Master's Program for the Study of Public Affairs and Social Sciences

Master's Program for the Study of Public Affairs and Social Sciences

For this program, we have established three courses, namely , Courses of Study of Public Affairs,Courses of Economics and Management, and Courses of Economics in English, to provide various course models matched to each student’ research subject, career path, or other future plans.

In the Courses of Studies on Public Affairs, interdisciplinary subjects focusing on current affairs are provided to deal with cutting-edge issues facing our current globalized society. Students can also take various subjects in diverse social science fields, such as law, politics, and international relations.

Note) Those who have completed this courses will be granted a Master’s degree in public affairs, politics, or science, depending on their selected courses and areas of research.

The Courses of Study of Economics and Management provide theoretical and practical subjects in the fields of economics, business administration, and accounting. Students can take cross-sectional subjects in the social sciences field that address a wide range of issues, on the national, industrial, corporate, public institution-based, or individual level.

Note) Those who have completed this courses will be granted a Master’s degree in economics or business administration, depending on their selected courses and areas of research.

The Courses of Economics in English provide theoretical and practical subjects that focus chiefly on microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. Students can take subjects in a wide range of fields, such as business statistics, finance, healthcare, and economic history. All the classes are provided in English, and the courses are also open to overseas students. In addition to support for submitting a Master’s thesis in English, there are paths for students to receive a doctoral degree by submitting a doctoral dissertation in English through completing a doctoral program.

Note) Those who have completed this courses will be granted a Master’s degree in economics.

As a subject group common to these three courses, this program provides practical educational programs, such as international and regional internships and fieldwork subjects. Also provided is a curriculum formulated to develop the careers of specialized professionals and develop human resources who can play an active role both globally and locally.

Economics in English

1. General Description

The following are the selling points of our English course:

1) Lectures of an International Standard in Three Core Subjects

2) Financial Engineering

3) Intensive Education by Actively Publishing Faculty Members

The main purpose of this English course at Chiba University is to provide attendees with graduate education in economics that is of an international standard. For instance, lectures on the three core subjects, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, are prepared and delivered according to well-established English textbooks for master’s level students or upper-division undergraduate students.    

By equipping attendees with a general foundation in postgraduate-level economics and statistics, the Economics in English course at Chiba University prepares attendees for wide-ranging careers in academics, business, and the public sector. The required core courses cover both theoretical and empirical methods. The general background in economics and statistics nurtured in our classes helps graduates tackle diverse and emerging social issues, such as an aging society, poverty traps in advanced economies, tax havens, and persistent inequality.

The salient feature of our three core courses (microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics) is not the pursuit of uniqueness but the pursuit of an international standard of graduate education in economics and statistics. Classes in these three core subjects comprise lectures, homework, and examinations. This is notably different from seminar-style classes in which attendees and professors read textbooks or academic papers together. In addition, to obtain a master’s degree, attendees need to pass a comprehensive examination in these three core subjects. Our curriculum and evaluation system guarantee that our graduates’ skills and knowledge in economics and statistics will be accepted anywhere in the world. Japanese students planning to pursue a Ph.D. at a foreign graduate school, for example, will find our English course very useful. The international-level education that the Economics in English course provides will assist students in preparing for the difficult requirements of any Ph.D. program.

Many applied subjects, such as Game Theory, Environmental Economics, and Development Economics, are provided on the same principle as the three core courses. Our finance classes are a notable exception. The advanced content of these classes is based on recent research by our teaching staff. We expect some applicants who would like to pursue a career in financial engineering or data analysis. 

The final selling point of the Economics in English course is the teaching staff, who have been publishing their work in well-known academic journals such as the European Economic Review, Biometrika, and the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. With our small number of enrollments (i.e., a maximum of ten for all social science majors at the Graduate School of Humanities and Studies on Public Affairs), students can enjoy intensive academic guidance by the staff.

Our staff works on numerous research projects, including field surveys and experiments. Students with good grades have the opportunity to join these surveys and experiments. 

2. Courses

Core Courses

Applied Courses (Examples)

3. Entrance Examination

The entrance examination is a written qualifying exam on undergraduate-level microeconomics and macroeconomics. Some questions may require the knowledge of calculus, up to partial differentiation.

Schedule

Application Period: TBA (to be announced)

Exam Dates: TBA (usually in October and February)

Examination Fee: TBA