Graduate School of Global and Regional Studies

■ Master's program

■ Master's program

Course curriculum 

[Course of Regional Development Studies（Master's program）]　Course Curriculum 【PDF】　

※Please check timetables of courses on ToyoNet-G. You will be able to view them on ToyoNet-G from March 21, 2025. Until then, please refer to the syllabus database.

Credits and other completion requirements

1. Students are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in the required courses.

2. “Special Lecture on Regional Development Studies”

Students must take a “Special Lecture on Regional Development Studies” provided by their main academic supervisor every semester. However, if students aim for early completion, they must enroll in and earn credits for courses every semester during their enrollment.

3. ”Research Skill” courses 

Students are required to take a minimum of 3 courses and earn more than 6 credits.

Course requirements

1. Students should consult with their academic supervisors before deciding which courses they will take.

• There will be 2 academic supervisors: a main supervisor and a co-supervisor.

• However, there may be 2 co-supervisors at the discretion of the main supervisor.

2. Students are required to take the “Research Guidance” by their main academic supervisor every semester.

3. Students may take and earn credits for "lectures" or "seminars" at the graduate school any number of times during their enrollment.

• However, it can only be counted as a credit toward completion requirements once. Credits earned after the second time cannot be counted toward completion requirements.

• As an exception, "Special Research in Global and Regional Studies" taught by your main academic supervisor can be counted towards graduation requirements up to four times (for a total of 8 credits).  (For students who enrolled in or before AY 2024, they may earn a combined total of 8 credits from "Special Research in Global and Regional Studies" and "Research Guidance in Global and Regional Studies" taught by their main academic supervisor.)

• Students are required to take at least 3 courses and earn at least 6 credits from the "Research Skills Field" before completing their studies. 

4. For students who enrolled for 2 academic years, 4 semesters or more, they must register for a "Master's Thesis" in the semester in which they plan to complete their studies.

5. In addition to courses in students’ major Course, they may take courses in other graduate schools and Courses as well as courses at other universities (partner universities).

• The courses must be those deemed educationally necessary by the academic supervisors. Permission of the academic supervisors is required.

• These courses can be counted as credits toward completion requirements in the same way as courses in the student's Course. The basic rule is the same as 3. above.

• However, the total number of credits earned for the completion requirement must not exceed 20 credits, including credits earned before entering the graduate school and deemed to have been earned by taking courses in the graduate school (previously earned credits). Additionally, in this case, the number of credits that can be applied toward completion requirements is limited to 15 credits.

(1) (Credits acquired prior to enrollment that have been approved as previously earned credits: Up to 15 credits)

(2) (Credits earned at other universities, including overseas universities, other graduate schools, or other departments of the university: up to 15 credits)

(A total of 20 credits from (1) and (2) may be used toward completion of the program.)

Please note that credits for one course may not be split. You may not split the credits of a two-credit course and count only one credit towards the completion requirement.

For example, if a student has taken the 2-credits courses listed in (2) above, a maximum of 7 courses and 14 credits will be accepted as credit towards completion requirements (and up to a total of 20 credits with the courses listed in (1) above).

How to take courses in other graduate schools and majors

How to take courses at other universities (partner universities)

6. Students may take courses in the Faculty of Global and Regional Studies in addition to the courses in their own Course.

• They may take the courses only when their academic supervisor deems it educationally necessary. Approval from their academic supervisor is required.

•  Grades and credits will be awarded, but cannot be counted as credits toward completion requirements.

How to Take Undergraduate Courses for Graduate Students

7. Students“Advanced Theory of Practical Regional Development” and “Seminar on Practical Regional Development” are offered exclusively to students enrolled under the JICA KAIGAI KYORYOKU-TAI (JICA Volunteer category) and under the JICA KOBETSU SENMONKA (JICA Individual Expert category).

• Notwithstanding the “Course requirement 3.,” up to 8 credits earned from the “Seminar on Practical Regional Development” can be counted for completion requirements.

Classes taught in English

Subjects noted in the “Eng.” column indicate the semester they are offered in English.

Regarding course registration during the period of JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and JICA Individual Expert category

1. Students are required to take the “Advanced Theory of Practical Regional Development” course to earn 2 credits in the first semester after returning from dispatch. (This will be registered by the administrative office; students do not need to register themselves.)

2. Students are required to take a “Seminar on Practical Regional Development” course in each semester, to earn credits during their dispatch period. (This will be registered by the administrative office; students do not need to register themselves.)

3. A total of up to 10 credits earned in 1 and 2 above will be accepted for completion.

4. 3. During the period of dispatch, the main supervisor's “Special Lecture on Regional Development Studies” are required to be taken as described above “Course requirements 2.”.

5. Students are required to take " Specialized Research on Regional Development Studies" every semester.

6. Students are required to attend school for at least one year, excluding the dispatch period.

* In this Course, we encourage participation and presentation in overseas surveys, researches and academic conferences as part of research advising in order to deepen students’ own researches.

* Please be sure to check the credit transfer table if you are pursuing a double degree with Curtin University. The courses that can be transferred may vary depending on the program you choose, so you need to be careful when registering for classes. Here are some important points to consider:

(Example 1) For Toyo University credits that can be transferred as Curtin University credits, take and earn credits for the relevant Toyo University courses as needed.

(Example 2) Among the credits earned during your study abroad at Curtin University, those that are applicable can be transferred as Toyo University credits upon your return. However, if you have already taken and earned credits for the corresponding courses at Toyo University before studying abroad, earning credits for these courses at Curtin University will be considered a second credit acquisition and cannot be counted towards graduation requirements.

■ Doctoral program