How to Evaluate Competences Achievement (For Students)
1.

Introduction of Competency-Based Education Programs to Graduate School
In April 2020, University of Tsukuba graduate schools fully converted into a new system of degree

programs. Our new degree programs have introduced competency-based education, where a master’sor doctoral degree is granted to a student judged to have attained the level of competences required in
the diploma, curriculum, and admission policies of each degree program. The competences aregrouped into two categories: generic competences and specific competences. Every student will berequired to attain predefined competences to graduate.
Students who belong to the Master’s Program in Humanities will be required to attain 5 genericcompetences (Capacity to Leverage Academic Knowledge, Management Ability, Communication
Ability, Ability to Work in a Team, and Global Awareness) and 5 specific competences (ResearchAbility, Expertise Acquisition, Sense of Ethics, Thinking Ability, and Synthesizing Ability).
Students who belong to the Master’s Program in International Public Policy and Master’s Programin International and Advanced Japanese Studies will be required to attain 5 generic competences(Capacity to Leverage Academic Knowledge, Management Ability, Communication Ability, Ability
to Work in a Team, and Global Awareness) and 3 specific competences (Research Ability, Expertise
Acquisition, and Sense of Ethics).
Students who belong to the Doctoral Program in Humanities will be required to attain 5 genericcompetences (Capacity for Creative Scientific Research, Management Ability, Communication Ability,
Leadership Ability, Global Awareness) and 5 specific competences (Research Ability, Expertise
Acquisition, Sense of Ethics, Thinking Ability, and Synthesizing Ability).
Table 1: Required Standards for Competences Achievement
Generic Competences
Master's Program

Humanities
International Public Policy
International and Advanced JapaneseStudies

Docotral ProgramHumanities
International Public Policy
International and Advanced JapaneseStudiesCapacity toLeverage
AcademicKnowledge
3Management
Ability

Specific Competences

Communi- Ability toGlobal
Research Expertise
Sense ofcation
Work in a
Awareness Ability
Acquisition Ethics
Ability
TeamThinking SynthesizAbility
ing Ability

12

1133

132221224

42--

19322

12342--

19

Generic Competences
Specific Competences
Capacity forManage- CommuniCreative
Leadership Global
Research Expertise
Sense of Thinking Synthesizment
cationScientificAbility
Awareness Ability
Acquisition Ethics
Ability
ing Ability
AbilityAbility
Research0.5
0.50.50.50.51111120

7.5

11111221--

1011111111--8

Students who belong to the Doctoral Program in International Public Policy and Doctoral Programin International and Advanced Japanese Studies will be required to attain 5 generic competences(Capacity for Creative Scientific Research, Management Ability, Communication Ability, Leadership
Ability, Global Awareness) and 3 specific competences (Research Ability, Expertise Acquisition,
Sense of Ethics, Thinking Ability, and Synthesizing Ability).
As Table 1 indicates, each Degree Program defines its own Required Standards for Competences
Achievement.
2.

What is Competences Achievement?
Degree Programs in Humanities and Social Sciences have released a “Curriculum Map” thatexhibits competences a student will be able to attain in each course of the program.
For instance, “Shushi Ronbun Godo Enshu (Joint Seminar for Master Thesis)” (1.0 credit) consistsof 0.2 credits for Capacity to Leverage Academic Knowledge, 0.2 for Communication Ability, 0.3 for
Research Ability, and 0.3 for Expertise Acquisition. “Academic Writing and Research Ethics” (1.0credit) consists of 0.2 credits for Capacity to Leverage Academic Knowledge, 0.5 for Research Ability,and 0.3 for Sense of Ethics. Students who belong to the master’s Program in Humanities can attain 0.4
credits out of the required standard of 3.0 for Capacity to Leverage Academic Knowledge and 0.8 outof the required 3.0 for Ability to Research after mastering the above two courses.
Regardless of their course grades, students will be judged to have fulfilled the required competence
when the total of competence values of courses reaches the Required Standard for Competence
Achievement (Table 1). In addition to the regular courses, activities such as conference presentation,teaching assistant, fieldwork, and internship can be certified and counted toward the requiredCompetence.
3.

How to Carry Out Competences Achievement Evaluation
Students are expected to self-evaluate their own status of Competence Achievement by (i) filling in

the course competence values which they attain on a “Competences Achievement Evaluation Sheet”
using the “Curriculum Map,” and (ii) consulting with their academic advisor about Competences
Achievement semiannually (in September and March). Students should file the “Competences
Achievement Evaluation Sheet” and submit it to the Program Office, adding new data every half year.
In addition, students are required to self-evaluate their status of Competence Achievement and consult
their academic advisor when they face the intermediate scrutiny of their master’s thesis or preliminary
screening of their doctoral dissertation. Students who wish to graduate early must have fulfilled theCompetences Achievement by the time of qualification.
Please click on the link below to access the “Curriculum Map”.
https://www.hass.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/curriculummap_en