College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP)
Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Affairs

College of Global Liberal Arts (GLA)
Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts

Department

College of Global Liberal Arts

DegreeRU : Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts
ANU : Bachelor of Asia-Paciﬁc Aﬀairs

Enrollment Period

April / September

Location

April
Enrollment

Semester 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8：RU, Osaka Ibaraki Campus
Semester 4, 5 ：ANU, Acton Campus (Canberra, Australia)

September
Enrollment

Semester 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8：RU, Osaka Ibaraki Campus
Semester 5, 6 ：ANU, Acton Campus (Canberra, Australia)

Duration

College of Global Liberal Arts

4 Years

Annual Student Intake

100

The intake includes 10 students enrolling into ANUInformation
GLA Website
en.ritsumei.ac.jp/gla

contact

RU International
Admissions Website
Latest information on
Admissions and Eventsen.ritsumei.ac.jp/e-ug/

Ritsumeikan University
International Admissions

GLA Ritsumeikan University

College of Global Liberal Arts, Ritsumeikan University

2-150 Iwakura-cho, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka 567-8570 JAPAN ／ Email: glapost@st.ritsumei.ac.jp ／ Tel: +81 72 665 2492

・Publication Version [June, 2023] The content of this booklet is accurate at the time of publication. Please check the GLA website for updates.
・The information in this booklet is for students applying to enter the College of Global Liberal Arts, Ritsumeikan University.

2024That’s why GLA

A multi-faceted education in a

multi-cultural backgroundGLA —the perfect place to explore your options

Isobel Florice Maretza Fincher

Seojin Park

Attended West Buckland School, U.K.

Attended Michuhol Foreign Language High School, Korea

Third-year Student

Forth-year Student

Why I chose GLA

Why I chose GLA

When looking at universities, I really struggled to ﬁnd one that I thought would cover all my

During my time in high school, I realized I wanted to explore the world more and study beyond

programme featuring mostly humanity-based subjects, but with options such as psychology andsatisﬁed me. GLA turned out to be the only college that fulﬁlled my criteria. Firstly, GLA is one ofinterests. In my home country of the U.K., it was diﬃcult to ﬁnd a course that allowed for a varied
Japanese.

Unusually, GLA oﬀered a course that allows for a multi-faceted education in a multi-cultural

background in Japan, a country that I have come to love. The location is also excellent, as the
Osaka Ibaraki Campus oﬀers a peaceful environment that is nevertheless conveniently locatedhalfway between Kyoto and Osaka rail stations. One big concern for international students is

ﬁnance, but Ritsumeikan and GLA both oﬀer very generous scholarship opportunities. Those are
the reasons why I decided to apply to GLA and I was very happy when I got the acceptance letter!

what was typically expected of a Korean student, but it was diﬃcult to ﬁnd a university thatthe very few places in Japan that oﬀers a dual degree program. Secondly, it provides a rareopportunity to study at ANU, which is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. As my

ﬁeld of interest is international relations, being able to study at both Ritsumeikan and ANU was ahuge merit for me. Thirdly, the internationality within GLA provides a unique space for not only

domestic students, but also us international students. Fourthly, the GLA curriculum oﬀers a wide

variety of courses, from history and politics to business, design, and computer programming. Thatmeans you are free to pursue your own interests and goals by selecting from the great variety ofsubjects within the GLA curriculum. In short, GLA provides an experience that is not available atany other university in Japan.

The best things about studying at GLA
The relationship between the students and the professors is the most appealing aspect of learning

The best things about studying at GLA

at GLA. As the teaching staﬀ and the student body are both small, you get to know the lecturers a

Thanks to the variety of courses and excellent teaching staﬀ of both Ritsumeikan and ANU, youof the student body, GLA is an incredibly diverse community, and because everyone is so

perspective as you study with staﬀ and students from many diﬀerent international backgrounds.

kept apart by the COVID-19 pandemic.

means you can ask more questions and participate more actively in the class. Moreover, GLA

lot better and you receive more direct feedback on assignments and essays. Despite the small size

will be able to learn a great deal and enhance your skill set. You will also be able to broaden youropen-minded and accommodating, there was no diﬃculty in making friends even when we were

What is really good about studying at GLA is that you get to study in small-sized classes. That
adopts a one-lecture, one-tutorial system for all courses, which really supports two-way

communication with teachers and classmates. GLA is the perfect place for students who seek

Message to prospective students
Donʼ t worry if you arrive at university not knowing what you want to do or who you need to be:

There is often pressure to decide your career path immediately after high school, but you will likely

ﬁnish university with a completely new career in mind. Moving away from home is also a challenge,
but the experience is deﬁnitely worth sacriﬁcing familiarity for. I look forward to ﬁnally meeting you
all on campus!

1

more than just a series of lectures.

Message to prospective students
A university is about exploring what you want to do in the future and GLA is the perfect place todiscover your options if you do not have a clear career path. As long as you put in the eﬀort, youwill reap a reward in the end. The GLA community is waiting to welcome you, so I wish you all thebest of luck!

2

History

120+
Years

GlobalNetwork
463 Universities
and Institutions
in 68 Countries
and Regions

2700+

Ritsumeikan University

The Australian National University

Ritsumeikan University is a leading comprehensive private
university in west Japan with over 120 years of history. It was
selected to lead the globalization of Japanese higher
education as part of the "Top Global University Project"funded by the Japanese government. Today, around 36,000
students are studying and conducting research on its four
campuses in Kyoto, Shiga, and Osaka. Ritsumeikan University
is pioneering new programs utilizing Japanʼs well-developed
education with their English-medium Bachelor Programs.

Founded in 1946, ANU is Australiaʼs national university
and is a research-centered institution focused on
ﬁnding solutions to global problems. Occupying a highposition in a range of university ranking systems, it isequally renowned for its outstanding alumni, who
include Australian prime ministers and Nobel Prizewinners. The university's campus is centrally located in
the Australian capital city of Canberra, and enjoys aparkland setting of great natural beauty whereapproximately 7,400 overseas students (as of 2020)
pursue research activity.

College of Global Liberal Arts

College of Asia and the Pacific

The College of Global Liberal Arts (GLA) was inaugurated in
April 2019 at the Osaka Ibaraki Campus. Under thepartnership with the College of Asia and the Paciﬁc at theprestigious Australian National University (ANU), all GLA
students pursue a four- year dual degree program leading todegree qualiﬁcations from both Ritsumeikan and ANU. The
Ritsumeikan component provides thorough training in theliberal arts based on small-group discussion and is aimed atpromoting social progress through the application ofwide-ranging knowledge of the arts and sciences. GLA provides maximum global career
support to students from a diverse range of international backgrounds.

GLA's partner, the College of Asia and the Paciﬁc has
o n e o f t h e w o r l d' s l a r g e s t c o n c e n t r a t i o n o fEnglish-speaking researchers specializing in the
Asia-Paciﬁc region. It plays an important role not only
as a source of expertise on Australiaʼs domestic public
policy, but also as a knowledge base for the societies,
cultures, and economies of the Asia-Paciﬁc region.
Meanwhile, the Coral Bell School of Asia Paciﬁc Aﬀairs(Bell School for short), in which students from GLA areenrolled, is a world-leader in Asia-Paciﬁc andinternational politics, society, strategy, security, anddiplomacy.

International
Students

3

Ritsumeikan University

RU ANU#1

in Australia*QS World University Ranking
2022

#10

in the World
for Politics*QS World University Ranking
2023

#30

in the World*QS World University Ranking
2023

THE Australian National University

4

CURRICULUMKEY FEATURES

College of Global Liberal Arts study flowchart (September enrollees)

Dual degree program with ANU
Through the four-year program, students will graduate with a Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts from RU
and a Bachelor of Asia-Paciﬁc Aﬀairs from ANU upon completion of the requirements and credits of both
universities. In Japan, students study liberal arts with a focus on becoming a proactive member of the
global society in the twenty-ﬁrst century. In Australia, students experience the dynamism of globalization
ﬁrsthand and deepen their studies of the Asia-Paciﬁc region.

Year
CampusPreenrollment

Preparation for university study

RU orientation

Semester
1
RU

Semester2

Semester
3
RU

Semester
4
RU

Year 1

RU+ANU
CoursesRU Courses
Fall 1

Spring 2

RU Courses

Fall 3

Fall 4

Spring 5

Year 4
Fall 6ANU Courses

Spring 7

Fall 8

RU+ANU Courses

Year 3
Semester
5
ANU

Spring 4

RU+ANU Courses

Fall 5

Spring 6

ANU Courses

Fall 7

Spring 8

RU+ANU Courses

Semester6

Study at ANU(Australia)

ANU

5Social Science

Political Science

Cultural Studies

International
Relations

DesignInformation
Science andEngineering

Business
Management

Psychology

Sustainable
Society

Semester
8
RU

Advanced
Courses

Economics

History

RU

Introductory
Courses

GLA provides students with a ﬂexible yet rigorous interdisciplinary education through systematic
exposure to fundamental knowledge from diverse disciplines. Upon successful completion of the
program, students will be trained to apply their acquired knowledge for social development and problem
solving.

Intermediate Courses

Liberal Arts Education to Nurture Global Citizens

Special Lectures

Semester7■ Introductory Courses
Acquisition of introductory knowledge
in each subject area

Introduction to Art History / Innovation andKnowledge Management / Algorithms andProgramming / Cultural Studies /Communication Design / Market Economy /Education / Historical Methods / Global
History /Japanese History / Journalism /Literature / Religion / Anthropology /Scientiﬁc Thinking / Science and Technology /Biology / Physics / Philosophy: Values andSociety / Philosophy : Knowledge and Reality /Politics / International Relations / Psychology /Research Methods in Social Sciences /Sociology / Historical Sociology

Graduation

Completion of liberal arts degree

Research Seminar / Thesis■ Special Lectures

Study of special topics transcending
disciplinary boundaries to acquire
novel perspectives

Special Lecture (Arts and Humanities) /Special Lecture (Social Sciences) /Special Lecture (Science and Technology)■ Japanese Language Courses■ Others

Liberal Arts Experience/ Career Design
1&2 / Internship 1, 2&3

Global Art History / Histories in Modern andContemporary Art / Global Management
Studies / Applied Data Curation /Computational Musicology / Technology
and Environmentalism in Culture Studies /Human Factors in Interaction Design /Institutionalism and Economic Growth /History Workshop / Asia and the World in
Historical Perspective/ Historiography /Material Culture and Global History /The Australian National University：College of Asia and the Paciﬁc

The Origins of Political Order in Asia/
Understanding Peace and Conﬂict / Paciﬁc
Encounters: An Introduction to Paciﬁc
Studies / Introduction to International
Security Studies■ Politics and Government

The Politics of China / Indonesia: Politics,
Society, and Development / Violence, Poverty,
and Politics in India / Lies, Conspiracy, andPropaganda■ International Relations and Security

Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts

■ Advanced Courses

Acquisition of applied knowledge ineach subject area

Affairs

Capstone
Coursesin Asia-Paciﬁc
Aﬀairs

Ocean and Society: The Blue Bridgein the Asia Paciﬁc / Global Media
Cultures/ Issues in Ethics / JapanesePhilosophy / Contemporary Japan /Neuroscience/ Cognitive Psychology /Classical Social and Political Theory /Contemporary Social and Political
Theory / Global Historical Sociology■ Intermediate Courses■ Introductory Courses in Asia-Paciﬁc

Year 4

Philosophy

Introductory
Coursesin Asia-Paciﬁc
AﬀairsHistory and Cultural Identity

Spring 3

Acquisition of academic skills

College Writing 1&2 / Critical Thinking 1&2 /Foundations in Research Skills 1&2

Fulﬁlment of
academicrequirements fordual degree
programConﬂict and Peace-building

Fall 2■ Foundation Courses

ANU
orientation

International Relations andSecurity

September
Enrollment

Spring 1

Year 3・Basic Academic Reading and Writing
for selected students only

Politics and Government

April
Enrollment

Year 2

Intermediate Courses

In this 4-year program, students spend 3 years in total at RU in Osaka and 1 year at ANU in Canberra.
They learn from ANU faculty members based at RUʼs Osaka Ibaraki Campus (OIC) before and after they
travel to Australia to study. Upon their return to Japan, students continue taking ANU courses to complete
their studies of Global Liberal Arts and Asia-Paciﬁc Aﬀairs.

Special Lectures

Year 2Introductory Courses

RU

3 Years at RU in Japan + 1 Year at ANU in Australia

・Online lecture with teaching staﬀ andsocial meeting with senior students

Pre-enrollment
Education

Foundation Courses

Students receive a world-class education, learn from some of the best academics in the Asia-Paciﬁcregion, and graduate with two bachelorʼs degrees from leading universities in Australia and Japan. The
exciting learning experience in both environments expands studentsʼ possibilities and helps them carveout future careers.

Ritsumeikan University：College of Global Liberal Arts

Study at
ANU

■ Pre-enrollment Education

Year 1World-Class Education that Supports Curving out Future Careers

Study atRitsumeikan* For more information,
check the ANU website(ln)Stability on the Korean Peninsula / Politics
of Nuclear Weapons / US Foreign and
Security Policy in Asia / Regionalism, Rights
and Order in Southeast Asia

■ Conﬂict and Peace-building

Leadership and Diplomacy / Environmentand Development in the Paciﬁc / Human
Rights in Asia / Natural Resource Conﬂicts
in Asia and the Paciﬁc■ History and Cultural Identity

Economies of Emerging Asia / Islam inSoutheast Asia / Paciﬁc Studies in a
Globalizing World / Australia in Oceania in
the 19th and 20th centuries■ Capstone Courses in Asia-Paciﬁc Affairs

Humanitarianism: Principles, Politics andPractice / Global Governance in the AsiaPaciﬁc / Politics and Development in theContemporary Paciﬁc / Australia's Security
in the Asian Century

Bachelor of Asia-Paciﬁc Affairs
To be eligible to take the Australian National University (ANU) courses, students must meet standards
for academic ability. For more detail, please contact GLA oﬃce.

6

Learning at GLA

Careerinternational

Truly international learning environment
GLA has 100 students per year, about 60% of whom are international students
from around the world. 90 students start studying at RU and the remaining 10 at
ANU. Outside of the classroom, both domestic and international students live in an
on-campus dormitory built for GLA students. This international learning
environment helps students develop cross-cultural communication skills.

40%

50%
10%

Student DIVERSITY
Ratio based on
the annual student intake

All courses in small and interactive group
GLA courses takes place through an active learning approach based on small groups
of no more than 25. The program consists of a combination of lectures emphasizing
communication with professors and tutorials centered on discussion and group
work with other students from diverse international backgrounds.

GLAʼs distinctive system of career support

To support each individual GLA student to realize their future ambition, GLA works in coordination with the
Ritsumeikan Career Center to provide optimal individual career support throughout the four years. Speciﬁcally, oursupport includes Career Design1, where ﬁrst-year students consider their future life plan in relation to their studies at
GLA over the coming four years, internships in which students gain experience of working life, and Career Design2,
where third-year students clarify their post-graduation career or study path in light of their studies at ANU andother experiences. These are designed to stimulate individual career awareness in a progressive and continuous
manner.

GLAʼs independently developed system of career planning support

Career Design 1

Career planning in relation
to university studies

Progress with career plan

Academic Advising Center (AAC) support for all students
GLA is committed to providing academic support to every student via the AAC.
The mission of the AAC is to help students navigate the GLA curriculum and to
make sure students remain on track for graduation, all through individual guidance.

The Value of the Dual Degree Program– Understanding where we live

STYLE 1STYLE 2

Program alignedwith a clear goal

Program towards
a generally-deﬁned goal

4

YEAR

回生

With an eye to their career or study
path after graduation, students canfreely decide the contents of their own
study program by selecting courses
from a wide range of options spanning
the arts and sciences.

3

YEAR

回生

2

YEAR

History
stream,
etc.

1

回生

Students with a speciﬁc academic
focus or future goal

Students with a general directionof future goal

STYLE 3

STYLE 4STYLE 5Program that helps students
ﬁnd their own goal

Program that transforms
student interests

Program that expands
studentʼs horizon

Forming an
increasingly concreteidea of career paths

2

YEAR

回生

Discovering
new interests

1

YEAR

Inﬁnitepossibilities
for 5-10
years' time

Interests evolve
as encountering
new worlds

回生

3

7

Kim Kunhee

AY2022 graduates of the College of Global Liberal Arts

Throughout the dual degree program, I was able to get a thorough understanding of the Indo-Paciﬁc.
Being aware of what is happening in the region cannot be done only by looking into political relations,but also requires understanding economic ﬂows, technological developments, and cultural exchanges.
My professors were very active in supporting me in these diverse areas of study, and through this I wasable to acquire the knowledge I needed to understand the region.
After graduating, I am continuing my studies at graduate school. I plan to use the expertise I havedeveloped to work on the international stage as a diplomat.

Student with a speciﬁc
academic focus or future goal

Launch your own
global career.

Expandinginterest ina wide range
of ﬁelds

Student with general interests
but no post-graduation image

GLA graduates with the skills of communication, critical thinking, andproblem solving developed through the Dual-Degree Program ﬁnd theircareer in leading global companies. Some pursue graduate studies inprestigious universities.
AY2022 graduatesʼ
career paths include:

Career
AY2022 graduatescareer outcomes

回生

Student with some interests
but no clear career image

RU

YEAR

4

回生

Specializing
towards yourinterest

Socialsciencesstream, etc.

回生

YEAR

YEAR

Progress with career plan

GLA graduates can look to employment in global enterprises in Japan and overseas (IT businesses, trading
companies, advertising agencies, consultancies, etc.) or continued study at top-ranking graduate schools inJapan and overseas. Further deepening their specialisms at graduate school will throw open the path to global
careers in government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, and other activities at international level.

・Pre-Enrollment Navigators: To help you prepare for enrollment
・Academic Advisors: To advise you on study planning・Writing Coaches: To help you acquire academic writing skills
・Career Advisors: To assist you with career planning for after graduation

GLA’s taylor-madelearning styles

Establishment of more
speciﬁc career or study
path and review ofcareer plan

Preparation for
employment /further study

Prospective Career Path

A wide range of advisors to help students

STYLE 2

Overseas study
at ANU↓
Career Design 2Internships andother opportunities
for experience

Mass media

20.0%

Manufacturing

Pursuing
graduate studies

16.7%
Numbers in the pie chart are rounded
to the second decimal place.

Amazon Japan G.K.
40.0%

Services

40.0%

Kubota Corporation

WATCH ON YouTube
Interview videos with AY2022

graduates are available on theYouTube channel link below.

https://youtube.com/@glaritsumeikanuniversity8299

TERUMO CORPORATION
DENTSU INC.
PROGRIT Inc.
(50 音順 )8Faculty Members

Live&
Learn

Yuko Ishihara

Saeko Ogiso

Yasuko Hassall Kobayashi

Christopher Johnson

Helena Čapková

Christophe Thouny

Saeeda Batool

Miwa Hirono

Kayoko Fujita

Paul Haimes

Miki Horie

Ichiro Maekawa

Gian Powell Marquez

Noriko Yamagishi

Norihisa Yamashita

OIC Global House
for GLA students

Resident Mentor activities have deepened my understanding ofdiversity, and have helped me build better relationships withother people.

GLA

Raku Numagami

Huseyin Rasit

Second-year Student
Attended Katoh Gakuen Gyoshu Senior High School

The OIC Global House, located in the Wakebayashi International Plaza, is the student residence hall for GLA students.
Residents from diﬀerent countries talk and socialize with each other in the shared kitchen and dining areas as well as
in the tatami living rooms. They quickly become friends as they watch TV together and play table tennis and billiards.
In addition, because the OIC Global House is located on campus, you can go back to your room for a break between
classes and have easy access to the library, cafeteria, and other on-campus facilities.
As a 2nd year student, I am now a Resident Mentor (RM), and my RM duties vary from providing language support toincoming residents at the bank and City Hall, to organizing Global House meetings to discuss better communal living.
Through my RM activities, I have gained a better appreciation for student diversity and have become more
understanding of others. When conﬂicts occasionally arise between residents, I am now able to see things from a
broader perspective, and ﬁnd solutions that are fair to everyone involved.
Although we were unable to organize social events during COVID-19, we are now enjoying the best of theinternational dormitory. Last year we had a Halloween party, watched the football World Cup on TV together, andwere able to enjoy every day socializing together.

Scholarships

Tuition Reduction for International Students
with the “Student” Status of Residence

Scholarships Awarded to All Students
Studying at ANU in the Dual Degree Program

100% Reduction
50% Reduction
20% Reduction

1. College of Global Liberal Arts

A constant learning experience
OIC Global House is an international dormitory that forms partof the Wakebayashi International Plaza completed at the
Osaka Ibaraki Campus (OIC) in 2019. Many students of theCollege of Global Liberal Arts reside here to enjoy anexperience of shared learning and shared living within thecampus environment. Alongside 200 single bedrooms, thefacility also oﬀers a traditional tea room, a Japanese-stylegarden, a multipurpose hall with a Noh performance stage,
and other spaces promoting diverse international encounters
within a Japanese-themed cultural setting.

9・For detailed information, please visit the Ritsumeikan University website. http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/international/intl̲students/life̲info/oicdorm2/

The amount of reduction will be
notiﬁed with admission results.

Scholarship for Study Abroad

700,000 JPY

Scholarship awards are based on
merit: admissions results for the
1st year and academic gradesfor each year from the 2nd year
onwards.

Though students can receive bothscholarships at the same time,neither of them can be awarded in
combination with other scholarships
speciﬁed in RU policies.
These scholarships are awarded
for the 1 year period at ANU.

2. Ritsumeikan University

Study Abroad Challenge
Scholarship

300,000 JPY
The scholarship systems may be subject to change.

In taking Dual Degree Program, tuition fees of ANU shall not be charged separately. However,travel expenses, dormitory fees, and living expenses, etc. in relation to taking the courses
oﬀered in Japan and Australia shall be paid by students.

TuitionInternational Dormitory

The two scholarships indicated below are open to GLA students studying at ANU in
the Dual Degree Program.

Admission Fee and Tuition Fees 2023 Enrollees（Unit：JPY）

Year 2 and onwards

Year 1
Admission
Fee

Tuition Feesfor
Spring Semester

Tuition Feesfor
Fall Semester

Total

Tuition Feesfor
Spring Semester

Tuition Feesfor
Fall Semester

Total

200,000

1,150,000

1,150,000

2,500,000

1,150,000

1,150,000

2,300,000

Miscellaneous Membership Fees 2023 Enrollees
Student Government Board（Unit：JPY）

Parents Association ofStudent Education AssistanceRegistration Fee

Annual Membership Fee

Registration Fee

Annual Membership Fee

3,000

5,000

5,000

10,000Total

23,000＊Membership fees for the Alumni Association and the Parents Association for Student Education Assistance are payable only in the ﬁrst year of enrollment.

10