Produce Leaders in the Global Economy
Innovations in information and communication technology have changed the way that new knowledge is acquired. Everyone living in this information age should be willing to master new digital devices and technologies and be able to create new value by utilizing them to their fullest. A new generation of leaders should ride the wave of new technology and keep their eyes on the global economy without drowning amid the flood of information. With this in mind, the Faculty of Economics continues to produce graduates who are prepared to act as leaders in the global economy.
Two Paths, One Goal
Our goal is to educate promising students to be global leaders by enhancing their ability to think logically and profoundly on economic issues. However, there is no single path to this goal; some students are comfortable with a theory-oriented deductive approach, while others prefer a fact-based inductive approach. To accommodate these different needs, we offer first- and second-year students two academic tracks with a distinct initial focus in curriculum: economic theory and mathematics (Type A), or the analysis of contemporary economies and economic history (Type B). Courses in linear algebra and calculus are mandatory for Type A students, while Type B students are required to take introductory courses in the Japanese economy and historical perspectives in economic analysis. Which type students are enrolled in is fixed according to the subjects of the university entrance exam that students elect to take. If students choose mathematics for their entrance exam, they will be enrolled in Type A, if they choose history, Type B. PEARL students are always enrolled in Type B. However, these ‘Types’ are by no means rigid; for example, Type B students can and are encouraged to take courses in mathematics that suit their own level. Moreover, statistics and macroeconomics are required classes for all first-year students, and all students take microeconomics and economic history in their second year.
Economics Education: A Four-Year Journey
The Faculty of Economics offers various courses on ten major and intertwining fields of economics. Students’ study of economics begins in the first year. During the first two years, students learn introductory materials on economics by following Type A or B. After they move from the Hiyoshi campus to the Mita campus, their study deepens and broadens in scope, becoming more detailed and diverse. Fourth-year students may earn credits for the Master’s Program at the Graduate School of Economics at Keio. Utilizing these additional credits, students can complete both their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years (four years for the B.A. with an additional one year for the M.A.).
Three Choices: Research Seminar, Independent Research Project, and Professional Career Programme
While at the Mita campus, students can join a Research Seminar, where they spend two years in specialized research under a professor’s guidance, culminating in a graduation thesis. Alternatively, students who have developed a strong interest in a field of study outside of economics can carry out an Independent Research Project under the tutelage of a professor who specializes in that field. Students conducting Independent Research Projects produce a research paper similar in length and scope to a graduation thesis, but do so in one year. Independent Research Projects have been completed in diverse fields such as history, film studies, and sociology. Finally, students interested in learning economics entirely in English may wish to join the Professional Career Programme (PCP) and work towards obtaining the PCP certificate.