Message

The Faculty of Regional Sciences was established in 2004 in order to foster the development of key individuals who can create prosperous futures for regions.“ Region” is a term that refers to an area where people live and in which they build social relations.

The world consists of overlapping regions that differ by sca le and characteristics. Many problems that people are trying to address today can be better understood by using regions as the basic units on which to center their studies. To that end, the field of regional sciences serves to re-conceptualize existing academic frameworks. Our mission is to develop key individuals with a passion for creativity who offer specialized knowledge and skills in the regional sciences.

Philosophy and Goals of Education and Research

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science aims to develop human resources who will lead the creation of a sustainable society with expertise based on a broad understanding of global and regional issues in the midst of a situation where the economy, society, and environment of Japan and its neighboring areas are drastically changing. To develop human resources with thinking skills and broad perspectives about a sustainable society, we are launching new majors—Regional Sciences, Engineering, and International Arid Land Science—in the first part of the graduate program.

In order to develop a sustainable society for a globalized age and an aging society with a shrinking population, individuals with the knowledge and ability to engage in social frameworks in daily life, culture, and education in the regions are necessary. To meet such a social need, the Faculty of Regional Sciences is offering two areas of specialization for highly specialized knowledge: the Concentration in Regional Creation and the Concentration in Human Resource Development. In our curriculum, students can learn from professors outside of students’own fields. In so doing,, we will aim at training professionals and scholars who can use not only use skills in regional development but also pay attention to the importance of nurturing local human resources.

Course Guide

In order to solve public problems and to create unique and sustainable regions, the Faculty of Regional Sciences develops professionals and scholars with advanced skills and knowledge to understand regions in a comprehensive manner.

Concentration in Regional Creation

In order to solve public problems and create a unique and sustainable region, this concentration will develop key people for the region who are capable of contributing to regional creation with an emphasis of people—for example, incorporating people’s engagement in regional development, local cultural resources, and community networks. Students can use their understanding and skills learned from courses in the areas of regional creation and global and cultural cultures.

Concentration in Human Resource Development Course

From the perspective of lifelong human resource development using educational resources in the region, this concentration will develop key people for activities concerning the sustainable development of the region that meets regional demand by teaching the theories and practices of human development.

Those who pursue the concentration in the Regional Creation will explore the diverse ways in which creating regions and those who pursue the concentration in Human Resources will focus on examining and investigating how to develop human resources for a region through education. By having these two concentrations in one major, we will develop professionals and scholars who are not only able to plan regional development but also those who consider the importance of nurturing people in the region, who can support the specific regions in which they live.

Licenses and Future Career Paths

Careers After Completion

Possible careers after completion of the Concentration in Regional Creation include specialists and employees at local governments,think tanks related to public policies, private corporations, such as financial institutions and various consulting companies, NPOs and NGOs that deal with diverse regional issues with bottom-up approaches, and teachers at junior-high and high schools.

Possible careers after completion of the Concentration in Human Resource Development are the following examples: specialists in local governments involved in lifelong education and other education, staff members in social service and welfare service institutions, such as day-care centers and other education-related private companies, and teaching professionals in elementary schools, special support education schools, and kindergartens, who can provide development and learning supports.

Teaching Certificates applicable

Students who have completed the Major in Regional Sciences at the Graduate School of Sustainability Science can obtain a teaching certificate (specialized certificate) if they acquire the credits in the designated course subjects. The obtainable certificates are listed in the table below. As the base qualification to obtain one, the student must have a first-degree teaching certificate for the relevant school type and subject.