Education

Graduate Program

There are approximately 200 students enrolled in the master's program and 70 students in the doctoral program. The master's program is a two-year program, and the master's degree is awarded after the course work is completed and the thesis has been approved. The doctoral program continues after the master's program for three-years, and the doctoral degree is awarded after successfully defending one’s dissertation. The defining characteristic of the Graduate School is to acquire an advanced academic ability to build up an identity in one's specialty by capturing multifaceted, comparative phenomenon. The Graduate School offers an advanced research environment where students take the initiative in pursuing fundamental, applied and practical education, activities to foster eminent researchers, and overseas study tours to conduct practical education and research.

Undergraduate Program

There are approximately 1,200 students enrolled in the Faculty of Human Development. A bachelor's degree will be awarded after four years of study and approval of the diploma thesis. The Faculty offers the most suitable education program for students to acquire an ability to understand issues comprehensively and solve practical problems.

Research

The Graduate School promotes interdisciplinary research on human development and the environment that supports the human development in cooperation with many domestic and overseas researchers and organizations. Based on the strong achievement having been made on diverse specialized fields, the research is cross-sectoral and practical. The Graduate School has been supporting a number of research projects. Here are some examples.

1. Creative research on multi-generational symbiosis communities.
2. Life histories as the basis of ESD^* and support in terms of psychology and education.
3. Development of advanced training programs for teachers.
4. Human beings and biological diversity in urban areas.

The Graduate School holds Academic Exchange Weeks every fall. Many researchers are invited from overseas, and a series of research meetings are held during this period. Not only faculty members but also graduate and undergraduate students take an active role in the events. It is a great opportunity for participants to discuss problems beyond their field of research.