Doctoral 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. 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 conducted in English and takes three years to complete, with enrollment beginning each September. Doctoral study of this kind is centered on independent, faculty-supervised research culminating in a dissertation, supported by coursework in research methodology and opportunities to present findings at conferences or in academic publications. Based in central Tokyo, doctoral candidates have access to Waseda's research centers and library resources as well as connections to government bodies, industry, and international institutions located throughout the capital. Graduates typically move into academic positions, advanced research roles, or specialist work in policy or industry, drawing on years of research training and the cross-cultural experience of doctoral study in Japan. Applicants who are nationals of countries where English is an official language, or who hold a degree from an English-medium program at a higher education institution, are not required to submit English proficiency test scores, which simplifies admission for candidates with an established English-language academic record. Prospective applicants should confirm the specific research field, supervisory structure, and coursework requirements with the department offering this doctoral track.