Doctoral Program (English-based Degree Program)

This doctoral program is a doctoral degree program at WASEDA University in Tokyo, Japan, delivered in English and lasting three years, with a start date of September or April. 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 work 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 doctoral program is delivered entirely in English and runs for three years, with intakes available in both September and April, giving applicants flexibility in planning when to begin their research. Doctoral programs of this kind center on independent research culminating in a dissertation, carried out under the guidance of a faculty supervisor, alongside advanced seminars, methodology training, and opportunities to present work at conferences or in academic publications. Based in central Tokyo, students have access to Waseda's research centers, libraries, and connections with government bodies, industry partners, and international academic networks. Graduates of doctoral programs typically move into academic positions, advanced research roles in the public or private sector, or specialist positions in policy, industry, or international organizations, often carrying forward the research skills and cross-cultural experience built during years of doctoral study in Japan. Applicants should review the specific department's guidelines to confirm the research field, supervisory arrangements, and coursework requirements tied to this doctoral track.