Master’s & Doctoral Programs in Education(English-taught Program)

Research in pursuit of human development in a global era

Educational Science studies all phenomena related to human development from a variety of perspectives: comparative and historical, philosophical, psychological, practical, and sociological. Our faculty members offer a wide range of research specializations. The Master’s program allows students to hone their research skills in their chosen area. Early in their second year, students present their Master’s thesis and receive feedback from all faculty members. In the Doctoral Program, students engage in in-depth research under the guidance of an advisory committee for the completion of a doctoral dissertation.

Program Features

  1. Examines the foundations of education, through the lenses of comparative, historical and philosophical perspectives and Christian values.
  2. Explores international perspectives on education in Asian, Western, and developing regions in today’s globalized and diverse society.
  3. Bridges research and practice and considers the social significance of education from multiple perspectives.
  4. Offers diverse learning opportunities in English and Japanese, through cross-listing with other graduate schools and the United Nations University(Tokyo)

Recently Completed Research Theses

  • Refugee Educat ion in Malawi : Invest igat ing the Causes of Low Enrollment and School Drop-out of Refugee Students at Dzaleka Community Day Secondary School
  • Foreign Language Education in Japanese Elementary Schools: Impact on Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives on Internationalization and Intercultural Understanding
  • Black Japanese Student s in Japan: A Compar at ive Analysis of Experiences in Public, Private, International, and Other Schools
  • Securing Girls’ Education in a Precarious Environment: Investigating the Barriers to their Access to Secondary Education in Northern Nigeria
  • Smartphones, Study Abroad, and Secondary Students: The Effects of Technology on Cultural Immersion: A Comparative Case Study of the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE)
  • Impact of Public Discourse about Women’s Rights in Croatia on Teaching Controversial Topics in Biology and Religious Education
  • Policies on Quality Early Childhood Education for Foreign Families in Japan: Analysis of the 3A2 S Theoretical Framework on Japan’s Early Childhood Education
  • The Motivation of Adult Japanese Learners’ Chinese Learning in Informal Group Settings in Tokyo
  • Internationalization at Home in Japanese Higher Education:The Significance of Multicultural Dormitory Education
  • A Comparative Case Study on the ESD Programs of a Japanese University and a Korean Univers

Policy of Education

Master’s Program in Education

The M. A. program aims to nurture researchers and professionals with broad academic knowledge and advanced research skills in the field of education who can work to resolve issues in contemporary society through education while respecting human dignity.

Upon satisfying the requirements for completion of the program and passing the thesis examination, students will be recognized as having acquired the following knowledge and skills and will be awarded a degree:

 

  1. ability to gather information on various social phenomena
  2. flexible and multifaceted thinking and analytical skills
  3. creativity and empathy cultivated through collaboration with diverse groups of people
  4. ability to implement solutions to problems
  5. ability to properly conduct research and compile the results into an academic paper.

Doctoral Program in Education

The Ph. D. program aims to nurture researchers with broad academic knowledge and advanced research skills in the field of education who can take leadership in resolving issues in contemporary society through education while respecting human dignity.

Upon satisfying the requirements for completion of the program and passing the thesis examination, students will be recognized as having acquired the following knowledge and skills and will be awarded a degree:

 

  1. ability to gather information on various social phenomena
  2. flexible and multifaceted thinking and analytical skills
  3. creativity and empathy cultivated through collaboration with diverse groups of people
  4. ability to take leadership in problem-solving
  5. ability to carry out research independently and bring new knowledge to academia and policy/practice
  6. ability to summarize research results appropriately and disseminate them widely to society

Master’s Program in Education

In line with the Diploma Policy, the curriculum of the M. A. program is offered as follows:

 

  1. The M. A. curriculum combines lectures, seminars, and research guidance. In “Lectures”, students will gain an understanding of major themes in the relevant areas of education (philosophy of education, history of education, sociology of education, international education, and others). In the “Seminars”, students aim to deepen their understanding through discussions on specific topics and acquire research skills. In addition, students may take courses from other programs within their own graduate school, and also from other graduate schools for up to 8 credits. By taking these courses, students will acquire the ability to gather information on various social phenomena, as well as broad academic knowledge and the ability to think flexibly and analyze  from multiple perspectives.
  2. This program provides diverse learning environments by offering courses in English, cross-listing with other graduate schools, and availing of the United Nations University Commissioned Auditing Program. Furthermore, field experiences and training will be conducted both in Japan and abroad. Students can also gain credits for graduation by studying abroad. Through these activities, students develop their empathy for others, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
  3. During the course of the program, students will improve their research skills and competencies by receiving individual guidance from their academic advisor and from other faculty members as needed. Students submit an outline of their research in the spring semester of their second year and give an oral presentation at the mid-term progress meeting. Students will enhance the quality of their research papers by obtaining feedback on their research from faculty members of the Graduate Program in Education and other graduate students.

Doctoral Program in Education

In line with the Diploma Policy, the curriculum of the doctoral program is offered as follows:

 

  1. Lecture and seminar courses in relevant sub-fields of education will be offered. Students will review the fundamentals of a sub-field and deepen their understanding through small-group discussions on specific topics. In addition, students will improve their research skills and refine their own research plans through these courses.
  2. Students also take dissertation seminar and research guidance courses to prepare their doctoral dissertation. Throughout the course of study, students receive individual guidance from their supervisors on writing the doctoral dissertation and disseminating research results (submission to academic journals, oral presentations at academic conferences, and so on).
  3. Additionally, an Advisory Committee consisting of three full-time faculty members is established to provide students with research guidance during their period of study. The members of the committee are chosen in view of the student’s research topic and methodology. This system allows students to proceed with their research and doctoral dissertation while receiving guidance from diverse perspectives. Through these studies, which organically link lectures, seminar courses, and research guidance, students acquire the ability to collect and analyze information in their specialized fields, as well as research skills and competencies to become independent researchers.

Master’s Program in Education

The Master’s Program in Education seeks students with the following qualities:

 

  1. Students with respect for human dignity and a strong interest in education supporting human growth and learning, as well as in relationship with the surrounding society.
  2. Students who have the basic academic skills required to pursue research and are eager to learn.“Basic academic skills” include foreign language skills to collect and analyze information from a broad range of resources and to communicate one’s research outcomes to a wide audience. There are no requirements regarding undergraduate majors, provided a student meets the qualities described here.
  3. Students who can cooperate or collaborate with thers in a research environment where a diversity of learners’ backgrounds can leverage their individual experiences and learn from one another.This diverse environment is realized by offering a special provision in entrance exams for adults including schoolteachers and others with work experience, as well as accepting international students.

Doctoral Program in Education

The Doctoral Program in Education seeks students with the following qualities:

 

  1. Students with respect for human dignity and a strong interest in education supporting human growth and learning, as well as in relationships with surrounding society.
  2. Students who have the basic academic skills required to pursue a doctoral research and are eager to learn.
  3. “Basic academic skills” include foreign language skills to collect and analyze information from a broad range of resources and to communicate one’s research outcomes to a wide audience. The program accepts students who completed a Master’s program from Sophia University, or other universities in Japan and overseas, provided they meet the qualities described here.

Faculty Members

Shinichi AIZAWA Professor

Research Areas [Sociology of Education,Historical Sociology] Comparative historical sociological study of changes in educational systems and social meanings. How the social meaning of educational background,examinations,educational knowledge,etc. changes as school systems spread in society. Publications: High School for All in East Asia (ed.); A Comparative Sociological Study of Japanese and Taiwanese Upper Secondary Education.
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Taro KOMATSU Professor

Research Areas [Education and International Development,Education and Peace/Conflict] Political and sociological research on educational policies and administrative systems in developing countries and post-conflict societies,the relationship between education,social cohesion,and peace,and international educational aid. Publications (research papers): Education and Peace; Integrated Schools and Social Cohesion in Post-Conflict Srebrenica; Second-chance Education in Post-conflict Timor-Leste.
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Maria MANZON Associate Professor

Research Areas [Comparative Education] Globally inclusive histories of comparative education,Asian contributions in relation to women’s ways of knowing,parental involvement spirituality and values education. Religion,education and sustainability: comparative perspectives. Publications: Comparative Education: The Construction of a Field; Origins and Traditions in Comparative Education (ed.); Comparing Places.
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Toshiko NONOMURA Professor

Research Areas [History of Education,Childhood,Family and Parenthood (in England)] Historical research of education,childhood,family and parenthood especially focused on charity and poor relief for children,pregnant women and mothers in (early) modern England. Publications: Epoch of Orphan and Relief (co-ed.in Japanese),The Medical Gaze and the Modern Child: Orphaned,Poor and Institutionalised Children in History (co-ed.in Japanese)

Akira SAKAI Professor

Research Areas [Clinical Sociology of Education] Social exclusion and inclusion in education such as truancy,school non-attendance,and school dropout. Research on inter-school collaboration to address these social problems. Publications: Children’s Daily Lives: Mind and Body amidst the COVID-19Outbreak (in Japanese); Modern Society and Education (ed.) (in Japanese); Learning to Teach in Two Cultures: Japan and the United States.
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Miki SUGIMURA Professor

Research Areas [Comparative Education and International Education] Comparative study of educational policies on social diversification and integration associated with globalization and internationalization,and research on international higher education and educational exchange through international collaboration. Publications:Impacts of Study Abroad on Higher Education Development(co-edit)
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Hiroshi SUZUKI Associate Professor

Research Areas [Philosophy of Education] Educational philosophy research aiming at the construction of the principle of peace education. As globalization progresses,the significance of the idea of peace is re-examined,and the ideal way of peace education for the future is philosophically explored. Book: Research on the Educational Philosophical Significance of Kant’s Critical Philosophy (in Japanese).
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Masamichi UENO Professor

Research Areas [Educational Theory and Schooling,Philosophy of Education,History of Educational Thought] Democratic citizenship and education in a global era. School reform,curriculum and the public sphere. Publications: Democratic Education and the Public Sphere; Manabi and Japanese Schooling: Beyond Learning in the Era of Globalisation (ed.); School Reform and Democracy in East Asia (ed.).
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Masahiro NASU Professor

Research Areas [School Education (Curriculum and Instruction)] Research on competency-based learning. Based on psychological theories of learning and motivation,I am developing a curriculum and learning guidance method that fully realizes the competencies of children. Publications (in Japanese): “Qualities and Abilities” and the Mechanism of Learning; Wisdom and the Work of Creating the Next Generation of Learning.
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Sophia University

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