Admissions
Admission Policy
The Master’s Course of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences is seeking students who have a strong motivation and passion to pursue the following objectives and who have the fundamental academic
abilities required to achieve them.
A person who is motivated to acquire, in addition to a wide range of general knowledge, a high level of knowledge and research skills in the humanities, social sciences, educational sciences and other related fields, and who eventually aims to contribute to creating a “peace science that can lead to sustainable development” from diversified perspectives
A person who is motivated to acquire, in addition to a wide range of general knowledge, a high level of knowledge and research skills in the humanities, social sciences, educational sciences and other related fields, and who has a willingness to address challenges currently, or potentially in the future, confronting human society in order to contribute to building a global society of diversity, freedom and peace
In order to admit such individuals, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences selects applicants through a multifaceted and comprehensive evaluation process based on its own Diploma Policy and Curriculum
Policy, using interviews, academic tests, and external examinations.
schedule
【Master’s Course】General Selection/Special Selection for Working Citizens/Special Selection for International Students (February recruitment)
Enrollment : April 2025
Application Period : Thu., December 26, 2024 to 1:00 p.m. Thu., January 9, 2025(must be arrived)
Examination Date : Thu., February 13, Fri., February 14, 2025
Announcement of Results : Tue., February 25, 2025
【Doctoral Course】General Selection/Special Selection for Working Citizens/Special Selection for International Students
Enrollment : April 2025/October 2025
Application Period : Thu., December 26, 2024 to 1:00 p.m. Thu., January 9, 2025(must be arrived)
Examination Date : Thu., February 13, Fri., February 14, 2025
Announcement of Results : Tue., February 25, 2025
Subjects in Written Examinations
Specialized Subjects
Learning Development
| -Compulsory questions | (pedagogy, educational psychology, and the curriculum in elementary education) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select one from (1) pedagogy or educational psychology, (2) arithmetic education, (3) living environment studies education, (4) art and handicraft education, (5) physical education, (6) foreign language education, or (7) integrated studies education (integrated/cross-curriculum learning).) |
Special Needs Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of Special Needs Education) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Education for children with visual impairments, hearing impairments,intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, health impairments, autismspectrum disorders, learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, and/or speech-language disorders) |
Science Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of science education and subject-contents of science) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select one from science education research, teaching and learning methodology in science education, physics, chemistry, biology, or earth science.) |
Mathematics Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of mathematics education and mathematics) |
|---|
Technology and Information Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of technology and information education as well as technology and information science) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select three out of six questions specialized to technology and information science.) |
Social Studies Education
| -Compulsory questions | (curriculum and instruction sciences and teacher education from the perspectives of social studies) |
|---|---|
| -Compulsory questions | (social studies education) |
| -Elective questions | (Select one from social studies education, geography or civics; and another from geography, history, philosophy/ethics, and law/economics.) |
Japanese Language and Culture Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of Japanese language education) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select two from Japanese language education, Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, or Chinese classical literature (one of your choices must be your major).) |
English Language Education
| -Compulsory questions | (English language education, English linguistics, English Literature) (Compulsory questions will be based on the materials listed in the reading list.) |
|---|---|
| -Compulsory questions | (comprehensive questions on human life sciences education) |
Health and Sports Sciences Education
| -Compulsory questions | (health and sports sciences education) |
|---|
Human Life Sciences Education
| -Elective questions | (Select one from human life sciences education or human life sciences and design.) |
|---|
Music Culture Education
| -Compulsory questions | (music education and musicology) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select one from music education, composition (music theory), composition (practical), instrumentals (practical; select one from piano, violin or viola), or vocal music (practical).) |
Art Education
| -Compulsory questions | (fundamentals of art education) |
|---|---|
| -Elective questions | (Select one from art education (specialized contents related to art education research), research in art and design, painting(practical), sculpture (practical), design (practical), or craft (practical).) Applicants are supposed to consult in advance with the preferable thesis advisor to select one of the elective questions. Hiroshima University provides the necessary equipment for the practical Examination |
Perusing past entrance examination questions
Should you wish to peruse past questions, please come to the Student Support Office (Graduate School Coordinator), bringing identification (e.g. your student identification card) with you.
Past questions may be perused freely between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays, the mid-August holiday, and December 29 – January 3).
Past questions for master’s degree program entrance examinations may also be perused at Hiroshima University’s Central Library.
Please check the library website for opening hours and other details.
(Central Library URL: https://www.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/?lang=english)
Application documents
| Documents | Contents | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Personal History | Please fill in the prescribed form. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) |
| B | Academic Transcript | Must be issued by the dean or president of the university or college. *Please be sure to submit the original. |
| C | Certificate of Graduation, or Certificate of Expected Graduation | Must be issued by the dean or president of the university or college. *Please be sure to submit the original. If you are a graduate or an expected graduate of a university in China, please also submit the following documents. 【Documents required for application】 ・Certificate of Graduation, or Certificate of Expected Graduation *Please be sure to submit the original. 【Documents required to confirm educational background】 ・ Graduates: Copy of“毕业证书”and“学士学位证书” Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate (“教育部学历证书电子注册备案表”) ・ Expected Graduates: Online Verification Report of Student Record (“教育部学籍在线验证报告”) Please obtain Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate (教育部学历证书电子注册备案表) and Online Verification Report of Student Record (教育部学籍在线验证报告) from the website for higher education qualification certificate verification by the Chinese Ministry of Education : (“中国高等教育学生信息网”https://www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgys.jsp). Be sure to check that there are 6 or more months left until the expiration date of the online verification at the time of its submission. |
| D | Summary of Previous Study | Use the prescribed form; (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) and provide a summary of your undergraduate thesis (or research proposal for future graduates) or of your research between your graduation and the present, within 1,500 Japanese characters. (If there are references, figures, etc., they should be included within 1,500 Japanese characters. The form should not exceed two pages.) |
| E | Research Proposal | Use the prescribed form; (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) and give an outline of your research proposal for our graduate school, within 1,500 Japanese characters. (If there are references, figures, etc., they should be included within 1,500 Japanese characters. The form should not exceed two pages.) |
| F | Copy of the Language Test (See 5. Student Selection Method | Those who apply for the General Selection or Special Selection for International Students must submit a copy of the score of one of the following tests taken after April 2021. If you cannot submit the score certificate or the acceptance letter at the time of application, you are not allowed to apply. However, only in cases where the applicant does not receive the score certificate or the acceptance letter (including the reissue) in time for the application period, a copy of the online screen that verifies that the score or scores are the applicant’s own is acceptable. *Applicants for native speakers of Japanese who are applying to the Educational Design for Teacher Educators Program and the Educational Studies Program can submit one of (1) through (5) only if they wish to use the score of the English Language Proficiency Test for evaluation of Foreign Language examination (English). (For native speakers of Japanese) (1) Test in Practical English Proficiency (EIKEN) (2) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT®) (3) International English Language Testing System (IELTS™) (4) Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC® L&R) (5) TOEIC®-IP L&R (incl.colleage TOEIC® L&R) (For non-native speakers of Japanese) (1) Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (2) Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (Japanese) (3) BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test |
| G | Degree certificate or certificate stating intent to apply for a Bachelor’s degree | In the General Selection and the Special Selection for Working Citizens, applicants falling under category (2) of the eligibility criteria must submit the degree certificate issued by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, or a certificate stating intent to apply for a Bachelor’s degree by the president of the applicant’s junior college or technical/vocational college. |
| H | Letter of acceptance issued by the head of your organization | Applicants who work in a school, public office, or company must submit the letter of acceptance for taking the examination by the head of your organization, if you would like to take temporary leave from your workplace to enter into the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, while remaining incumbent. Use the prescribed form; (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) |
| I | Educational and research work record | Those who apply for the Special Selection for Working Citizens must submit your educational and research work record (Use the prescribed form; (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) to state your work record such as books, research papers, research reports, presentations or reports about teaching practice, works of art, and other matters which you consider to be of importance). However, it is not necessary for applicants in “the Phoenix Admission System” to submit this record. |
| J | Certificate of Name Change | If the applicant’s name or other personal information are different from Personal History, please attach a document which certifies the name change. |
| K | Copy of the Residence Card (both sides) | Foreign applicants residing in Japan must submit both sides copy of the Residence Card which shows their current address on it. |
| L | Copy of the Passport (The page that can identify your name and face photo) | Only for foreign applicants who reside outside Japan. |
| M | Certificate of MEXT student, Any form that states that you are planning to apply for extension | *Submitted only for MEXT students who are not currently enrolled at our university. |
| N | Notification of course and main academic advisor | Applicants for the Psychology Program in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences should obtain the prior approval of the prospective thesis advisor and need to indicate the course of their choice in the designated form. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) Applicants for the Clinical Psychology Practice and Research Course are advised to consult in advance with the teaching staff to whom they wish to receive clinical guidance. |
| O | Notification of Examination Subject for Elective Question | For applicants for the Learning Development, the Music Culture Education, or the Art Education in the Educational Design for Teacher Educators Program of the Division of Educational Sciences: Indicate the elective question you choose in the designated form. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) |
| P | Program Notification /Implementation Guidance for Practical Examination | Applicants who choose a practical examination for the specialized subject in the Music Culture Education in the Educational Design for Teacher Educators Program of the Division of Educational Sciences should read “Implementation Guidance for Practical Examination,” for details. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) Applicants who choose vocal or instrumental music in the Music Culture Education in the Educational Design for Teacher Educators Program of the Division of Educational Sciences are required to submit “Program Notification”. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) |
| Q | In-application consent form | Applicants for the Teaching Japanese as a Second Language Program are requested to submit the in-application consent form (original) signed or stamped by the academic advisor of our graduate school on the designated form. However, if the original cannot be submitted due to reasons such as residence, please submit a copy. In this case, the original will be submitted by our academic advisor. (Access the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences website and download the form.) |
Inquiries
Support Office for the fields of Education, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
1-1-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 739-8524 JAPAN
E-mail：kyoiku-in＊office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Replace ＊ with half-width @ and send.)
＊For inquiries, please send us an email.