Diploma Policy (Principles guiding graduation requirements)

Graduates of the Faculty of Economics will gain fundamental knowledge of economics and business, and thereby become able to contribute to the betterment of society as 21^st century citizens. Before graduation they will acquire the following skills and knowledge.

(1)　Linguistic competence

Graduates will gain:
✓　Comprehension skills in Japanese as well as the ability to express their opinions clearly in writing and in speech.
✓　An international perspective, as well as the ability to read, write, listen to, and speak in more than one foreign
　　language.
✓　The ability to work with others as well as to take on leadership roles in working towards the achievement of a goal.
✓　Effective information gathering skills in the fields of economics and business.

(2)　Knowledge and understanding necessary for 21^st century economics graduates

Graduates will gain:
✓　The ability to comprehend the features of economic units and markets from the perspective of the discipline of
　　economics.
✓　The ability to comprehend the purpose as well as the historical background behind economic systems and policies.
✓　Knowledge of management, accounting, and commerce necessary to work actively in the planning and running of
　　business enterprises.
✓　The ability to manage companies and enterprises.
✓　The ability to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data and make use of findings.
✓　An international perspective grounded in the acquisition of a wide range of knowledge about global issues.

(3)　Problem-solving and information-gathering skills

Graduates will gain:
✓　The ability to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data using the appropriate means and thereby investigate
　　issues in economics and business.
✓　A sense of flexibility in finding solutions to issues in economics and business.
✓　The ability to recognize problem points on their own and work towards the resolution of these problems.
✓　A sense of passion and drive for improvement as autonomous learners.

(4)　Ethics and social responsibility

Graduates will gain:
✓　A sense of ethics, mission, and social responsibility as professionals, and to proceed with thorough professionalism
　　when conducting business.
✓　The ability to devote themselves to their work as professionals across their lifetimes.
✓　The ability to respect the laws and customs of society as one of its members when conducting business.

(5) Community-mindedness

Graduates will gain:
✓　An appreciation of the state of their communities and fundamental skills necessary to research and resolve
　　problems in their communities.
✓　An international perspective grounded in an understanding of global issues, enabling them to work towards resolving
　　problems in the global society.

Curriculum Policy (Principles underlying the educational framework and experiential learning)

In order to make students achieve the goal shown in the diploma policy, the Faculty of Economics at Kagawa University offers a curriculum containing both general education (32 credits or more) and specialized courses (92 credits or more). In total, the number of credits for graduation is 124, and students are required to have taken 26 credits in their specialized courses to take part in the compulsory seminar in their third year.

The principles in the diploma policy are realized through systematic education as described below.

(1) Linguistic competence

Communication courses within the education curriculum are designed to develop student's fundamental language skills, which are further refined in specialized foreign language courses offered by the Faculty of Economics. Such courses as Foreign Language Exercise I/II, Business English I/II, and Overseas Seminar aim to develop students' foreign language skills and global mind. Skills for efficient Japanese language use are learned in stages through small group seminars.

(2) Knowledge and comprehension skills necessary for 21^st century Economics graduates

General education courses offer students a wide range of knowledge from various disciplines. In addition, introductory courses are offered in the Faculty of Economics to give students basic understanding of economics and business. They then proceed to their specialized courses and seminars to acquire higher skills in their major fields. Students are also required to take courses from each of five major fields to better understand their specialized field from a broader perspective.

(3) Problem-solving and information-gathering skills

As academic knowledge and techniques are taught in specialized courses, skills of problem-solving and information-gathering are learned in stages from University Introductory Seminar in general education to Pro-seminar, Seminar and Individual Seminar in specialized courses. In such small classes students are taught practical knowledge and skills through active learning. Problem-solving and information-gathering skills acquired through the above courses are essential to carry out the final research project: Graduation Thesis.

(4) Ethics and social responsibility

Students learn how to live as a 21^st century citizen through the Theme-based course A: Life and Career. They gain a greater understanding of ethical issues in society and will be aware of their social responsibilities through a series of lectures and internship program.

(5) Community mindedness

Students learn about problems in the community through the Theme-based course C: Community mindedness, as well as other specialized courses in Tourism and Community Development and Global Social Economy. They will be acquainted with the current issues in local communities and global regions and learn to find practical solutions to these problems through lectures, group work, and fieldwork using PBL (Project Based Learning) method.

Students are assessed with the level of acquired knowledge in lecture-style classes, and the proficiency levels in specialty and research activity are evaluated in seminars. Grades and credits are awarded according to strict evaluation policies specified by the instructors (5-point scale is used for calculating GPA).

Admission policy (Principles underlying university admission)

Incoming students are expected to have gained the following:
(1)　Knowledge and skills on a wide variety of subjects.
(2)　The ability to form opinions, make decisions, and express ideas clearly.
(3)　A flexible mindset and collaboration skills.
(4)　Interest in and passion towards society and social issues.
(5)　A sense of ethics and responsibility as a member of society.

It is expected that students will have acquired knowledge in a range of subjects prior to admittance of Kagawa University. In order to foster a global outlook, students will need to gain fundamental skills in both English and Japanese. These skills are necessary to read academic articles, write essays, and present your ideas. Students should also be informed regarding current events, through news media and other contemporary publications, and maintain interests in society and economics and to develop their logical thinking skills. Participation in cultural activities, sports, club activities, study abroad, and volunteering is highly recommended to build independence, understanding of diversity, and collaboration skills.

For general admission: The University Admission Test (Center test) will gauge students' understanding of basic subjects acquired in high school. Individual examinations will measure students' skills in mathematics and English. For secondary admission, the University Admission Test (Center test) will test students' understanding of required high school courses. Individual examinations will measure students' sense of ethics and critical thinking skills through the writing of a short essay.

For special admission: students who are exempted from taking the University Admission Test (Center Test) through a recommendation from their schools will be required to write a short essay and participate in an oral interview in order to measure their logical thinking skills and communication skills. At the interview, the following items will be evaluated: students' ability to think, judge, and express ideas; independence, understanding of cultural diversity, and collaboration skills; interest in and attitude toward economics and society; and ethics and social skills. Candidates will be asked questions based on the recommendation letter and their responses will be graded on the basis of the appropriateness, persuasiveness, and clarity.

For privately financed foreign students: an interview, short essay written in Japanese, and the score of Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) are required in order to examine students' Japanese communication and literacy skills, and goals for studying in the School of Economics. The minimum required score in the EJU is 250.

For transfer students: Transfer students' education will begin in the third year and they will be required to take seminars or advanced subjects. Candidates must complete a short essay and take an exam in English, as well as an interview to show their ability to express their ideas clearly and logically. Additionally, their basic knowledge of economics, business, society and culture in various countries, and their motivation for learning economics will be evaluated. At the English exam, candidates will be tested on their ability to interpret English documents associated with the social sciences, such as economics and business, and humanities. The short essay is intended to measure candidates' logical thinking and expressive skills, and interest in, motivation, and attitude toward economics, society, and culture. Particularly emphasis will be placed on whether candidates can understand and analyze presented information, and whether they can create logical sentences to express their ideas clearly. In the interview, candidates will be asked question based on the submitted student credentials and evaluated depending on the clarity of their speech and interest in social issues. The questions will include professional knowledge associated with our department.