About FSS
Objective
The Foreign Service Sub-Program (FSS) within the Global Governance Program aims to develop those who are working in foreign service positions in Asia and beyond into high-level professionals with the ability to analyze, formulate, and implement foreign policies in their respective countries.
Overview
The FSS was established to accept mid-career students from abroad. Students in this sub-program can complete the master's program in the School of International and Public Policy, (IPP), Hitotsubashi University, by taking courses taught in English only. The program is also open to those who wish to study international relations and obtain a Master's degree in English. Students enter the sub-program in mid-September and are expected to complete their studies in two years.
Features
・Flexibility: The academic interests of FSS students are diverse, reflecting differences in policy priorities across the countries of origin. In comparison to other students in the Global Governance Program, FSS students enjoy more flexibility in curriculum requirements, although the number of credits required for graduation remains the same.
・Small classes: Most of the classes are offered in a small group, and emphasize discussions and presentations over lectures. It makes it possible for students to have candid and thorough discussions. It helps instructors well grasp needs of each student.
・Action oriented: The courses in the FSS also emphasize group works. These courses help the students acquire sense of team work, importance of communication, and true friendships. These qualities are essential to establish good working relationships.
Core Faculty Members
Please visit here for the list of the core faculty members for the FSS. The FSS students can also attend courses offered by other IPP faculty members to fulfill their graduation requirements.
Program
【Courses】
The courses are divided into 4 categories, including, "Basic Courses," "Core Courses," "Applied Courses," and "Case Studies/Workshops," which are the same as other programs at School of International and Public Policy. The courses in the different categories will be explained in more detail in the following.
＜Basic Courses＞
First, the "Basic Courses" are provided so that students can learn the basics of international relations. The objective of these courses is for students to learn about the complex situation of the world and acquire basic knowledge through the theories of international relations, historical trends in international relations, and the role of international law and legal norms. Another aim is to provide classes in which students can think about general global issues. Through the Basic Courses, students will be able to obtain a clearer image about the current situation of international politics and international relations.
＜Core Courses＞
After obtaining a clear image of the current international relations and international politics in the basic courses, students are then asked to obtain knowledge and the method to think about more specialized issues. The "Core Courses" have been established for this purpose. In order to propose policies for global governance, the knowledge obtained through the basic courses and the reinforcement of specialized knowledge will certainly be an extremely powerful tool for policy proposal and policy analysis.
＜Applied Courses＞
After studying the "Core Courses," students will be taught specialized knowledge that directly links to policy proposal and how to use this skill. To do so, it is necessary to know what kind of problems exist in international relations, what kind of policies can be established, and the effects of such policies. Students will know how to apply the knowledge that they have learnt, and will become familiar with the more complex aspects of current issues in international relations.
＜Case Studies and Workshops＞
Most of the courses mentioned above help students obtain knowledge and the thinking process of how to use such knowledge. In order to become a professional in international public policy making for global governance, it is necessary to train students to find answers to international issues by themselves, as if they were the actual parties concerned through the past and present case studies. Moreover, students will need to be able to explain their policy proposals to others, and convince them of the effectiveness of policy prescriptions in the proposals and their feasibility. Therefore, faculty members including practitioners have established some omnibus-type courses of "Case Studies" and "Workshops."
The FSS students may take subjects offered by the other three IPP programs at Hitotsubashi University (excluding seminars) as elective subjects for up to four credits, and they may also take the subjects offered by other graduate schools at Hitotsubashi University as elective subjects for up to eight credits. The subjects may be substituted for elective subjects and included in the credit requirements for graduation.
Admissions
【Admission】
The FSS announces its application guidelines annually in December for enrollment in September of the next year. Applicants should read the guidelines carefully, pay the application fee, and submit the application documents to the IPP office via the designated methods during the application period set for each year.
Selection of program candidates will be made based on the application documents submitted. In the selection process, we will take into consideration not only the expertise of the applicants but also their ability to detect problems accurately, analyze data skillfully, think theoretically, and write well-informed and thoughtful reports and documents.
【Scholarship】
Applicants for the FSS may be eligible to apply for the JDS and JICA-SDGs Global Leadership Program offered by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Note that partner universities of JDS and JICA-SDGs are subject to change every academic year. Please contact JICA for details. Please note that applicants for each scholarship program should first apply for the scholarship before applying for the FSS. The application period for each scholarship program usually closes before the FSS's announcement of its Application Guidelines.
