Degree

Important

Mandatory Participation in Research Ethics Education

A doctoral degree is granted by SOKENDAI

A doctoral degree is granted by SOKENDAI if a student: (1) has been in a Department of SOKENDAI for specified number of years or more, has acquired the required number of credits or more, has received the required supervision, and then passed doctoral thesis examinations(Doctor (Katei-Hakase)) or (2) has applied for examination of his/her doctoral thesis without being in a Department of SOKENDAI and has passed the examination (Doctor by dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase)). Enrolled students should aim to obtain a doctoral degree by the first method (1) (Doctor (Katei-Hakase)). For details, please refer to following pages.

• (1)Apply to Doctor (Katei-Hakase)
• (2)Apply to Doctor by dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase)

SOKENDAI Repository (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies)

In accordance with the Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of the Degree Regulations of Japan, those who graduated in September, 2013 or later, their abstracts of thesis contents, summaries of the results of the doctoral thesis screening and doctoral theses themselves are published on the SOKENDAI Repository. Repository is here

Master's degree

SOKENDAI does not offer any master's program; therefore, in principal, no master's degree is awarded. However, students who have registered in 5-year doctoral program, and who are permitted to withdraw from SOKENDAI and have satisfied all of the requirements below and who have acquired a Qualification for Master's Degree may be awarded a master's degree at the time of withdrawal. (*)

• Enrollment in 5-year doctoral program of SOKENDAI for two years or more
• Earning at least 30 credits as prescribed
• Having undergone the necessary research supervision, successful examination of a master's thesis or specific research project and successful completion of a final examination

For more details about Qualification for Master’s Degree, click here.

*All students admitted in AY2025 or later who have acquired a Qualification for Master's Degree (Shushi) will be awarded a master's degree at the time of withdrawal. Therefore, those who withdrew from the university with Master’s Degree will not be eligible to earn Doctor’s degree (Katei-Hakase) from SOKENDAI in any case after withdrawal. If you wish to obtain a Doctor’s degree from the University after leaving the University, it will be a Doctor by dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase).

Mandatory Participation in Research Ethics Education

The research ethics is essential in research works in a doctoral course and for a future research career. All students are therefore required to take the research ethics education without exception during their enrollment in the doctoral course. It is mandatory to receive confirmation of having attended research ethics education at the time of degree application.
For details, please refer to the following web page:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/news/2024/20240912.html