Graduate Schools

The Graduate School of Literature
(Doctoral Course (First Stage / Final Stage))

There are two majors (Japanese Literature and Sinology), aiming for global development and the development of diverse human resources centered around oriental studies, our founding principle.

Course in Japanese Literature

Course in Sinology

Nishogakusha started as a small Kangaku school and thus it has a rich academic tradition rooted in Chinese studies, or Sinology. Kangaku requires a rational way of thinking to comprehend reality based on accumulated intelligence and knowledge and to attempt to solve problems from a broad perspective.
The spirit of comprehensive human studies that has been here since the founding of Nishogakusha, has been passed on as Oriental Studies.
The graduate school consists of two sections: Japanese literature and Chinese studies. We are proud to be among the best in Japan with our variety of courses and excellent academic staff. In the Japanese literature section, research fields cover literature from ancient times up to today as well as the Japanese language itself. In the Chinese section, the research fields cover the thought, literature, and language from ancient times to the present. The school also offers diverse courses such as comparative literature, media theory, performing arts culture, and Japanese language education. All of these are designed to research and gain multidimensional knowledge and insights.
In the first part of the PhD program (the Master’s program) each student works to achieve an original and unique research, resulting in writing a Master’s thesis. Taking required credits enables the applicants to obtain a teaching license (of Japanese, calligraphy, and Chinese) for junior and senior high school. In the second part of the PhD program (the Doctoral program), each candidate pursues higher research results and completes his/her dissertation.
Recently, consociating with overseas graduate schools has been promoted. With its ideal international research environment and its excellent location, the graduate school offers the students to develop themselves as researchers and as individuals.

Graduate School of Global Japanese Studies (Master's Course)

Students will focus on the present, where people, things, capital, and information move globally, aiming to develop human resources that have a deep understanding of the past and present of Japanese culture while also being able to engage in research from various perspectives and share this knowledge.

Course in Global Japanese Studies

"Cultivation of character through the spirit of the East" ―― Nishogakusha, which began as a school for learning Chinese classics, has upheld these words as a philosophy throughout the more than 140 years since its founding. In April 2022, we established the new Graduate School of Global Japanese Studies as the stage for multifaceted research both from the East to Japan and from Japan to the East, largely from the perspective of social sciences and humanities. We are currently living in an age where the global movement of people, things, capital, and information is accelerating due to the spread of the Internet and various forms of social media. In this increasingly fluid society, themes continue to appear that should be taken up as research, including the distribution of literature, manga, anime, games, and other content and the composition of popular culture created by fans of this content, as well as the effects of anime pilgrimages and content tourism planned across Japan. In the Graduate School of Global Japanese Studies, students can move forward with research under the guidance of a diverse range of professors specializing in Japanese culture, comparative cultures, tourism culture, and more. Students can also design their futures as the researchers or businesspeople they wish to be.

Graduate School of International Politics and Economics
(Master's Course)

Students will develop a wider international perspective and a practical ability to respond through integrated research of the economy, business, laws, politics, and more with a focus on East Asia.

Course in International Politics and Economics

In the Graduate School of International Politics and Economics, students will learn the practical knowledge and problem-solving skills necessary to survive in the future global society based on a deep understanding of international society, focused mainly on East Asia. In courses related to international politics and the international economy, students will study theoretical framework and historical knowledge to gain a deep insight into changes of each subject. In courses related to international management, students will learn about theories and practical skills needed to seize business chances in the turbulent economic society. The graduate course is open to a wide-range of working students through which they can attend classes on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Enrollees can review their practical experience in a theoretical framework and improve the quality of their daily work. A one-year course is also available to working students. Students can also develop problem-solving abilities coupled with creativity through their own research programs (Master's thesis or specific programs) in the school's small-sized class system. By having students gain a wide range of practical knowledge and superior problem-solving abilities in this way, we strive to develop human resources capable of playing an active role and showcasing their abilities in the field of their choosing after program completion.