MA Program Curriculum

Goals

The curriculum of the MA program is structured to allow students to be exposed to a wide range of issues and approaches in understanding peace and conflict in the contemporary world through a framework Area Studies. In addition to gaining specific knowledge and understanding of topics within the field, in keeping with the belief that each conflict is unique, the Program also stresses the in-depth and comparative study of various cases of conflict, including field research in pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict settings.

Students are expected to gain the ability to analyze conflict situations from a variety of perspectives, and expand their capacity to initiate and execute research critical to understanding and ameliorating such situations, and to work in the field as professionals planning, implementing, and evaluating peace-building, conflict resolution, conflict prevention, and related projects. Furthermore, the active nature of student participation expected in courses and in the program overall, for example through frequent student presentations, should prepare students for positions in education, whether at the community level in conflict areas, or at the tertiary level in their home countries.

The PCS Faculty aims to offer a diverse and engaging set of courses each term, based on their particular expertise and interests, and on the most relevant and current issues. Several Visiting Professors and Lecturers are also retained each term to broaden the course offerings, and also to allow students the opportunity to have contact with and learn from professionals active in peace-building, conflict resolution, and other areas of practice. Outside experts are also often invited for short seminars, talks, or conferences for these purposes.

Through contact with faculty, outside researchers and professionals, and other students, the students should be able to establish an international network of profession contacts for their future research and employment. Moreover, we expect that, given the small size and international nature of each entering class (approximately 8-10 students each year), as well as the fact that many of them come from conflict-affected countries, students will be able to gain valuable experience in cross-cultural contact and understanding, and in working collaboratively. Of course, studying in Japan in itself should hopefully provide students with such experience.

 

Structure of MA Program

The MA program curriculum consists of special research seminars and courses offered each term by PCS Faculty, and culminates in an MA thesis based on an individual field research. All seminars and courses in the MA program curriculum meet for 1.5 hours a week and are worth 2 units except for PCS Seminars I and II which meet 3 hours a week and are worth 4 credits. MA students are required to complete 30 units of coursework over 2 years in order to graduate.

The team-taught PCS Seminars I to IV, (12 credits total) form the core of the MA program, and here, students will learn conventional research methods, theoretical and practical cases, while also participating in discussions to nurture their own views on peace and conflicts.

Students are supposed to take the rest 18 elective credits from courses on offer each term in the following subject areas:
Peace Studies, International Security, International Cooperation, Conflict Resolution, Regional Politics, and Regional Culture.

Students also have access to relevant courses offered by International Christian University in Tokyo. The format of each TUFS-PCS seminar or course is a mix of lecture, student presentations, and discussion, with the stress on student research and input. Coursework is evaluated based on a number of factors including student participation and contribution to discussions, presentations, term papers, final exams, and other assignments.

MA Courses offered for the academic year of 2012-2013:

PCS Seminar I	Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (for 1st yr students)	MATSUNAGA	1st
PCS Seminar II	Case Studies of conflict and international intervention, Simulation for Peacebuilding and Peace Communication (for 1st year students)	ISEZAKI ITO	2nd
PCS Seminar　III	Thesis Research and Structure (for 2nd year students)	MATSUNAGA	1st
PCS Seminar IV	Thesis Writing (for 2nd year students)	ISEZAKI SAKAI OKADA	2nd
Research Methodology in PCS	Research Methods	HAZAMA	2nd
	Gender and Peace	AKIBAYASHI	winter
	Introduction to Sociological Approach for Peace and Conflict Studies	NIWA	2nd
International Relations	International Security and Human Security	MUSHAKOJI	summer
	Comparative Study of Regional Institutions	SUZUKI	1st
	Contentious Politics	MATSUNAGA	2nd
International Law and Cooperation	Economic Cooperation	UNO	1st
	Economic Cooperation	UNO	2nd
Peace-building	Intensive Seminar for Peacebuilding	Isezaki	1st
	The Politics of Growth and Distribution	HAZAMA	1st
	Political Economy of Peace-building	DAIMON	2nd
Crisis Management	Conflict Prevention and Global Security	YOSHIZAKI	1st
	Security and Crisis Management	TSUKAMOTO	1st
	Global Campus Program(basic)	ISEZAKI,etc	2nd
Peace and Conflict in Japan and N-E Asia	Japan's Security Policy and Conflict Resolution	YOSHIZAKI	2nd

 

Click the course title for detailed syllabus and/or activities.