Research Guidance and Schedule

Master’s Program

<Research Guidance>

The Graduate School of Economics aims to foster “economics experts” capable of analyzing and thinking deeply about economic phenomena regardless of the era or circumstances. To achieve this, the master’s program curriculum is structured to facilitate:

Acquisition of the fundamentals and broad perspectives of economic theory appropriate to an “economics expert,” equipped with the knowledge needed to apprehend the cutting edge of economic research.
Production of a master’s thesis through specialist study of a field of deep interest and profound learning on a chosen theme.

After entering the master’s program, students will choose a supervising professor and proceed with their research under that professor’s guidance. The provisional subject and examiners (one chief examiner and two auxiliary examiners) for the master’s thesis will be decided by July in the second year of studies (January for students enrolling in September). In addition, a thesis proposal defense will be conducted in November (or April) to confirm whether the students’ research capacities have advanced to the level required to author a master’s thesis. Thesis reviews conclude after successfully passing the thesis proposal defense and submitting a completed master’s thesis by January (or June), which then passes the thesis review and is successfully defended in the final interview.

<Schedule>

First Year Level

April（September for students enrolling in September）	Enrollment
May-June (October)	Selection of supervising professor

Second Year Level

April (September)	Advancement to the 2nd year level
July (January-February)	Submission of provisional thesis title and abstract
October-November(March-April)	Preliminary examination of master’s thesis
January (June)	Submission of master’s thesis, abstract and application documents for master’s degree
February-March (July-September)	Thesis defense interview Completion

<Schedule (Early Completion)>

The Graduate School of Economics offers Early Completion System that allows students to complete their program in one year. The schedule for those who applied for this system is as follows.

First Year Level (Early Completion)

April (September)	Enrollment Application for Early Completion System Transfer of credits obtained through “Taking Graduate School Courses Prior to Entering Graduate School at Keio” (*)
May-June (October)	Selection of supervising professor
July (January-February)	Submission of provisional thesis title and abstract
October-November (March-April)	Preliminary examination of master’s thesis
January (June)	Submission of master’s thesis, abstract and application documents for master’s degree
February-March （July-September）	Thesis defense interview Completion

＊For those who graduated from the faculty of economics, Keio University, credits obtained in their fourth year level using “Taking Graduate School Courses Prior to Entering Graduate School at Keio” system may be transferred to the credits for their master’s program.

Doctoral Program

<Research Guidance>

Students will refine their abilities to conduct economics research of a highly distinctive and novel nature under the guidance of their supervising professor. A dissertation proposal defense during the student’s period of enrollment will then ascertain whether a student is conducting research at a level sufficiently advanced to contribute valuable new knowledge in a specialized field. Having successfully passed the dissertation proposal defense, a student will conduct dissertation research under the guidance of two dissertation supervisors from among the faculty, with the ultimate objective of completing a dissertation. As it is required for a dissertation to have undergone peer review or to contain equivalent research outcomes, a doctoral dissertation review committee will be held, with the committee comprised of one chief examiner, two auxiliary examiners, and two interviewers.

<Schedule>

First Year Level

April	Enrollment Selection of supervising professor

Second Year Level and After

Within 3 years of the enrollment	Preliminary Examination of Doctoral Dissertation ＊Two dissertation advisors will be decided. ＊There are cases that students are exempted from the preliminary examination in the case that students have written dissertations with peer review.
Within 6 years of the enrollment	Obtaining permission from dissertation advisors to submit the dissertation Submission of dissertation for review
After submitting the dissertation	Acceptance of dissertation Dissertation review and final oral examination Completion