Graduate Department of UN System Policy Studies
(New Major Introduced in April 2025)
Training Globally Active Professionals Based on the Spirit of "World Citizenship"
The Department is positioned as a coursework-centered professional school that trains professionals and leaders who are active in the international public sector, such as at the United Nations and other specialized international organizations. All courses are taught in English and in small groups, at the same level as overseas graduate schools.
Core Academic Disciplines
The UN System Policy major is based on the "UN Competency Framework," a curriculum systematically organized based on the UN recruitment standards adopted in the current "UN and Diplomacy” Course. In line with the three pillars of the United Nations—namely, maintenance of international peace and security, protection and promotion of human rights, and promotion of economic and social development—the course takes an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates a wide range of academic fields, while focusing on international relations as one of the categories of political science. Specifically, the program cultivates human resources with practical application skills and an international competitive edge through the study of specialized fields such as global governance, international organization theory, sustainable development goals (SDGs), international human rights and humanitarian law, gender, and international development.
Specifically, through the study of specialized fields such as "global governance," "international organization theory," "SDGs," "international human rights and humanitarian law," "gender," and "international development," the program cultivates human resources with practical application skills and an international competitive edge.
Image of Human Resources to be Trained
The program will equip future leaders to be active in international organizations such as the United Nations, not just with communication skills in the global arena, but also with problem-solving skills, imagination and creativity, flexibility amidst multiculturalism and different values, and the ability to respond to changes and crises.
Course Offerings
Outline of Course SubjectsPDF file
● International Public Policy
● Career Seminar for International Organizations
● Management of International Organizations
● Global Sustainable Development
● Global Environmental Policy
● International Human Rights and Humanitarian Principles
● Global Diversity
● Diplomacy, Peace and Security
● International Issues and Global Order
● International Negotiation
● Research Project in the United Nations
● Internship with UN and Other Agencies
● Research Seminar
Professors and Their Research Fields/Professional Highlights
DOKEN Yasumitsu
Development cooperation, Peacebuilding, Human Security, Project Cycle Management
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Head of the Programme Design Unit at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representation Office in Afghanistan
INOUE Ichiro
Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy, International Relations in East Asia
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Ex-Deputy Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
JITSU Tetsuya
American Policy Studies, Policy Formulation Process, Media Theory
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Ex-Deputy Chief Editorial Writer, Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei Newspaper)
●Ex-Executive Research Director, Japan Center for Economic Research
KONISHI Naomi
International Human Resources Management, Diversity & Inclusion theory, SDGs Management, Education and Youth Employment
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Ex-Advisor to the President, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila
●Ex-Human Resources Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila
●Ex-UN Volunteer, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Team, Dep. Of Education, UNESCO, Paris
●Ex-Consultant, International Labour Organization (ILO), Geneva
MIWA Atsuko
Gender Studies, Human Rights-Based Approach to Development, International Human Rights Standards
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Director, Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center
●Ex-Programme Officer at Asia and the Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (now known as UN Women)
MURATA Shun-ichi
Development Assistance Policies, SDGs, ODA, Developing Countries, Conflicts, Project Design
●KGU Professor
●Dean of Integrated Center for UN and Foreign Affairs Studies
●Ex-Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific（UNESCAP）
●Ex-Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representation Office in Tokyo
NISHINO Keiko
International Relations, International Cooperation, Evaluation Studies, Business and Development
■Professional Highlights
●KGU Professor
●Associate Dean, Integrated Center for UN and Foreign Affairs Studies
●Director of KG Career Center for International Organizations
●Ex-Recruitment & Staff Development Officer of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
SHIMIZU Yasuko
International Protection of Refugees, International Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance, Peacebuilding
■Professional Highlights
●KGU Professor in the School of Policy Studies
●Ex-Chief of Mission, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) India and the Maldives
●Ex-Senior Advisor seconded from UNHCR, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo
AY2025 Admissions Information (Master's Program)
Entrance Examination Schedule (for both general and recommended entrance examinations)
2025 Spring semester entry
| First round of applications | Second round of applications | |
| Application period | Friday 28 June - Friday 5 July 2024 | Thursday, 23 January- Thursday, 30 January 2025 |
| Examination dates | Friday 2 August | Saturday 22 February |
| Announcement of the results | Friday 9 August | Friday 28 February |
| Admission processⅠ | Thursday 22 August - Friday 30 August | Friday, 28 February -Friday, 7 March |
| Admission processⅡ | Friday, 14 March 2025 | Friday, 14 March 2025 |
Entrance examination guidelines
Prescribed form for the Graduate School
◆ Letter of Recommendation*
PDF
*Only for applicants for the Recommendation-Based Entrance Examination）
"UN System Policy Studies” Graduate Minor
The Graduate School of Policy Studies in Kwansei Gakuin University, will offer a graduate minor Program ‘UN System Policy Studies’ in April 2025.
This minor enables students to systematically acquire knowledge on United Nations system policy while specializing in a particular field of study at Kwansei Gakuin University. Please see the application guidelines below.
Note that in order to take this minor, you must both pass the entrance examinations for the graduate school in which you will be majoring, and obtain permission to take this minor. Before applying, consult your academic advisor at the graduate school in which you wish to enroll.