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Graduate School of American Studies

The field of American Studies strives to produce internationally minded citizens ready for a broad variety of professional roles and equipped with an understanding of the US as a key influence in world affairs.

Outline

About the Graduate School of American Studies

The bilateral relationship between Japan and the US is of crucial importance to any consideration of Japanese society in the 21st century in line with pronounced changes in the international environment. The reason is not only that both countries have a strong influence on one another but that their relationship holds the keys to global prosperity and stability. Programs of American Studies in Japan must reflect this understanding.

That is precisely why it is so important to have a general understanding of America within the context of a dynamically evolving international environment. Whenever elements of American culture or society are transformed in response to fresh changes in that environment, one may expect the appearance of a broad set of phenomena that cannot be understood using conventional methods of study. Furthermore, it is essential that America and its bilateral relationship with Japan be viewed in relative terms from an international standpoint.

Having perspectives rooted in a mutual understanding will also be vital to the field of American Studies going forward. Although Japan and other Asian countries have been striving to deepen their understanding of America, fostering an improved American understanding of Japan and Asia in general is one of the crucial responsibilities that American Studies in Japan are expected to fulfill.

Granted these perspectives, Doshisha University Graduate School of American Studies accepts that its principal mission is to equip students with an advanced level of professional knowledge and analytical skills pertaining to the US coupled with an ability to freely and broadly apply those strengths from a global perspective and serve an active role in international society. More specifically, our goal is to look beyond the traditional graduate school role of training researchers and educators and strive to produce human resources capable of serving international society in a many fields of endeavor, including positions in multilateral institutions, public institutions, companies engaged in international business, and press organizations based in Japan, other Asian countries, or the US.

Interdisciplinary and Supra-regional Studies: A Setting for Cross-Cultural Exchange

The Graduate School of American Studies places special importance on the utilization of a broad-based approach for educational and research purposes. Developing a comprehensive understanding of America demands an interdisciplinary approach that transcends the boundaries of pre-existing academic domains. We provide an open setting for robust interdisciplinary exchange by faculty members and graduate students from different specialty fields. Moreover, some of our classes are conducted in English because we always have several American professors engaged in our education and research program activities.

Access to the Institute of American Studies

Doshisha University's Center for American Studies is the leading institution for American Studies in Japan. It has earned strong acclaim for its extensive collection of academic books and journals, and microfiche resources as well as digital resources including CD-ROMs and off-campus online databases. Furthermore, it is also heavily engaged in research led by American Studies researchers from Japan and abroad. Graduate students have access to the center's facilities and may also participate in various research activities.

An Open Graduate School

The Graduate School of American Studies does not limit graduate-level enrollment only to students that have completed the undergraduate degree program. It also has an early admissions framework in place for qualifying third-year undergraduate students and offers opportunities for the enrollment of adults that pursued business careers after completing their undergraduate studies. Furthermore, it welcomes students from abroad, including the US and other Asian countries.