In the 21st century, as global challenges grow ever more complex, environmental problems continue to stand out and assert themselves as matters of critical importance for humanity. As the influence of the Earth’s changing ecosystem begins to impact our lifestyles and work, the very fabric of the society surrounding us is confronted with an unparalleled call for change. Surely now is the occasion to show the real power and virtue of Sophia University’s philosophy “For Others, with Others”. The time has come for all of humanity to come together and act as stewards of planet Earth, working towards the common goal of building a sustainable global civilization. In a rapidly globalizing world, acting as an incubator for the fostering of talented individuals to come up with concrete solutions to achieve SDGs is the mission that has been bestowed upon the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies at Sophia University.
Program Features
International Graduate Course (English-taught Program)
Once a step is taken outside of the cultural framework of Japan, environmental issues may be understood from the greater context of other international cultures and languages. Therefore, in order to be able to contribute to the solving of environmental problems, it is crucial to develop the ability to see and respond to environmental challenges from this wider perspective. In order to foster students with this type of global capacity for problem solving, our graduate school launched the International Graduate Course (English-taught Program) in September 2011. Classes in this international course are open to all students in the Japanese-taught Program as well.
Learning to Determine One’s Standpoint
The nature of environmental problems changes in accordance with the views you take. Consider, for example, the often contrasting concepts of economic growth and environmental preservation, human rights and the environment, developing nations and industrialized nations, those who caused environmental degradation versus those who suffer from it, and regulations versus freedom of choice. Of countless possible viewpoints, the one chosen by you is crucial. A holistic exposure to both the natural and social sciences will allow you to broaden this lens through which you work with environmental issues.
Learn from Professors at the Frontiers of Environmental Studies
There is an overwhelming amount of books and information available on the Internet on the subject of the environment. Yet in order to grasp the fundamental nature of environmental challenges, it is necessary to learn directly from professors whose professional and research activities are at the forefront of various areas related to environmental issues. All the faculty members in our graduate school possess outstanding achievements in their respective fields. Their expertise and careful guidance through small class sizes will be an invaluable asset for your studies.
Integration of specialized knowledge with theory and practical problem- solving skills
As well as being both a physical and chemical phenomenon, the environmental problems of our age have their roots in social and economic factors. Therefore, it is not possible to solve such problems from the narrow perspective of a single, specialized discipline. Integrating perspectives from both the natural and social sciences, in addition to both theory and practical knowledge, our graduate school delivers a balanced curriculum that will allow you to develop interdisciplinary research skills required for tasks such as the production of a master’ s thesis.
An academic journal in which grad students are publishable.
All graduate students in Global Environmental Studies can attend any symposiums, seminars and study meetings, together with professors, graduates and other researchers, held by the Society for Global Environmental Studies of Sophia University. In addition, they can publish their master’s thesis in “Journal of Global Environmental Studies”, which is a companion publication of “Global Environmental Studies”, if the thesis is highly evaluated.
Policy of Education
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Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies
The Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies aims to foster human resources who have acquired a broad range of expertise and various theories and practical experience, and who are deemed to be capable of contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society. In view of such aims the program sets standards for the skills and knowledge students should acquire before graduation as described below. Those who have fulfilled the requirements and have passed the thesis defense will be awarded a diploma.
- Broad expert knowledge in global environmental issues and environmental studies.
- Broad practical knowledge in global environmental issues and environmental studies.
- The ability to propose appropriate research and analysis methods developed by integrating both social science and natural science–based knowledge as well as combining theory and practice. Also, the ability to communicate information to society through logical writing and oral presentation of one’s arguments.
- The competency to precisely structure one’s own papers and clearly roll out the logical arguments in writing papers in order to make the above item 3 possible.
- Global perspectives and responsiveness
Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies
The Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies aims to foster human resources whose research capabilities have been acknowledged to be world-class and who can independently engage in research and development and are deemed to be capable of contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society. With a view to such aims, the program sets standards for the skills and knowledge students should acquire before graduation as described below. Those who have fulfilled the requirements and have passed the thesis defense will be awarded a diploma.
- Broad expert knowledge in global environmental issues and environmental studies, including in–depth expertise in specific fields and issues
- Broad practical knowledge in global environmental issues and environmental studies, including in–depth practical knowledge in specific fields and issues
- The ability to independently conduct research and development based on research abilities characterized by originality developed by integrating both social science and natural science–based knowledge as well as combining theory and practice. Also, the ability to communicate information to society through logical writing and oral presentation of one’s arguments.
- The competency to write academic papers with originality and externally present the papers in order to make the above item 3 possible.
- Global perspectives and responsiveness.
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Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies
In light of our aim to have students effectively acquire expertise in a broad range of disciplines and a combination of various theories and practice in accordance with the diploma policy, the Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies constructs its curriculum with courses aligned to the following purposes:
- Offer a well-balanced range of coursework by including courses from all three subject groups, namely Environmental Law, Policy and Social Studies; Environmental Economics and Development Studies; and Environmental Science and Engineering Studies in order to develop a broad but compact curriculum combining humanities and science with a clear vision based on the understanding that global environmental issues and environmental studies always bear aspects of both the natural sciences and the social sciences and humanities.
- Proactively incorporate into coursework and seminars, opportunities where students can become familiar with cutting–edge measures and acquire hands–on knowledge in order to develop a curriculum that enables the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge for appropriate problem identification as well as a good balance of practical knowledge or skills for problem–solving.
- Proactively incorporate into lecture courses and seminars, opportunities where students can learn research and analysis methods and engage in presentations or opinion exchange in order to establish a curriculum that delivers finely–tuned education enabling good diversified communication between faculty and students supported by small-group classes unique to Sophia. Furthermore, schedule a workshop to present thesis outlines at the beginning of the fourth quarter in order to let students acquire thesis writing and oral presentation skills.
- In light of the increasing need for international cooperation in solving global environmental issues, proactively admit international students, develop an English–taught program with a curriculum consisting of lectures and consultations provided solely in English for the purpose of fostering global leaders, and make courses under the Japanese and English programs interchangeably available to students, thus actively providing opportunities for both mutual learning and communication among students of various nationalities. Furthermore, offer night and Saturday lectures to give adequate consideration to facilitate degree completion for working students.
Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies
In light of our aim to have our students effectively acquire expertise in a broad range of disciplines and a combination of various theories and practice in accordance with the diploma policy, the Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies constructs its curriculum with courses aligned to the following purposes:
- Offer a well–balanced range of coursework by including courses from all three subject groups, namely Environmental Law, Policy and Social Studies; Environmental Economics and Development Studies; and Environmental Science and Engineering Studies in order to develop a broad but compact curriculum combining humanities and science with a clear vision based on the understanding that global environmental issues and environmental studies always bear aspects of both the natural sciences and the social sciences and humanities.
- Proactively incorporate into coursework and research guidance, opportunities where students can become familiar with cutting–edge measures and acquire hands–on knowledge in order to develop a curriculum that enables the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge for appropriate problem identification as well as a good balance of practical knowledge or skills for problem–solving.
- Proactively incorporate into coursework and research guidance, opportunities where students can learn research and analysis methods and present their research at academic meetings in order to develop a curriculum that delivers finely–tuned education enabling good diversified communication between faculty and students supported by small–group classes unique to Sophia. Furthermore, through the presentation of dissertation outlines and dissertation reviews, enable students to acquire dissertation writing and oral presentation skills and appropriately measure their qualifications to submit a dissertation
- In light of the increasing need for international cooperation in solving global environmental issues, proactively admit international students, develop an English–taught program with a curriculum consisting of lectures and consultations provided solely in English for the purpose of fostering global leaders, and make courses under the Japanese and English programs interchangeably available to students, thus actively providing opportunities for both mutual learning and communication among students of various nationalities. Furthermore, give adequate consideration to facilitate degree completion for working students.
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Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies
The Master’s Program in Global Environmental Studies aims to foster human resources with a strong sense of mission toward efficiently and effectively solving various environmental issues, including pressing global warming issues, and those with the intellectual and academic skills to integrate knowledge from the social and natural sciences and connect theory and practice. The Program seeks students with the following qualities:
- Students with a strong interest in environmental issues, which have become increasingly serious and globalized
- Students with basic academic skills in social science, natural science and humanities
- Students who have acquired interdisciplinary academic knowledge and are eager to build on it
- Students who are determined to make a concrete contribution to solving environmental issues through collaboration with others in local, corporate and government contexts
Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies
The Doctoral Program in Global Environmental Studies seeks human resources with a high sense of ethics toward efficiently and effectively solving environmental issues in accordance with approaches developed in the Master’s program, who will further expand their knowledge of social science and natural science.
- Students with interest in the broad ranges of environmental issues, which have become increasing serious and globalized
- Students with basic academic skills in social science, natural science and humanities, who embrace the ability to apply them
- Students who seek to perform unique research of high standards, present their research at academic meetings, submit papers to academic journals, write an excellent dissertation and acquire a doctoral degree
- Students who are determined to make a concrete contribution to environment–related research and education activities or to actions to solve environmental issues through collaboration with others at domestic and overseas research institutions or in local communities, private companies, government, NPOs and international organizations, after graduation
Faculty Members
黄 光偉 教授
銭 学鵬 教授
朴 慧美 助教