Degrees Offered by the Graduate School of Letters
This section lists the degree completion requirements and number of degrees awarded by the Graduate School of Letters.
Graduation Requirements
Master’s Program
The graduation requirements for the master’s program are: enrollment in the graduate school for at least two years; acquisition of at least 30 credits, including 4 credits in Subject Research, 6 credits in Independent Research 1, and at least 8 credits in the major specialization of the academic advisor’s department; receiving necessary research guidance; submission of a master’s thesis; and passing the defense of the thesis and a final examination.
Students may also complete the master’s program after one year or one and a half years of study if they have earned the required credits, have been especially recognized for their achievements and abilities, and have passed the defense of the master’s thesis and a final examination.
The maximum period of enrollment in a master’s program is four years (excluding temporary leaves of absence and periods of studying abroad).
1st Year: Subject Research
Students must complete course registration in the first semester of their first year of study and take the course for at least one year.
2nd and Subsequent Years: Independent Research 1 (Master’s Thesis)
Courses whose main purpose is to offer guidance from the academic advisor in the production of a master’s thesis and to engage in discussion with the academic advisor.
* Students who have not earned at least 16 credits, including Subject Research (4 credits), will not be allowed to enroll in Independent Research 1 (to begin their master’s thesis).
Because the standard enrollment period for Independent Research 1 is one year, if at least 16 credits have not been earned, it will be difficult to complete the master’s program in two years.
Doctoral Program
The requirements for completion of the doctoral program are: enrollment in the program for at least three years, receiving necessary research guidance, completing Independent Research 2 (6 credits), and passing the doctoral dissertation defense and
a final examination.
However, the period of enrollment may be shorter than three years. Students may also complete the doctoral program after one to two and a half years of study (three years or more when combined with the years of study in the master’s program) if they have achieved excellent research results and have passed the doctoral dissertation defense and a final examination.
Number of Degrees Conferred
Master’s Program
2022 academic year: 41 in total (5 in Philosophy, 8 in Aesthetics, 10 in History, 11 in Literature, 2 in Japanese Language Education, and 5 in Library and Information Science)
2023 academic year: 49 in total (8 in Philosophy, 5 in Aesthetics, 11 in History, 17 in Literature, 3 in Japanese Language Education, and 5 in Library and Information Science)
2024 academic year: 40 in total (9 in Philosophy, 2 in Aesthetics, 9 in History, 15 in Literature, 1 in Japanese Language Education, and 4 in Library and Information Science)
Doctoral Program
Coursework Doctoral Program
2024 academic year: 7 in total (1 in Philosophy, 1 in Aesthetics, 5 in Literature)
Dissertation Doctoral Program
2024 academic year: 6 in total (1 in Aesthetics, 5 in Literature)
Examples of Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Topics
Thesis Defense Criteria
Master’s Thesis
Are the objectives and methods of the research appropriately established?
Is the previous research on the subject properly laid out?
Is it written in a logically coherent manner?
Is the wording, notation, and format appropriate for an academic paper?
Have research ethics been complied with?
Does the research contribute to the development of the field?
Is the research expected to be further developed?
Doctoral Dissertation
Are the objectives and methods of the research appropriately established?
Is the previous research on the subject properly laid out?
Is it written in a logically coherent manner?
Is the wording, notation, and format appropriate for an academic paper?
Have research ethics been complied with?
Does the research contribute to the development of the field by international standards?
Does the research show potential to contribute to society at large?