B.A. Liberal Arts
ProgramKyoto, JapanThe Institute for the Liberal Arts

Welcome
We are delighted that you are considering studying for yourB.A. degree in Liberal Arts here at The Institute for the Liberal
Arts (ILA) at Doshisha University.

Doshisha University

Our international faculty works with students from over 42
different countries, who share classes with Japanese students
from across Doshisha and exchange students from our worldwide
network of partner universities.

29,000 students

Studying in a small, close-knit Institute within a large, established
University offers the advantages of both settings. Students
benefit from seminar-style classes, but still have access to adiversity of academic disciplines across the University as awhole. We aim to break down traditional barriers between
the disciplines and foster a heterogeneous form of education,
suitable for the dynamic globalized society we now inhabit.
We offer degrees taught exclusively in English in a curriculumthat you can customize giving you the chance for both breadthand depth of study.
We have no Japanese language requirement, but forinternational students who choose to study Japanese, there areclasses at all levels.
The Institute’s collegial team of academics, administrators, andstudents look forward to welcoming you. We draw on our own
experiences of living and researching across the world, and allunderstand the importance of both local and global contexts.
In the contemporary world, a broad international education, work
experience, global networks, and language skills will give you thecompetitive edge.

Private university founded in1875
2,350 faculty members
15 undergraduate programs
16 graduate programs
Host to:The Stanford Japan Center
Tubingen University Centerfor Japanese Studies
at Doshisha University
The Associated Kyoto
Program Center(a consortium of 13 Americancolleges)
The Kyoto Consortium forJapanese Studies(a consortium of 13 renowned
universities in the United States,
including Harvard, Princeton,and Yale)

Core Faculty
Gregory Poole, Ph.D. (Oxford)
Anthropology

Increase your employability
by acquiring Japanese andinternational experience inJapan, while you study for yourB. A. degree in the liberal arts.

Colin Davis, Ph.D. (Hokkaido)
Economics

Gill Steel, Ph.D. (Chicago)
Political Science

KyotoTokyo

Jennifer McGuire, Ph.D. (Oxford)
Anthropology

David Uva, Ph.D. (Osaka)
Japanese Studies

https://ila.doshisha.ac.jp/ila/en/Make your education an adventure.
Study for your degree in English, in JapanThe Institute for the Liberal Arts at Doshisha University has a
private liberal arts college atmosphere and diverse educational
approach with an emphasis on building partnerships between
students and professors in small classes.
The Institute has over ﬁfty faculty members from various
countries that bring together a wide range of experiences fromacademia, business, education, journalism, government, andnongovernmental organizations (NGOs), as they endeavor tofoster excellence in learning, teaching, and research.
In addition to specialized knowledge on Japanese issues
accumulated through extensive ﬁeldwork and research, faculty
members are able to relate practical knowledge from theperspective of an international student, having themselves beeninternational students in Japan.

Traditional Kyoto, Modern Kyoto, Academic Kyoto
Traditional Kyoto
Kyoto, the ancient Capital of Japan, attracts tourists fromall over the globe to its temples, shrines and Zen gardens,
including 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites. The city is thebirthplace of Japanese literature; home of Murasaki Shikibu,
author of the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji; the siteof the old Imperial Palace; the seat of power for samurai clans
for hundreds of years, before the rise of Tokyo. You can live
and breathe the romance and drama of Japan’s colorful
history on every street corner in the city.

Modern Kyoto
Enjoy the variety of shopping districts, from urban street
fashion in the markets to designer stores and modern malls
to 100 yen shops for the bargain hunter! Try the safe and funnightlife in the downtown area. Kyoto is within easy reach of
Osaka and Kobe, both thriving multicultural cities with vibrant
Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese communities and nightlife

on a par with the most exciting cities in the world. Many Kansai
industries, organizations, and universities compete on a global
level and offer students rich case-study material across allareas of study. If you tire of the frantic pace of city life, you canchoose more natural and spiritual pursuits, learning the secretsof Kyoto’s celebrated cuisine, meditating at temples, hiking in
the nearby hills, cycling along the rivers that run through thecity center, or soaking in outdoor hot springs.

Academic Kyoto
Kyoto has more universities and students per square mile thanany other city in the country. ILA students are encouraged toparticipate in the many international conferences and symposiathat are held regularly in the city, but students are not limited
to academic opportunities at the ILA or within Doshisha itself.
Our students can take advantage of universities, courses, andinternships in institutes across the whole of the prefecture
in any of the 50 member institutions of The Consortium ofUniversities in Kyoto.

Japanese Society and Global Culture

Curriculum Outline
Students in this four-year degree program choose one of three
concentrations: Humanities and the Human Sciences, Businessand Economics, or Politics and Policy Studies. All students
begin by studying Foundation Courses, where they master themethodologies and research skills required for comparative
analysis. They then design their own individualized curriculumby selecting courses across the disciplines based on theirinterests.
Students can take advanced courses in their concentration
where they gain in-depth knowledge pertaining to specificfields: Humanities and the Human Sciences (Japanese Societyand Global Culture), Business and Economics (JapaneseBusiness and the Global Economy), Politics and Policy Studies(Japanese Politics and Global Studies). Students can choose tospecialize within their chosen concentration or combine courses
across fields, from the classes offered in English at the ILA, as
well as in Japanese and English throughout the University.
Students may also have the opportunity to spend a year
abroad at one of Doshisha's many partner universities
worldwide. While taking academic courses, students can study
the Japanese language at any level.
Foundation Courses
Academic and Research Skills

Understanding Japan and Kyoto

Library Research Skills
Introduction to Information Systems
Academic Presentationsand Debate
Academic Writing
Mathematical Methods for theSocial Sciences
Probabilty for
the Social Sciences
Introduction to Asian Philosophyand Thought
Introduction to Social, Political,and Economic Thought
Introduction to Philosophyand Ethics
Introduction to Qualitative
Research Methods
Introduction to Quantitative
Research Methods
Advanced Mathematical Methods
for the Social Sciences

Basic JapaneseCommunities of Practice in Japan
Japanese Issues and Topics
Introduction to Kyoto
Doshisha and Christianity
Geography of Japan
Nature and the Environment inJapan
Religion in Japan
Understanding and Experiencing
Work in Japan

Humanities and the Human Sciences

What invisible forces are drivingsocieties and the world? How do
we build and belong to communities,cultures, nations and the world?
How does the present relate to thepast? What makes humans human?
Students taking classes in this concentration will study a wide
range of topics and issues that set out to answer these four corequestions. Topics include: migration; the formation of individualand group identities; the creation and maintenanceof communities and social networks; new forms ofcommunication and civil action; the development of culturalsystems and concepts of nation; the emergence of global
youth cultures and global identities; the influence of new media
and regional collectives; the breakdown of class systems andnew divisions in global society; the influence of technology onindividuals and their collectives; the psychological power ofvisible and invisible borders; the roots of ethnic and religious
conflict; the power of symbols in society and everyday life; theconstruction of the Japanese past and present.
Introductory level

Japan in the World: Cultural Flowsand Diasporas

What Makes Humans Human?

Social Foundations of Language

Introduction to Japanese History

Asian Civilizations

Manga and Anime Studies

Modern Japanese HistoryJapanese Society and Culture
Introduction to the Arts
Introduction to Media andCommunications

Advanced level

Introduction to Globalization

Nations and Nationalism

World Civilizations

Advanced Themes in Anthropology

Social Foundations of Education

Disaster Studies
Intermediate level

Social Inequalities in JapanMedia in Japan

Colonialism and Imperialism

Japanese and World Literature

Advanced Media Studies

World, Youth, and Pop Culture

Migration and Transnationalism

Ethnicity in Japan

Year 1Year 2

Year 3

Year 4Seminars and Honors Thesis (16 credits or above)
Introductory Seminars(8 credits)

Intermediate Seminars(4 credits)

Advanced Seminarsand Honors Thesis(4 credits)

Foundation Courses (16 credits or above)
Academic and Research Skills ( at least 12 credits)
Understanding Japan and Kyoto (at least 4 credits)

Concentration Courses (30 credits or above)
Japanese Society andGlobal Culture*
Japanese Business andthe Global Economy*
Japanese Politics andGlobal Studies*

Introductory

Intermediate

Advanced

Introductory

Intermediate

Advanced

Introductory

Intermediate

Advanced*Students are required to take 4 credits for each level plus 18 credits from any level.

Other Elective Courses Outside the ILA (e.g. Japanese Courses)
The Institute operates on a 15 week semester system with two intakes: April and September Students are required to earn at least 124 credits to obtain a B.A. in Liberal Arts.

Japanese Business and the Global Economy

Japanese Politics and Global Studies

Business and Economics

Politics and Policy Studies

How do economies function?
What is the role of business insociety? How can we evaluate
economic systems? What creates
wealth and poverty?

What is power? Who has
power? How did they get it?
What do citizens want, what
do citizens get?

Highlighting local and regional Japanese business practices
against the backdrop of an increasingly integrated world
economy, courses in this concentration provide students with astrong grounding in the core elements of contemporary businesspractices, while fostering development of the breadth and depth
in understanding that is characteristic of a liberal arts degree.
Introductory and intermediate courses introduce students toaccounting, economics, finance, marketing, and management
theories using illustrations from Japan.
In advanced courses, students have the opportunity to apply
their knowledge in an international context. Students who
have concentrated their studies in business and economics arecomfortable with both qualitative and quantitative methods ofanalysis, allowing them to use practical reasoning to resolve thechallenges that they are faced with in their jobs and daily lives.

The answers to these questions dominate every aspect of ourlives. In our complex and interdependent world, responsible
politics requires discourse, broad-based citizen participation andresponsive leadership. To that end, the Politics and Policy Studies
Concentration promotes the critical analysis of politics and public
policy, with both a Japan and a comparative focus.
This concentration equips students with the tools to frame
important questions; conduct theory-driven research; provide
evidence-based answers; write clearly and persuasively; andparticipate in lively discussions. When theory and systematic
empirical analysis drive purposeful analysis, significant insights forour communities and for the world emerge.
Introductory level

Civic Engagement

The Politics of Growth inDeveloping Countries

Public Opinion and Political
Psychology

Winners and Losers: Introduction
to Political Theory

AdvancedIntroductory level

The Financial System in Japan

Introduction to Japanese Law

Introduction to Contemporary
Economics and Business

Financial Accounting in Japan

Power and Politics in Japan

Introduction to the Japanese
EconomyIntroduction to Marketing
Japanese Corporations

Introduction to Comparative
Policymaking

Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Introduction to FinanceIntroduction to Business
Administration
Introduction to Accounting
Society and Economy in Kyoto
Intermediate level
Consumers and the Market in Japan
Ecology and Economy in Japan
Industry and Labor in JapanThe Creative Industries inContemporary Japan

Advanced
Economic Growth

Introduction to International
RelationsComparative Politics

Topics in Public Policy
Mass Media in the Policymaking
Process
International Law and Organizations
International Political Economy
Development and Law

Peace and Conflict

Topics in Japan’s Contemporary
International Relations

Corporate Strategy andOrganizationIntermediate level

Social Movements andContentious Politics

Management Accounting in Japan

Citizen Politics in Japan andBeyond

International Economics

International Marketing
International BusinessCommunication

International Relations in East Asia
Postwar Japan - U.S. Relations

Industry and Corporation in Kyoto

What Makes Countries Poor?

Contemporary Issues in Businessand Economics

International Human Rights Law
Political Behavior, Campaigns
and Elections

Politics through Film

Key Points

A WORLD-CLASS ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE
Study for a B.A. degree in the liberal arts at one of Japan’s
oldest universities with a diverse international faculty andstudent body

STUDY IN JAPAN, IN ENGLISH
No Japanese language requirement
The Institute has a private liberal arts college atmosphere andeducational approach with small classes conducted exclusivelyin English

THREE CONCENTRATIONSHumanities and the Human Sciences(Japanese Society and Global Culture)
Business and Economics(Japanese Business and the Global Economy)
Politics and Policy Studies(Japanese Politics and Global Studies)

HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FEES ANDSCHOLARSHIPS
Tuition fees in Japan are inexpensive compared to manyother countries. The majority of international students will beconsidered for a reduction in tuition fees

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Acquire Japanese in an international environment that includes
work experience and studying Japanese at our acclaimed
Center for Japanese Language and Culture with exchange
students from our network of top universities around the world

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
Students can apply to spend a semester or year studying at
one of over 150 world-wide partner universities while paying
Doshisha University fees
https://international.doshisha.ac.jp/agreement/europe.html

OPEN THE DOORS TO SUCCESS
Several hundred companies each year approach Doshisha
seeking to hire graduates with language abilities

The Campus
Doshisha University’s Imadegawa Campus is an elegant blendof protected historic buildings and modern architecture,
which preserves the beauty of the original Meiji period
red-brick buildings. The green spaces, shady alcoves andoutdoor plazas draw on the calm, contemplative beautyof the adjacent Shokokuji Temple, while the campus itself
buzzes with cultural, academic, and recreational life. Where
else could you hear Buddhist monks reciting sutras, pop
into a Chapel or meditation room, hear a garage band, seea wrestling match, and engage in stimulating intellectual
conversation, all in the space of your lunch break?
ILA is housed in Shikokan, built around a sunken garden,a few minutes walk from Imadegawa and our state of theart Learning Commons in the Ryoshinkan Building. The
Commons is a free form flexible space that encourages
participatory student-led learning. The wall-less environment- PCs, projectors, screens, electronic blackboards and plain
old comfy chairs - encourage collaboration, discussion, andcreativity.
Ryoshinkan also houses lounges, a café/bakery, a bookstore,
a convenience store, a travel agency, and a cafeteria withJapanese university staples such as noodles, rice omelets,cutlets, Japanese curry and a salad bar.

Student Life and Support
Peer Support System
Lifestyle Support Advisers give advice
and answer questions about academic
and daily life. The advisers offer support
on settling into life in Japan andunderstanding Japanese society.

Career Center
The Center offers information, advice
and seminars on employment. Several
hundred companies each year approach
Doshisha seeking to hire graduates withlanguage abilities.

Clubs and Societies
Doshisha has hundreds of extracurricular
clubs and societies. Current ILA students
are involved in guitar, newspaper, andtheater clubs.

Health and CounselingStudents can consult with a doctor at theHealth Center and obtain mental healthsupport at the Counseling Center. We
also process applications for the Medical
Reimbursement Programs for international
students.

International CommunityLounge
A space for international students andthe university community is available forcross-cultural exchange, finding language
partners, conducting meetings andstudying.

“Steve Jean Pierre, Haiti

https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/en/international/lounge/index.html

Student SupportServices Center
The Student Support Services Center
provides general information on campus
life and studies, and offers counselingand self-development activities. The
university also plans and sponsors various
extracurricular activities including camping,lectures, concerts and fi lm screenings.

Japanese Language
and Culture Courses
Our students can choose a wide variety ofJapanese language and culture courses
to improve their Japanese and cultural
understanding.

University Festivals
Students participate in festivals and inevents in and around Kyoto and at theUniversity. Doshisha Eve is a huge,round-the-clock, three-day street festival
where students and local residents cometo enjoy music, food, sport, dance, andstreet theater.

It is very international; bythat I mean the students here
are from almost everywhere– the USA, Brazil, Sweden,Uganda, Taiwan, Korea,
China and so on.

“Close student-faculty ties arealso a feature of the ILA.
I can talk with professors not
only about things related to
my studies, but about college
life in general.
Hye Yeon Lee , South Korea

Accommodation and Living Costss
Doshisha University guarantees accommodation to allinternational students for their first year.
For students who choose to opt out, reasonably priced
accommodation is easy to find in Kyoto, from individual studios
to private rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms. The
monthly rental for this type of accommodation ranges from25,000 – 60,000 yen. We also provide relevant information on
off-campus housing and introduce housing agencies both insideand outside the university.
There are cheap grocery stores for food shopping and you’ll be
surprised what you can find in the ever popular 100 yen shops
when it comes to homeware items.
The average monthly living cost in Kyoto is estimated about
120,000 yen including rent (100,000 yen should be thought of asa bare minimum). Students can work for up to 28 hours a week
on a student visa with permission.

Estimated living cost for one month in Kyoto(Unit: Yen)

Housing (including utilities)

55,000Food

25,000Transportation

3,000

School Supplies

3,000

Miscellaneous

34,000

Total

120,000

University Fees and Funding
Our tuition fees are highly competitive

Scholarships available

Tuition and fees (For Reference Only : AY 2024 Entry)

International students on a student visa may receive between atuition reduction (Category S, Category A or Category C).
Category S : Equivalent to full amount of tuition for each year ofenrollment, depending on the year of entry.
Category A : ¥460,000
Category C : ¥190,000(Unit: Yen)

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

4th year

Admission Fee

200,000

Tuition753,000

953,000

953,000

953,000

Facilities Fee

162,000

162,000

162,000

162,000

1,115,000

1,115,000

1,115,000

1,115,000

Total

The admission fee is charged for the first year only.
The tuition and facilities fees are paid annually in two
installments, one each semester

The University offers a variety of competitive scholarships forboth international and domestic students.
Every year the University offers two full scholarships for applicantsfrom Least Developed Countries and other Low IncomeCountries, which cover all fees and include a monthly stipend.

Further information:
https://ois.doshisha.ac.jp/ois/en/scholarships/merit.html

How to apply
Please check our website for information on admissions.
Download the Admissions Guide.
https://ila.doshisha.ac.jp/ila/en/admissions

ILA Social Network Sites

Contact
The Institute for the Liberal Arts Office (ILA Office)Phone: +81-75-251-3302
E-mail: ji-ila@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Address:
Doshisha University
Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0898, Japan
Location on Campus:
Karasuma Campus, Shikokan Building 1st floor(https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/en/information/campus/
imadegawa/karasuma.html)

https://ila.doshisha.ac.jp/ila/en/

The Institute for the Liberal Arts