Our program is designed to equip students with skills and expertise essential for being future leaders in government, international businesses, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations. Students undergo the academic and research training through the required and elective coursework and the process of thesis writing.

Our coursework curriculum consists of three groups: Required course in which students receive research guidance toward completion of the master’s thesis; Elective 1 course in which students nurture the basic problem-solving approach on subjects including qualitative research methods, philosophy, corporate social responsibilities, organizational theory, social development, research methodology, and human resource development; and Elective 2 courses in which students develop the academic and hands-on expertise on the fields of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), public management, and economics.

In their first year, students take at least five Elective 1 courses related to social design, acquiring foundational knowledge and a capacity for logical thinking. In the second year, they take Elective 2 courses in line with their research interests and complete a Master’s thesis. Through this combination of coursework and thesis writing process, students can acquire expertise in public policy and social design.

The Master of Social Development and Administration Course (MSDA) of the Graduate Program in Business Administration Network and Social Organization offers a curriculum designed to foster highly skilled professionals. MSDA students undertake all courses in an English medium and ultimately produce a Master’s thesis. There is also a double degree program allowing students to earn a degree from both Rikkyo University and an international partner institution at the same time. The 30 credits required for completion of the MSDA comprise the following:

• Required courses: Master’s thesis supervision – 4 credits
• Elective 1 courses: Foundation courses in social development – 10 credits
• Elective 2 courses: 16 or more credits

Number of Credits Required for Graduation

Elective Required Courses: 4 credits
Elective Courses I: 10 credits
Elective Courses II: 16 credits or more
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Total: 30 credits or more
Each MSDA course carries 2 credits.

The following course list is a draft revised on August 2020.
It is subject to change which course will be offered or not.

The official syllabus of MSDA will be released on August 2021.

You can find the latest academic year calendar from the following link.

The MSDA course offers a field trip to Rikuzentakata City for first-year students as part of their off-campus research activities. This is intended not only to observe disaster countermeasures, but also to deepen exchanges with other students and faculty members. Students from other countries enjoy the culture of life in Japan. This is an enriching opportunity for them to deepen the meaning of studying at a Japanese university.

MSDA conducted a Hiroshima field trip on January 25-26 to understand the history of Hiroshima before and after the atomic bombing and the situation in the nuclear age.