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Ph.D./Doctoral Programs (3-Year Doctoral Programs)

Security and International Studies Program

Established in partnership with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Security and International Studies Program (SISP) aims to equip students with academic and practical skills for understanding and solving security and foreign policy issues. Students will learn to do this by conducting in-depth research on historical and contemporary security and foreign policy matters, and engaging in theoretical as well as policy debates with faculty members and outside specialists. Field trips are another important means of enhancing students' understanding of subject matters.

Target Group

We would welcome applicants with master's degree in social sciences especially international relations, political science, economics, or law. We would also welcome applicants with practical experience and expertise equivalent to master's degree. In this context, government officials, military officers, researchers, and journalists with relevant work and academic experience would be particularly welcome.

Program Design

In the first year, students are required to undertake course work and earn a minimum of 14 credits from the courses and tutorials. By the end of the first year, students are expected to pass three Written Qualifying Examinations (QE), submit a thesis (dissertation) prospectus, and pass in one Oral Qualifying Examination which is doctoral dissertation prospectus defense. After completing all four Qualifying Examinations, students can start writing a dissertation to complete it by the end of the third year.

Security and International Studies Program Curriculum 2011/2012 (as of October 2011)
https://gast.grips.ac.jp/syllabus/
Category Elective
or Core
Course Name Instructor
I
Theoretical courses
Elective Advanced International Relations Yamamoto
Advanced International Political Economy Chey
Advanced Security Studies Michishita
Comparative Politics Takenaka
Advanced International Political Economy of Money and Finance Chey
Transnational Organized Crime and Security Fukumi
II
Regional courses
Elective International Relations in East Asia Shiraishi
American Foreign Policy Mori
Politics and Diplomacy in Postwar Japan TBA
Diplomatic History of Modern Japan TBA
Chinese Foreign Policy TBA
Advanced Political Economy of Modern Japan Tsunekawa
Advanced Political Economy of East Asia Tsunekawa
Advanced International Relations in Europe TBA
III
Policy courses
Elective International Situation and Japanese National Security Policy Ota Fumio
Non-Traditional Security (advanced) Honna
Japan's ODA Policy (advanced) TBA
IV
General Subjects
ElectiveCourses not listed in this table, admitted by the Program Committee.
V
Paper Writing
Core Security and International Studies Dissertation Seminar Michishita, et al.
Career Destinations

Graduates of this program are expected to become leading security and foreign policy specialists and practitioners in governmental/non-governmental/international organizations, research institutions, universities, and other relevant organizations.

Origin and Affiliation of Students

•Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Indonesia)
•Ministry of Finance (India)
•Royal Thai Customs (Thailand)
•Philippine Institute for Development Studies (Philippines)
•Vinh University (Vietnam)

Recent Theses

•The Aum Shinrikyo's WMD Terrorism
•The State and Undocumented Migrant Workers
•Responding to the 2008 Food Crisis
•Japan's Southeast Asia Policy in the New Cold War Era
•Securitizing Narcotics Problem in India

Security and International Studies Program in brief

Equip students with both academic and practical skills for understanding and solving security and foreign policy issues

Program Director
Associate Professor Narushige Michishita

Degree Offered
Ph.D. in International Relations

Scholarship
• GRIPS Fellowship
• Japanese Government fellowships administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (available to foreign students only)

Language of Instruction
English

Program Duration
3 years

Enrollment
April or October

Graduation
March or September

Application Deadline
December

Application Result Notification
By the end of June

How to Apply
click here