POLICY

Three Policies

Diploma Policy

To accomplish the educational objectives stipulated in the College of Sustainability and Tourism College Regulations, the College of Sustainability and Tourism has defined graduation requirements as well as the following three learning outcomes to be achieved by the time of graduation.

Graduation Requirements

• Students are required to enroll for the designated period and to complete at least 124 credits under the following course registration requirements.
• Complete at least 40 credits of Common Education Subjects under the following requirements:
  1) Japanese-based students must complete at least 24 credits of English Language Education Subjects, and English-based students must complete at least 16 credits of Japanese Language Education Subjects. However, students may be exempted from taking Language Education Subjects based on their language ability upon entry.
  2) Complete at least 8 credits of required Common Liberal Arts Subjects.
• Complete at least 62 credits of Major Education Subjects under the following requirements:
  1) Complete 6 credits of compulsory Major Education Subjects.
  2) Complete at least 5 subjects with 10 credits of Tourism Subjects.
  3) Complete at least 5 subjects with 10 credits of Sustainable Society Subjects.
  4) Complete at least 2 credits of Final Results Subjects.
  5) Complete at least 2 credits of Off-Campus Program Subjects.
• Domestic Japanese-based students must complete at least 20 credits of Common Liberal Arts Subjects or Major Education Subjects offered in English.
• Detailed course registration requirements shall be stipulated in the College of Sustainability and Tourism College Regulations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Acquire specialized knowledge on sustainable society and tourism

• 1-a. Understand societies and communities from interdisciplinary perspectives.
• 1-b. Demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals of sustainable society and tourism.
• 1-c. Demonstrate mastery of specialized knowledge on sustainable society and tourism.

2. Acquire problem-solving literacy

• 2-a. Use critical and logical thinking skills.
• 2-b. Apply research and analytical skills, qualitatively and/or quantitatively.
• 2-c. Exercise problem-solving skills applicable to sustainable society and tourism.
• 2-d. Communicate and collaborate across cultures.

3. Acquire a sense of responsibility as a global citizen

• 3-a. Act in accordance with the norms of sustainable development.
• 3-b. Demonstrate a commitment to the Global Code of Ethics in Tourism.

Curriculum Design Policy

(Subject Placement: General)

• The curriculum is divided into Common Education Subjects and Major Education Subjects and is designed for four years.

(Subject Placement: Common Education Subjects)

• Common Education Subjects are divided into Language Education Subjects and Common Liberal Arts Subjects. The Language Education Subjects consist of English, Japanese, AP languages (Chinese, Korean, Malay/Indonesian, Spanish, Thai, or Vietnamese) and Specific Subjects.
• Common Liberal Arts consist of APU Literacy, Introduction to Major Studies, and Global Citizens Foundation.
• The APU literacy field is a group of subjects for students to deepen their knowledge in Japan and overseas, which is necessary for students of this university, and acquire a methodology for deepening their learning by making the most out of the multicultural environment of this university.
• The Introduction to Major Studies field is a subject group that will introduce specialized learning in each college.
• The Global Citizens Foundation field will be assigned as a diverse group of subjects that do not fall within the framework of undergraduate specialized education for cultivating rich knowledge and culture in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

(Subject Placement: Major Education Subjects)

• Major Education Subjects are divided into Academic Skills Subjects, Seminar and Final Results Subjects, Off-Campus Program Subjects, Common Subjects, Tourism Subjects, and Sustainable Society Subjects.
• The Academic Skills Subjects are a group of subjects for students to acquire the academic skills required to study at the University.
• The Seminar and Final Results Subjects shall be a group of subjects to be deepened in the form of exercise based on the students' interests.
• The Off-Campus Program Subjects shall be a group of subjects including off-campus practical training.
• The Common Subjects are common to both the fields of tourism and sustainable society and are subjects in fields that are important for problem solving.
• The Tourism Subjects shall be the specialized subjects in the field of tourism.
• The Sustainable Society Subjects shall be specialized subjects in the field of sustainable society.

(Curriculum Map)

*Curriculum Map (or Curriculum Alignment Matrices) is available on the APU Website.
Curriculum Map

Curriculum Implementation Policy

(Subject Offerings)

• In principle, offer subjects listed in the College Regulations in both Japanese and English to allow students to enroll, take classes and graduate in either English or Japanese while also learning the other language.
• Expand the Off-campus Study Programs offered as per both University and College policies.
• All subjects to be offered in the semester, day, and period which will allow students to take full advantage of structured learning.

(Mode of Operation)

• All subjects are operated in compliance with the Standards for Establishment of Universities and the University Regulations. Based on the methods applied in the subject, factors such as the educational outcomes and necessary studies outside of the class hours are also taken into account.
• Each subject is operated by following the Curriculum Map and the syllabus is designed to guide students in achieving the Learning Goals and Learning Objectives set for the subject.
• All subjects are aimed at achieving Multi-cultural Cooperative Learning by taking full advantage of APU’s multicultural environment and education, which encourages interactive collaboration between International and Domestic students.
• Instructors are required to comply with guidelines related to the mode of operation, including administration of Class Evaluation Surveys, response to Grade Inquiries, and holding Make-up Classes.

Degree

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) welcomes students who will uphold the university’s basic ideals of freedom, peace and humanity, international mutual understanding, and the future shape of the Asia Pacific region. They should also, in both English and Japanese, be ready to acknowledge and understand differences in cultures and values, engage actively in an international campus community, and contribute to mutual learning.

New undergraduate students must possess the following attributes and abilities in order to engage in this method of learning:

(1) Knowledge and Skills

• Basic knowledge required for studying at university
• English or Japanese language proficiency required to pursue university-level studies

(2) Reasoning, Judgment, and Expression

• Critical thinking, analytical ability, and creativity needed to identify problems and proactively work towards their resolution
• Ability to interpret information accurately, as well as express one’s own ideas clearly and logically using facts and data

(3) Initiative and Capacity to Collaborate with Individuals from Diverse Backgrounds

• Ability to pursue goals and follow through with them
• Readiness to engage with and support others based on mutual understanding
• Desire to make full use of a multicultural learning environment and participate in collaborative learning

College of Sustainable Development and Tourism

• 1. Interest in tourism and hospitality and sustainable society.
• 2. Interest in various regions both within Japan and abroad, as well as willingness to work toward solving problems for region sustainability
• 3. Willingness to learn across disciplines in collaboration with various social actors on and off campus.