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Fostering Leaders in the Asia-Pacific Region in an International Environment
The Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies offers a two-year master’s program and a three-year doctoral program. In particular, the Master’s in International Cooperation Policy aims to develop specialists who can formulate creative solutions through an integrated approach from global and local perspectives. This program offers a curriculum entirely in English to foster the advanced expertise in administration, environment, economic development, and other areas necessary for the development of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as problem-solving skills for complex issues.
Master's Program in Asia Pacific Studies (APS)
About the Program
Many people regard the 21st century as the "Asia Pacific century" as a result of the region's continuous and robust growth. The region's prominence can be witnessed through its increasing political power in the G-20 and economic interdependence that boosts steady growth. Such economic interdependence leads to close socioeconomic interactions among the people of the region.
The Master's Program in Asia Pacific Studies aims to educate and transform students into competent leaders ready to handle challenges facing the Asia Pacific region. The program encourages students to analyze complicated and ever-changing socio-cultural conditions and international issues, pursue feasible solutions to challenges the region is facing and pave a path to a prosperous future for the region. Students accumulate professional knowledge and insights, interpret complex facts in objective and systematic manners and provide insightful solutions to problems.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as think-tank researchers, university teaching staff, in nongovernmental organizations/non-profit organizations (NGOs/NPOs), private companies, as well as central/local government agencies in Japan and around the world. A number of our graduates choose to stay on and pursue further research through APU's doctoral course.
Course Structure and Content
A broad range of issues are addressed in the two divisions: International Relations and Society & Culture. The courses taught under this program consist of four pillars: analytical foundation courses, core courses on the Asia Pacific region, division specific courses and research oriented intensive seminar courses. Most courses are run on a quarterly basis, each lasting approximately two months.
This program nurtures students' research skills, including the ability to formulate frameworks for analyses, collect and analyze data and test arguments and hypotheses. Students are expected to conduct research under a specific theme in a systematic manner throughout their studies.
At the end of the program, students must submit a thesis or report on a theme of their choice which they have developed under personal guidance from their supervisors in the seminar series courses which run throughout the program. In the process of thesis/report writing, they are encouraged to conduct field surveys in the Asia Pacific region. The graduate school provides financial support for these field surveys. APU organizes numerous seminars and conferences and invites prominent scholars and researchers to share on their fields of expertise. Students are encouraged to sharpen their research ideas by taking advantage of these opportunities.
Master's Program in International Cooperation Policy (ICP)
About the Program
The Asia Pacific region and the international community as a whole are facing many urgent issues which need to be addressed in order to ensure equitable development and sustainable environments.
The International Cooperation Policy Master's program provides students with policy-oriented and practical advice, drawing on diverse fields to train creative professionals who can understand complex challenges from multiple perspectives and formulate feasible solutions with integrative approaches from global, regional and local perspectives. Such training will improve practical skills and knowledge to plan, implement and evaluate projects and thereby contribute to organizations that work closely with and in developing nations.
As the program attracts students of diverse backgrounds from all over the world, students easily develop extensive personal networks during their course of studies. Such networks serve as valuable assets even after graduation. Graduates of this program work in industries in or dealing with the Asia Pacific region, national and local governments in Japan and around the world, development agencies and other regional and international organizations.
Course Structure and Content
Students can select one of the following five divisions for their specialization: International Public Administration, Public Health Management, Sustainability Science, Tourism & Hospitality and Development Economics.
They are also required to take analytical foundation, core and seminar courses and submit a master's thesis or a research report to complete their course. Furthermore, current topics are introduced through special study series courses. Some of the subjects are provided jointly with our MBA program for more effective professional development.
This course is designed in such a way that students can develop multi-disciplinary knowledge under the tutelage of multinational faculty members who possess both professional and academic experience. In order to take full advantage of such an environment, students are encouraged to engage actively in various activities in the program. Additionally, numerous seminars and workshops are organized throughout the year. There are many opportunities for students to participate in the exchange of ideas, information and expertise with academics, experts, business executives, policy makers and senior administrators.
Doctoral Program in Asia Pacific Studies (APS)
The Ph.D. aims to expand the existing boundaries of the field and facilitate projects that set new standards for future research. Research is divided into two broad areas of study: I. Understanding the current situation in the Asia Pacific region: Research examines and defines critical issues currently facing the region by synthesizing the results of previous studies. II. Working to create a prosperous future for the Asia Pacific region: Future-oriented research focuses on strategies for establishing sustainable development in the region. The developing world is in great need of internationally-minded individuals possessing specialized knowledge and skills. As such, it is becoming increasingly common for international aid organizations to enlist the professional guidance of doctoral students. The same holds true for local organizations that receive and coordinate aid. The Ph.D. in Asia Pacific Studies at APU helps students to realize their potential in order to make significant contributions to society.
Course Structure and Content
Completion of the Ph.D. requires fulfillment of doctoral coursework and publications in addition to submission and approval of a final dissertation. The dissertation should integrate the result of in-depth investigations into Asia Pacific issues and incorporate individual findings that outline strategic, policy-oriented and practical solutions to issues arising from current developments in the region. Research supervision can be provided in areas such as Diversity and Integration, Environment and Development, International Political Economy and Tourism Development.
The Graduate School organizes the Research in Progress Seminars as an opportunity for doctoral students to observe the work of their peers and gain presentation experience and constructive feedback in regards to their research. These seminars are not only beneficial to those currently conducting their Ph.D. research, but also to those who wish to know more about the doctoral program and the research involved. Finding empirical data through field research is the core of dissertation writing. APU provides support for doctoral students conducting field research for their dissertations. Moreover, a subsidy is given to those Ph.D. students who present their research outcomes at an academic conference. The doctoral program is highly personalized and prospective students are encouraged to contact APU at an early stage to discuss their research interests and program structure.
The program aims to produce independent individuals capable of conducting high-level research. Such capabilities extend from the expertise in theoretical and empirical approaches for investigation, combined with in-depth knowledge of the Asia Pacific region, to the ability to collect necessary data, analyze it scientifically and draw practical solutions of complicated issues in comprehensive and integrative manners. Graduates of this program become distinguished leaders of society and take on prominent roles in advanced institutions for research and higher education around the world.
Syllabus
The APU Syllabus provides an outline and schedule of the courses available at APU. Students are able to read the syllabus and finalize a course plan before registering for their courses. *APU has incorporated “Course Numbering” as a way of indicating factors such as where a subject is situated within the curriculum, as well as how the curriculum is systemized. “Course Numbers” can now be found in the syllabus of every course/subject to allow students to identify with relative ease the subject/course which Area of Study it falls into, etc.