12 Attractive Points of Our Program
Before Joining the Program
1. Information Sessions for Prospective Students
We hold information sessions for our graduate program six times a year. These sessions provide guidance on entrance examinations, techniques for writing research proposals, recommended readings, along with other useful tips. Prospective students also have the opportunity to meet with faculty members on an individual basis.
2. Multiple Admission Opportunities
We offer entrance examinations four times a year, in July, October, December, and February. Applicants can choose the month that best suits their state of progress.
During the Program
3. Flexibility for Working Professionals
Our program is designed to suit busy working professionals. Many classes are offered after 6 p.m. and on Saturdays to accommodate work commitments. We also offer intensive lecture courses during the summer and winter breaks. For those with extremely busy schedules, our MA course can be taken at a slower pace of three years instead of two. For in-service teachers, practical expertise makes it possible to complete a Master's degree in just one year. Additionally, in April 2023, we will introduce a distance learning system for students who are unable to attend in-person classes on campus.
4. Diverse Student Community
Our program attracts students from a wide range of universities and countries, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
5. Scholarship Opportunities
We offer various scholarships, with over 40% of current students on the MA program receiving some form of financial support each year. (Note: The number of recipients varies from year to year.)
6. Comfortable Study Spaces
We provide two large study spaces accessible 24/7 to all enrolled students. Equipped with classic reference materials and PCs installed with research-related software, these study spaces also offer the ideal environment for exchanging ideas with fellow program members.
7. State-of-the-art Library Facilities
Kansai University Library boasts one of the largest collections of books among private university libraries in Japan, as well as an extensive collection of electronic journals in foreign language pedagogy and related fields.
8. Visiting Professors
Each year, we invite eminent researchers as visiting professors. For example, those invited in 2022 were Professor Yukio Ohtsu (Keio University), Professor Lourdes Ortega (Georgetown University), and Professor Yasuhiko Tosaku (University of California, San Diego, School of Global Policy and Strategy).
9. Special Events
In addition to regular courses, we organize a wide variety of events, including symposia and workshops on foreign language education and research featuring prominent researchers and practitioners.
10. Special Programs for Career Development
We offer several special programs to supplement regular courses, such as the "Emory University Teaching Fellowship" and "Training Course for Specialists in Japanese Language Education," which prepare students to become Japanese language teachers. The "Aston University TESOL Double-Degree Program" enables two Master's degrees in language education to be earned.
After the Program
11. Professional Development
Our alumni and current students are active as researchers at both the domestic and international level, with many having published and presented their research findings in prominent journals and conferences.
12. Diverse Employment Options
Our graduates pursue a range of career paths, with language teaching being a popular option. However, many MA graduates also find employment in general industry, while most of our Ph.D. graduates go on to obtain full-time teaching positions at universities and other educational and research institutions.