Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPAMESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1990 > PART Chapter3 2 2

PART Issues and Perspectives ofHigher Education

One of the most important issues to be considered in ensuring the upgrading of educational and research programs at graduate schools is the system of academic degrees. At present there is a call for the reexamination of the existing system.

In science fields, higher degrees (i.e.. master's and doctor's degrees) are awarded rather smoothly in accordance with the aim of the existing degree system based on graduate school concepts whereby students who have finished a master's or doctor's course are entitled to earn a degree. On the other hand, in the arts fields the number of students awarded a degree, especially a doctor's degree, is quite limited. There is an increasing demand for making the earning of degrees easier, as the internationalization of higher education is in progress and as there are more and more foreign students accepted in Japan. It has also been pointed out that if it becomes in general that graduate students cannot earn a degree within the standard period of the course leading to the degree, many undergraduate students will lose their willingness to go on to graduate school.

Graduate schools are now required to award doctor's degrees more easily in all fields, in accordance with the aim of the existing graduate school system whereby students who have completed a master's or doctor's course are entitled to earn a degree. They are also required to adapt themselves flexibly to the advancement of scientific research and to the development of interdisciplinary studies. For this reason, the University Council is now reexamining the existing degree system with a view to reducing the kinds of doctor's degrees and to introducing other innovations. The Ministry will be required to implement relevant reforms on the basis of the Council's report. In addition, university authorities are expected to award degrees more smoothly by changing their own traditional attitudes and with their own independent efforts.