Educational Objectives

Economics in English
Through our faculty’s International Program (IP) students have the opportunity to take English economics courses that enable them to develop advanced English proficiency and learn economics. There are also opportunities for cross-cultural experiences through short-term study tours to Singapore and California, U.S.A, as well as an overseas internship program in Manchester, U.K. These experiences allow students to gain a greater practical competency in English and economics. Of the number of Soka University students participating in one-year study abroad exchange programs and shorter programs in English-speaking countries, over 40 percent are economics majors. In order to enhance the academic benefits of the IP, the subjects covered in the IP are designed to link with specialized courses in Japanese, providing an ideal curriculum.

A Systematic Curriculum
Our course system allows students to systematically select a specialized area of study of their choice. In core compulsory subjects such as Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, students are divided into three classes to enable them to receive more personalized attention. Lecture content, assignments and tests in each class are the same, and course objectives and standardized grade calculation are decided collaboratively among lecturers.

Introductory seminars in the freshman year help students master the basics of economics and prepare them for further study. Interaction with instructors who specialize in specific areas of economics study at an early stage helps orient students to the broader discipline.

Incentives
To assist students in developing self-motivated and self-reliant approaches to learning, we help them clarify their achievement objectives and give them appropriate assignments. To this end, we also provide student assistants for basic seminars and core subjects. Such student assistants, who have demonstrated academic excellence, serve as positive role models to their underclassmen and underclasswomen. High-achieving students are commended at annual top-performer functions, and the highest achievers are awarded with a Dean’s Award at graduation. At the same time, underachieving students are aided through private counseling sessions at the beginning of each semester, helping them find early solutions to their difficulties and enjoy a fruitful and successful college life.

A High Level of Satisfaction
The approaches outlined above have met with a high level of satisfaction from students in the Faculty of Economics. This is evident in the questionnaire results from the Japan Association of Private Colleges and Universities. There has also been a rise in the grade point average of students upon graduation from their four-year program, resulting in an increasing number of graduates finding employment in companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s First Section. Furthermore, students’ scores on standardized English proficiency tests have shown remarkable improvement, and in the intercollegiate competition on the December 2007 Economics Record Examination, a group of Soka University economics majors placed first nationally in the overall group competition category and first, third and fifth in the individual competition category.