Students who enrolled as new (1st year) students in AY 2023 or later.
2023 Curriculum

Students to whom the 2023 Curriculum applies

  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as new (1st-semester) students in AY 2023 or later.

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
(This requirement only applies to Japanese-basis domestic students) 		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

College of Asia Pacific Studies Graduation Requirements and Course Registration Restrictions

The APS graduation requirements are summarized in the following documents. Please refer to these documents when registering for courses and checking your graduation requirements.

  • College of Asia Pacific Studies Graduation Requirements and Course Registration Restrictions *To be released at a later date
Credits Required for Graduation (2023 Curriculum Japanese-Basis APS Students (English Standard Track))
Subject Field Credit Requirement Subtotal Total
Common Education Subjects English Language Subjects 24 40 At least 124 credits
Required CSM Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required GE Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required IR Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 10
Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects 0
APS Major Education Subjects Registered Area of Study’s Major Education Subjects 34 62
Graduation Research II 2
Major Education Subjects 26
Other College Subjects 0 0
Subjects Not Counted Towards Graduation 0    
Credits Required for Graduation (2023 Curriculum Japanese-Basis APS Students (English Advanced Track))
Subject Field Credit Requirement Subtotal Total
Common Education Subjects English Language Subjects 12 40 At least 124 credits
Required CSM Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required GE Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required IR Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 10
Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects 12
APS Major Education Subjects Registered Area of Study’s Major Education Subjects 34 62
Graduation Research II 2
Major Education Subjects 26
Other College Subjects 0 0
Subjects Not Counted Towards Graduation 0    
Credits Required for Graduation (2023 Curriculum English-Basis APS Students)
Subject Field Credit Requirement Subtotal Total
Common Education Subjects Japanese Language Subjects 16 40 At least 124 credits
Required CSM Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required GE Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Required IR Common Liberal Arts Subject 2
Common Liberal Arts Subjects 10
Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects 8
APS Major Education Subjects Registered Area of Study’s Major Education Subjects 34 62
Graduation Research II 2
Major Education Subjects 26
Other College Subjects 0 0
Subjects Not Counted Towards Graduation 0    

* Depending on your starting level for “English Language Subjects” or “Japanese Language Subjects”, the number of required credits for “English Language Subjects”, “Japanese Language Subjects”, and “Language Education Subjects and/or Common Liberal Arts Subjects” will change. Please check here for more details.

(Graduation Requirement 5) Graduation requirements for 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

  • Language Education Subjects and subjects held in both English and Japanese (E/J) do not count towards this requirement.
  • Japanese-basis international students are not required to fulfill this requirement to graduate.
  • Japanese-basis students must complete (or be exempted from) “Intermediate English A/B” before they can register for subjects held in English.
  • The subject “Bridge Program” counts as a subject held in English. (*See the bottom of the page for more details.)
(Graduation Requirement 6) Register for one of the three APS Areas of Study
APS Areas of Study
文化・社会・メディア（CSM） Culture, Society, and Media（CSM）
グローバル経済（GE） Global Economy（GE）
国際関係（IR） International Relations（IR）
  • If a student fulfills their graduation requirements, then the name of their registered Area of Study will be noted on their diploma.
  • Students can only register for one Area of Study.

Registering / Changing an Area of Study

Eligible Semesters 2nd Semester – Final Semester
Registration Period Course Registration Periods A & B, Correction Periods 1 & 2
Registration Method Campusmate
  • *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.

How to Register for an Area of Study

Please refer to the manual and register for your Area of Study on Campusmate from the “Area of Study Registration” page.

APS Area of Study Registration Manual

(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

APS students are required to comprehensively study the Common Liberal Arts Subjects for each of the three Areas of Study.

Area of Study Subject Name No. of Credits Graduation Requirement Registration Method Semester Available From
Culture, Society,
and Media (CSM)		 Introduction to Culture and Society 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2 subjects		 Registered by the Student 1st Semester
Introduction to Media Studies 2 1st Semester
Global Economy (GE） Introduction to Economics 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2 subjects		 1st Semester
World Economy and Global Issues 2 1st Semester
International Relations (IR) Introduction to International Relations 2 Earn credits for at
least 1 of the 2 subjects		 1st Semester
Introduction to Comparative Politics 2 1st Semester
(Graduation Requirement 8) Complete at least 36 credits from the Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study (including 2 credits for “Graduation Research II”)
(Graduation Requirement 9) Earn credits for “Graduation Research II”
(Note for Graduation Requirements 8 & 9)

These 36 credits should comprise of:

  • At least 34 credits of Major Education Subjects for your registered Area of Study
  • 2 credits for “Graduation Research II”

Seminar Subjects

  • All students in the College of Asia Pacific Studies must register for seminar subjects during their 3rd and 4th years.
  • Students apply for and receive permission from their preferred supervisor (to take their chosen seminar) during their 4th semester.
  • The university automatically registers students for their approved seminar course with the same professor from their 5th to 8th semesters. Students cannot drop seminar subjects.
  • Students will be automatically registered for both “Graduation Research II” and “Graduation Thesis” in their 8th semester. For “Graduation Research II”, students write and submit a final report as the culmination of their seminar studies. If this report is deemed to meet certain criteria by the professor in charge, then it will be recognized as a graduation thesis. If it fails to meet these criteria, it will count as a graduation report. If the professor decides it counts as a graduation thesis, then the student can also earn 2 credits for the subject “Graduation Thesis”. These students can earn a total of 4 credits for their thesis (2 credits for “Graduation Research II” + 2 credits for “Graduation Thesis”).
  • Among the automatically registered seminar subjects, students are only able to drop “Graduation Thesis” by themselves during the course registration periods (excluding Correction Period 2).
  • The criteria for deciding whether a final report will count as a graduation report or graduation thesis will be explained by the professor during the course of the seminar.
Semester Registered Subject Name No. of Credits Graduation Requirement Registration Method Course Deletion
4th Semester “Major Seminar” Application Period
5th Semester Major Seminar 2 None Registered by the University Cannot Drop
6th Semester Major Seminar 2 None Registered by the University Cannot Drop
7th Semester Graduation Research I 2 None Registered by the University Cannot Drop
8th Semester Graduation Research II 2 Earn Credits Registered by the University Cannot Drop
Graduation Thesis 2 None Registered by the University Can Drop

Please check here for details on how to register the seminar courses.

(Note for Graduation Requirements 5)

* ”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 Immediate 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 by themselves during one of the course registration periods

Please check the “Subject List” here.

172017 Curriculum

  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as new (first year) students in AY 2017 or later.
  • Students who enrolled in the College of College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as 2nd-year transfer students in AY 2018 or later.
  • Students who enrolled in the College of College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as 3rd-year transfer students in AY 2019 or later.
2017 Curriculum

Students to whom the AY 2017 Curriculum applies:

  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as new (first year) students in AY 2017 or later
  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as 2nd-year transfer students in AY 2018 or later
  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) as 3rd-year transfer students in AY 2019 or later

Areas 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.

APS Areas of Study
環境・開発 Environment‌ and ‌Development
観光学 Hospitality‌ and ‌Tourism
国際関係 International‌ Relations ‌and ‌Peace‌ Studies
文化・社会・メディア Culture,‌ Society‌ and ‌Media
Furthermore, the following three requirements are established as part of the graduation requirements for the College of Asia Pacific Studies:
  • (1)Students must choose and register for one Area of Study.
  • (2) Students must complete at least 2 credits from the required subjects (Common Liberal Arts Subjects) for the Area of Study they register.
  • (3)Students must complete at least 28 credits from the Major Education Subjects for the Area of Study they register.

The name of the Area of Study registered will be shown on the student’s diploma. Students can only register for one of the four Areas of Study.

Registering / Changing an Area of Study

Eligible Semesters 2nd Semester ~ 6th Semester
Registration Periods During Course Registration Period A, B, Correction Period 1, 2
  • *Once an Area of Study has been registered it can be changed an unlimited number of times within the registration period.
  • *Registration and changes outside of the periods listed above are not permitted.
  • *Some of the university’s various 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 soon as possible.

How to Register for an Area of Study

Please register on Campusmate under “Area of Study Registration”.

APS Area of Study Registration Manual

Graduation Requirements

Requirements to graduate differ under “Language Basis” and “International / Domestic Student” categories.
In order to graduate from the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS), students must meet all of the conditions marked with a “〇” in the “Language Basis” and “International / Domestic Student” columns that apply to them in the table below.

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 total 〇 〇 〇
3 Complete 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 under the registered Area of Study (Common Liberal Arts Subjects) 〇 〇 〇
8 Complete at least 28 credits of Major Education Subjects under the registered Area of Study 〇 〇 〇

● (Graduation Requirements 5)

Japanese-basis domestic students must complete at least 20 credits overall from Common Liberal Arts Subjects and Major Education Subjects (in their own or another college) held in English.

  • 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.
  • Japanese-basis students must complete “Intermediate English A & B” (or be exempted from taking this course) before they register for subjects held in English.
  • 「APS Bridge Program」(Refer to the following table)
Course Outline Bridge Program courses offer students a way to study a wide variety of Liberal Arts subjects while improving their English ability.
These courses were established as a first step to begin taking classes held in English.
After completing the Bridge Program, students will not be able to register in it again.
Eligible Participants Japanese-basis domestic and Standard Track APS students
Registration Requirements Must have completed “Pre-Intermediate English A and B” and have not yet completed “Upper-Intermediate English A & B”

Graduation and Course Requirements for the College of Asia Pacific Studies

Graduation requirements are concisely summarized in the following document. Please refer to this document when registering for courses and checking graduation requirements.

College of Asia Pacific Studies Graduation and Course Requirements (PDF)

Garde Report Screen of Campusmate / APS Required Credits (PDF)

Required Subjects

The College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS) has established required subjects for each Area of Study.
These subjects provide students with general and comprehensive overviews of the academic field of each Area of Study and the issues and objectives within the academic field.
These subjects are the first step to broader and deeper learning in that academic field by providing students with the basic knowledge and theories to understand the discipline.
Please note that one of the criteria for graduating from the College of Asia Pacific Studies is:

◎ To obtain at least 2 credits in subjects required for the registered Area of Study. (Graduation Requirement No.7)

Required Subjects for each Area of Study

Area of Study Subject (Subject Field) Registration
Environment and Development Introduction to Environmental Studies
(Common Liberal Arts)		 Registered by the student
Introduction to Development Studies
(Common Liberal Arts)
Hospitality and Tourism Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality
(Common Liberal Arts)
International Relations and Peace Studies Introduction to International Relations
(Common Liberal Arts)
Culture, Society and Media Introduction to Culture and Society
(Common Liberal Arts)
Introduction to Media Studies
(Common Liberal Arts)
  • *For “Environment and Development” and “Culture, Society and Media” Areas of Study, only taking at least one course among the two subjects listed is required.
  • *You can also take the introductory courses in other Areas of Study.

Core Subjects

Social science is 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 for 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
(Subject Field)		 Course Objectives and Overview Registration Method
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

【Registration Period Set by APU】

Japanese-basis students:
Spring Semester (1st year)

English-basis students:
1st semester
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

112011 Curriculum

  • 1.Students who enrolled as new (1st year) students between AY 2011 and AY 2016.
  • 2.Students who enrolled as 2nd year or 3rd year transfer students in AY 2017.
  • 3.Students who enrolled as 3rd year transfer students in AY 2018.
  • 4.Students who originally enrolled before AY 2011, but as a result of reinstatement or re-enrollment, will be the same semester as students in Group 1.
2011 Curriculum

Students to whom the AY 2011 Curriculum applies:

  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies as new students between AY 2011 and AY 2016
  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies in AY 2017 as 2nd-year or 3rd-year transfer students
  • Students who enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies in AY 2018 as 3rd-year transfer students
  • Students who originally enrolled in the College of Asia Pacific Studies before AY 2011, but as a result of reinstatement or re-enrollment, are in the same semester as students in Group 1

Areas 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.

APS Areas of Study
環境・開発 Environment‌ and ‌Development
観光学 Hospitality‌ and ‌Tourism
国際関係 International‌ Relations ‌and ‌Peace‌ Studies
文化・社会・メディア Culture,‌ Society‌ and ‌Media

Registering for an Area of Study

Once students have registered for an Area of Study and completed 20 or more credits from among the designated subjects for their Area of Study, the name of that Area of Study will be shown on their diploma. Students can register for only one Area of Study. Registration in an Area of Study is optional.

【Registering / Changing an Area of Study】
Eligible Semesters 1st Semester ~ Final Semester
Registration Period During Course Registration Period A, B, Correction Period 1, 2
  • *Even if you register for an Area of Study, if you do not take at least 20 credits from among the designated subjects for your registered Area of Study, the Area of Study will not be shown on your diploma.
【How to Register for an Area of Study】

Please register on Campusmate under “Area of Study Registration”.

APS Area of Study Registration Manual

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, students must fulfill the credit requirements for each subject field, as well as complete at least 124 credits total.
Please check the following table to see how the credit requirements are counted in the subject fields.

Subject Field Subjects counted towards the Subject Field
Common Education Subjects
  • Opposite language-basis Language subjects:
    Japanese-basis students: English
    English-basis students: Japanese
  • Language Education Subjects (language electives) (Asia Pacific languages)
  • Common Liberal Arts Subjects
Major Education Subjects
  • Major Education Subjects from the college of enrollment (APS)
General Electives
  • If the number of credits required for graduation is exceeded in the fields of Language Education subjects, Common Liberal Arts subjects, and Major Education Subjects in a student’s college, the excess credits will be counted as General Electives.
  • Major Education Subjects from another college (APM) (for 2nd-year and above students)

Japanese-basis Students

Japanese-basis students will be placed on either the English Standard Track or English Advanced Track based on the results of a placement test taken at the time of enrollment.

【English Standard Track】 (Students beginning from any level within Elementary English ~ Upper Intermediate English)
Field No. of Required Credits Total
Common Education Subjects English Language Subjects 24 at least 40 at least 124
Language Education and
Common Liberal Arts Subjects		 16
Major Education Subjects at least 62
General Electives at least 22
  • *For cases in which a student is exempted from English Language subjects, the exempted number of credits must be taken under General Electives.

【Important】

● Japanese-basis Domestic Student Graduation Requirements

  • Japanese-basis domestic students must complete at least 20 credits overall from Common Liberal Arts and Major Education subjects (in their own or another college) held in English.

    • *Subjects such as seminar subjects held in both English and Japanese (E/J) do not count towards this total.
    • *Completion of Pre-Intermediate English A and B is required to take Bridge Program courses. However, students can only take a maximum of 6 credits of Bridge Program courses.

      What is the Bridge Program?

      Bridge Program courses offer students a way to study a wide variety of Liberal Arts subjects while improving their English ability. These courses were established as the first step to begin taking classes fully held in English for students who have completed Pre-Intermediate English A and B. Only Japanese-basis domestic students may register for these courses.

  • Japanese-basis domestic and international students must complete Intermediate English A and B before they can take Common Liberal Arts or Major Education subjects held in English.

【English Advanced Track】(Students beginning from any level within Advanced English 1A ~ English Language exemption)
Field No. of Required Credits Total
Common Education Subjects English Language subjects 12 at least 40 at least 124
Language Education subjects and
Common Liberal Arts subjects		 28
Major Education Subjects at least 62
General Electives at least 22
  • *For cases in which a student is exempted from English Language subjects, the exempted number of credits must be taken under General Electives.

【Important】

● Japanese-basis Domestic Student Graduation Requirements

  • Japanese-basis domestic students must complete at least 20 credits overall from Common Liberal Arts and Major Education subjects (in their own or another college).

    • *Subjects such as seminar subjects held in both English and Japanese (E/J) do not count towards this total.
    • *There are no special requirements for English Advanced Track students in order to register for Common Liberal Arts or Major Education Subjects held in English. Advanced Track students cannot, however, register for “Bridge Program” subjects.

English-basis Students

English-basis students must meet the following credit requirements to graduate.

Field No. of Required Credits Total
Common Education Subjects Japanese Language Subjects 16 at least 40 at least 124
Language Education and
Common Liberal Arts Subjects		 24
Major Education Subjects at least 62
General Electives at least 22
  • *There are no special requirements for English-basis students in order to register for Common Liberal Arts or Major Education Subjects held in Japanese.
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