Department of Political Science Curriculum

The Department of Political Science has produced many Diet (parliament) members, local assembly members, diplomats, central and local government officials, and officials at international organizations. It has also cultivated a huge number of talented individuals who are active in the private sector and at NGOs, among many other fields. Using their creative and logical thinking powers and specialized knowledge acquired at our faculty, a great many alumni are making significant contributions in an increasingly globalized and rapidly changing society. We offer a curriculum comprising five disciplinary subfields to nurture highly professional individuals who are either generalists with high levels of specialist expertise or specialists who also possess comprehensive knowledge and abilities in many spheres.

Students learn the basics of political science in their first and second years. Once they have found an area of interest, they study their chosen specialization in their third and fourth years, enhancing their ability to think critically and independently through in-depth reading and discussion with professors and other students.

Cross-Listed Courses

Cross-listed courses are a unique aspect of the Faculty of Law curriculum, with students taking a systematic rather than comprehensive approach to liberal arts courses. Through seminars on the humanities and natural sciences, students can further develop and deepen their understanding, and they can also earn a sub-major after completing specific academic requirements in an area after four years of study.

Seminars

In their third and fourth years, students study in small, specialized seminars under the guidance and support of a single professor. This program is an extension of the classes taken by first and second-year students, allowing them to deepen their research in a more specialized area. Although these seminars are not required, they are taught by full-time members of the Faculty of Law, with small groups of students studying specialist areas in greater depth.

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  Hirohisa TAKENOSHITA Seminar
  Social Stratification, Sociology

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  Hiroki TSUKIYAMA Seminar
  Political Process, Polimetrics

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  Aiko NISHIKIDA Seminar
  Migration, Refugee Politics

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  Takeshi KOHNO Seminar
  Political Theory

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  Kiyoshi TAMAI Seminar
  Political History Of Modern Japan

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  Akiko SUGIKI Seminar
  Politics of Contemporary Africa, International Relations Theory

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  Ken TSUTSUMIBAYASHI Seminar
  History of Western European Polical Thought

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  Naoya IDUOKA Seminar
  Politics of Contemporary Latin America

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  Takeharu OKUBO Seminar
  History of Political Thought in East Asia, Comparative Political Thought

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  Masanaru TANOUE Seminar
  History of Western European Polical Thought

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  Kazuko KOJIMA Seminar
  Contemporary Chinese Politics

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  Isao MIYAOKA Seminar
  Theory of International Politics, Security Studies

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  Atsushi SAWAI Seminar
  Contemporary Social Theory

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  Yuichi HOSOYA Seminar
  History of Western Diplomacy, International Politics

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  Nobuo TAKAHASHI Seminar
  Contemporary Political History of China

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  Kosuke OYAMA Seminar
  Public Administration, Policy Studies, Governance Theory

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  Yoshikazu SHIOBARA Seminar
  Sociology, Global Sociology

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  Hiroshi OKAYAMA Seminar
  American Politics, Political History

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  Yuko KASUYA Seminar
  Comparative Politics of Developing Countries

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  Masamichi OGAWARA Seminar
  History of Japanese Political Thought, History of Japanese Political Movements

Sub-Majors

The Faculty of Law offers courses in the areas of foreign languages, humanities, natural sciences, and beyond so that students may acquire a broad range of knowledge and a thorough liberal arts education. However, it goes without saying that factual knowledge and a solid liberal arts grounding can only be developed into a comprehensive worldview if they are studied with a systematic approach. For example, studying Area Studies on Culture I through IV will allow students to build up their knowledge systematically. In addition, there are humanities and natural sciences seminars for third- and fourth-year students in which they can apply the knowledge acquired in the first two years.
After completing specific academic requirements, students qualify for a sub-major and receive an official certificate from the Faculty of Law.

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• The Department of Law is not about rote memorization of the Six Legal Codes of Japan. Students here benefit from Keio’s constantly evolving jurisprudence, which stays in step with the times, informed by discussions between students and faculty. For studying the latest legal developments, look no further than the Department of Law.
• • Department of Law Curriculum
  • Seminars
  • Members Profiles