Curriculum Information

Degree

Master of Arts in International Peace Studies

Program name

Master of Arts Program
Division of International Peace Studies
School of International Peace Studies
Graduate School of Soka University

Courses

The curriculum of the School of International Peace Studies comprises the following three segments:

Core Courses (14 credits in total)

International Relations Theory (4 credits)
Peace and Global Citizenship (4 credits)
Seminar I (Research Design) (2 credits)
Seminar II (Research Conduct) (2 credits)
Seminar III (Master’s Thesis) (2 credits)

Compulsory Elective Courses (6 or more credits each in International Relations and Peace Studies areas)

International Relations area
Theory of European Integration (2 credits)
International History of Imperialism (2 credits)
Region and Institution Building in the Asia Pacific (2 credits)
International Political Economy (2 credits)
Public Policy for Global-Regional Development (2 credits)
Political Economy of International Trade and Finance (2 credits)
State Building in Africa (2 credits)
Peace Studies area
Civil War and Peace Processes (2 credits)
Ethnic Conflict and Resolution (2 credits)
Global Justice and Pragmatism (2 credits)
Human Security and Human Rights (2 credits)
Critical Race and Gender Studies (2 credits)
Women’s Studies (2 credits)
Philosophy and Human Rights (2 credits)
Globalization and Migration (2 credits)
Elective Courses
Internship I (2 credits)
Internship II (2 credits)

Graduation criteria

  • Enrollment for two years (four semesters)
  • Minimum 32 credits (including all the core courses and at least 6 credits each from IR & Peace Studies)
  • MA thesis submission and successful defense
  • Maximum 10 credits registration per semester (Internships are exempted from this rule).

MA thesis guidance and defense

At the end of the first semester, students choose an academic adviser among the five faculty members teaching Seminars I/II/III according to their respective research interests and topics. The students also select a sub adviser from the remaining seven full time faculty members of the School of International Peace Studies. The two instructors for each student constitute the Master’s Thesis Guidance Committee.
Students submit their master’s theses by the designated period of time in the second semester of the second year. The Master’s Thesis Guidance Committee organizes a master’s thesis committee by adding another member, who is to be chosen from among the University’s full-time faculties and approved by the Dean of the School of International Peace Studies, and conducts a final examination regarding the submitted master’s theses. The examination takes place in public. Students orally make a presentation regarding their theses, followed by a Q&A session with the examiners. The three examiners then meet in a closed session to evaluate the submitted theses.