SPSF: Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures
English-taught program offered as collaboration between six departments
The world today faces a broad range of sustainability issues, which can only be tackled by a combination of specialized knowledge and cooperation across disciplines. This new English-taught program allows students to gain in-depth knowledge in their field of specialization, while taking interdisciplinary courses on the theme of Sustainable Futures, educating them to be the kind of game changers our globalized world needs in order to steer towards a sustainable future.
SPSF Six Departments:
- Department of Journalism, Faculty of Humanities
- Department of Education, Faculty of Human Sciences
- Department of Sociology, Faculty of Human Sciences
- Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics
- Department of Management, Faculty of Economics
- Department of Global Studies, Faculty of Global Studies
Seven Features
1. Enrollment in September
The program starts in autumn, which makes it easier for international students, returnees and students from international/ overseas schools to enroll.
2. All classes in English
All lectures and assignments are conducted in English. Students do not study English as a foreign language but take specialized courses in English.
3. A Degree available in seven majors
The curriculum is structured so students can fulfill graduation requirements only in English, allowing them to obtain a degree in the specialized field of their department.
4. Small class-size education
Small class sizes allow direct exchange between students and professors, with ample time for class discussions and active learning.
5. Interdisciplinary approach
The SPSF is a collaboration between six departments. While focusing on their major, students can also take a broad range of classes from other departments, thereby allowing them to study in an interdisciplinary environment.
6. Additional courses offered by the Center for Global Education and Discovery
In addition to the specialized courses offered by the six SPSF departments, students can also take General Studies, university-wide courses taught in English by the Center for Global Education and Discovery.
7. Students can also take courses taught in Japanese
Up to 24 credits of courses taught in Japanese can be counted towards the graduation requirements. This gives students the opportunity to also take some classes in Japanese.
Q&A
Q. Is the SPSF’s enrollment intended for Japanese high school graduates or overseas high school and international school graduates (including international students)?
A. Both are possible, although as the first semester for first-year students starts in September, it may be more accommodating to graduates of overseas high schools and international schools to enroll. However, graduates of Japanese high schools are also welcome to enroll.
Q. What languages can SPSF students learn?
A. SPSF is a program that is fully taught in English, not a program studying English as a foreign language. For languages other than English, students can take language courses offered in English (e.g., Japanese and Chinese) and language courses offered in Japanese (e.g., German and Korean). There are 21 languages students can study.
Q. What is the difference between SPSF and the Faculty of Liberal Arts (FLA)?
A. At the SPSF, students focus on the majors in their own department. From the first to the fourth year, students take major courses in their own department. At the same time, students take SPSF common core courses in which students from six departments study together, such as courses on the theme of ‘Sustainable Futures’ and Academic Skills in English, and also take courses in the disciplines of the other departments of the SPSF. The degree awarded is a Bachelor of Arts in the name of the discipline of the departments.
The FLA offers a liberal arts curriculum, which provides students with an academic foundation and intellectual orientation before they choose a disciplinary major. The first year of study in the FLA is devoted to basic education including the Core Program, General Studies courses and language. From the second year onwards, the FLA curriculum requires students to choose a major from three fields（ Comparative Culture, International Business and Economics, and Social Studies）. The degree awarded is a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. The SPSF and FLA thus have significant differences in curriculum and degrees.
Q. Can I take classes which are taught in Japanese in the same department?
A. Yes, it is possible. Sophia offers a broad range of specialized courses which are taught in Japanese, which SPSF students can also take. However, please note that not more than 24 credits of courses taught in Japanese count towards graduation requirements. Please make sure to plan your course of study carefully in consultation with your department advisor, taking into consideration the graduation requirements.