Doctoral Program (English-based Degree Program)

This doctoral program is delivered in English at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, and takes three years to complete, with intakes available in April and September. Waseda University is internationally recognized as one of the top private universities in Japan, based in central Tokyo. It is organized into 13 undergraduate schools and 20 graduate schools, enrolls over 47,000 students, and is the second-largest university in the country. The university has produced 8 prime ministers, and its alumni are active across many fields in Japan and internationally. Guided by its founder's ethos of harmonizing Eastern and Western cultures, Waseda has welcomed international students since its founding and describes itself as the most global-friendly university in Japan, enrolling around 8,000 students from more than 120 countries and regions in the 2019 academic year. This particular doctoral track is structured for candidates who may conduct part of their research in Japanese as well as English, and it sets out detailed language requirements for applicants without a Japanese bachelor's or master's degree. Doctoral study of this kind centers on independent research under faculty supervision, culminating in a dissertation, supported by coursework in research methods and, where relevant, Japanese-language academic training. Based in central Tokyo, doctoral candidates can draw on Waseda's research centers, library holdings, and connections with government, industry, and international academic institutions across the capital. Graduates commonly move into academic positions, advanced research roles, or specialist work in policy, government, or industry that draws on both English and Japanese academic training gained during the program.