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  5. Regulations of the Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University

Regulations of the Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University

(Regulations No.33, March 28 2013)

Purpose

Article 1

Subject to the provisions of Articles 11 and 12 of the School Regulations of Yokohama National University (Regulations No. 202 ( 2004); hereinafter referred to as “Graduate School Regulations”) , the purpose of these Rules shall be to regulate courses, the numbers of credits, and methods of undertaking courses, etc., for specialties of the Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University (hereinafter referred to as the “Graduate School”) and necessary matters for the Graduate School, provided, however, that matters related to the Law School/ Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University shall be subject to the provisions of the Detailed Regulations for the Law School/ Graduate School of International Social Sciences, Yokohama National University.

Courses, etc.

Article 2

  1. Courses and the number of credits for departments at the Graduate School shall be separately regulated by the Dean of the Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University (hereinafter referred to as the “Dean”) with input from the faculty council (hereinafter referred to as the “ Faculty Council”).
  2. 15 hours of classes in courses (lectures and seminars) at the Graduate School shall constitute a single credit.
  3. The term “academic dissertation(s)” refers to master’s theses and doctoral dissertations and includes the research outcomes of specific assignments given in connection with master's theses (hereinafter referred to as “Theses for Specific Assignments” in plural form or “Thesis for Specific Assignment” in singular form).

Flexible Curriculum across Departments

Article 3

  1. Systematic educational programs related to multi-specialty fusion fields and specific assignments (hereinafter referred to as the “Flexible Curriculum across Departments”) shall be assigned in Ph.D. Programs.
  2. The Flexible Curriculum across Departments regulated under the previous paragraph shall include those under the following Items.
    1. International Public Policy Education Programs
    2. Tax Law and Accounting Educational Programs
  3. Matters necessary for the Flexible Curriculum across Departments shall be separately regulated by the Faculty Council.

Advisors, etc.

Article 4

  1. In order to teach classes for Master’s Programs and provide guidance for courses and the writing of academic dissertations (doctoral dissertation research proposal or term papers for persons who undertake the Qualifying Exams), (hereinafter referred to as “Research Guidance”), an advisor shall be allocated to each student.
  2. In order to teach classes and provide Research Guidance for Ph.D. Programs, a single thesis advisor and two other advisors (hereinafter referred to as “Thesis Advisor” and “ advisors”) shall be allocated to each student.
  3. Thesis Advisor and advisors shall organize an advisor's committee for the student.
  4. Matters necessary for advisors, Thesis Advisors, etc., and advisor's committees shall be separately regulated by the Faculty Council.

Progression of the Program

Article 5

Students must obtain the credits prescribed by the Faculty Council, with the guidance of the advisors and Thesis Advisors.

System for Extending the Period of Registration

Article 6

If students desire to extend the Period of Registration subject to Article 14 of the Graduate School Regulations, they must apply for permission from the head of the Graduate School in accordance with separate regulations.

Undertaking of Courses at Graduate Schools of Other Universities, etc.

Article 7

  1. Students may take courses at graduate schools belonging to other universities (throughout, this includes foreign graduate schools) or at other graduate schools of this university after obtaining the approval of the Faculty Council.
  2. Credits obtained for courses undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the previous paragraph may be accepted toward the completion of relevant programs, up to a prescribed number of credits.

Undertaking Courses at Foreign Graduate Schools During Leaves of Absence

Article 8

  1. If it is deemed useful, credits obtained for courses undertaken at foreign graduate schools during leaves of absence may be accepted toward the completion of specific courses at the Graduate School after obtaining the approval of the Faculty Council.
  2. The number of credits deemed to have been acquired in accordance with the provisions of the previous paragraph shall not exceed 10 credits per student, including the number of credits under the provisions of paragraph 2 of the previous Article.

Research Guidance of Graduate Schools of Other Universities, etc.

Article 9

  1. Students may undertake research guidance at graduate schools of other universities or research institutes (hereinafter referred to as “Other Graduate Schools, etc.”) after obtaining the approval of the relevant faculty; provided, however, that if students in a Master’s Program are allowed to receive such Research Guidance, the period in which they may undertake the corresponding Research Guidance shall not exceed one year.
  2. Subject to the provisions of the previous paragraph, it shall be possible to recognize Research Guidance undertaken at Other Graduate Schools, etc., as a part of the research guidance necessary for completion of the relevant Program.

Requirements for Completion

Article 10

  1. With regard to the requirements for completion of a Master’s Program, a student must be enrolled in the Program for more than two years, obtain 32 or more credits, satisfy the separately set standard of a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, undertake the relevant Research Guidance, and, thereafter, pass an examination on research outcomes concerning the student’s master’s thesis (i.e., the Thesis for Specific Assignment) and specific assignment, as well as a final exam; with regard to the period of enrollment, it shall be sufficient for a student who has achieved particularly superior research performance to be enrolled in the Graduate School for a minimum of one year.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous paragraph, with regard to the requirements for completion of a Master’s Program by a student who has been allowed to extend the Period of Registration under the provisions of Article 6, such a student shall be enrolled for the corresponding period while undertaking the same, obtain 32 credits or more, satisfy the separately regulated standards for a GPA of 2.0 or higher, undertake the relevant Research Guidance, and, thereafter, pass an examination on research outcomes (i.e., the Thesis for Specific Assignment) related to a master’s thesis and specific assignment, as well as a final exam.
  3. For a student who desires to take the Qualifying Exams, instead of passing an examination on research outcomes for a master’s thesis and specific assignment (i.e., the Thesis for Specific Assignment) and a final exam as described above, such a student shall be allowed to take a test and examination on basic research skills to earn a doctoral dissertation given by the Graduate School, as described in (1) and (2) below. In such a case, the expression “....obtain 32 credits or more...” above shall be changed to read “...obtain 36 credits or more....” and the expression “...undertake the relevant Research Guidance, and, thereafter...” shall be changed to read “...undertake the relevant Research Guidance, successfully gain acceptance for a doctoral dissertation research project plan or pass a term paper, and, thereafter....”
    1. The test will ascertain the candidate’s advanced expertise in relation to the relevant specialty field and basic background knowledge in associated fields, which should be acquired or cultivated in the corresponding Master’s Program.
    2. The examination will assess abilities necessary to carry out research on the student's own initiative at a level appropriate for doctoral dissertations, which should be acquired in the corresponding Master’s Program.
  4. With regard to the requirements for completion of Ph.D. Programs, a student must be enrolled in the program for more than three years (or only two for a student who has completed a professional degree program such as Law School), obtain 20 credits or more, have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, undertake the relevant Research Guidance, and, thereafter, pass a doctoral dissertation examination as well as a final exam; however, for a student who has achieved particularly superior research performance the minimum period of enrollment shall be one year.
  5. Subject to the proviso in paragraph 1, with regard to the requirements for completion of a Ph.D. Program for a student who has competed a Master’s Program in a period of less than two years due to particularly superior research performance (including students with a period of enrollment in another graduate school), the term “one year” in the previous paragraph shall be changed to read “more than the period resulting when the period of enrollment in the corresponding Master’s Program (and limited to a period of no more than two years) is deducted from three years.”
  6. With regard to the requirements for completion of a Ph.D. Program for a student who has completed a Master’s Program, or a professional degree program at another graduate school for which the standard period is between one and two years, the term “one year” in paragraph 4 shall be changed to read “ the period resulting when the period of the Master’s or professional program is deducted from three years.”
  7. Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous three paragraphs, with regard to the requirements for completion of a Ph.D. Program for a student who has been allowed to extend the Period of Registration under the provisions of Article 6, that student shall be enrolled for the corresponding period while undertaking the same, obtain 20 credits or more, maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher, undertake the relevant Research Guidance, and, thereafter, pass a doctoral dissertation examination as well as a final exam.
  8. Examinations for academic dissertations shall be subject to the Regulations on Academic Degrees of Yokohama National University.

Period for Submission of Academic Dissertation

Article 11

Academic dissertations and documents required by the Faculty Council must be submitted within a period determined by the Graduate School.

Administration Affairs

Article 12

Administration affairs for the Graduate School shall be handled by the Social Science Administration Department.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Article 13

In addition to the information provided hereunder, matters related to the Graduate School shall have additional requirements set by the Faculty Council.

Supplementary Provisions
These Regulations shall become effective on April 1, 2013.


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