GLAP’s Educational Objectives and Policies

GLAP Policy on Conferment of Degree

GLAP’s Educational Objectives

The objectives of Rikkyo University’s GLAP is to develop “global leaders” who can think and act independently and live in harmony with the world.
By “global leader,” we are referring to an individual who can fully utilize their own strengths and work together with those around them no matter what sort of position or environment they encounter, who possess an abundance of sensitivity and intellect, who treat others with respect, and who have the skills and character to think for themselves and seek a new path forward for the world.

Learning Outcomes

Students receiving the Bachelor of Arts degree are:
  1. Students who will have acquired the flexible thinking needed to face issues squarely and to logically investigate the essence of a problem.
  2. Students who will possess a broad range of knowledge and culture and be able to reflect on their own behavior and act accordingly.
  3. Students who will be able to form the appropriate personal ties to and collaborate with individuals whose culture and customs are different from their own.
  4. Students who will be capable of conducting advanced presentations, discussions, and paper writing in English.
  5. Students who will be able to think autonomously, continue to learn about various fields and issues, and continue to put what they learn into practice.
    Also, students receiving the BA degree must take the following University-wide curriculum subjects which are designed to be taken by all students at Rikkyo in order to acquire fundamental academic skills.
  6. Through Language A study, students will be able to communicate appropriately to the circumstances based on their fundamental skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, with the international knowledge gained through the use of English, students will be able to understand and handle diverse cultures, not limited to those of English-speaking countries. Also, they will acquire the foundation for substantive study in English in their area of expertise.
  7. Through Language B study, students will be able to carry out basic, everyday communication based on their fundamental skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, with the pluralistic perspective gained in the process of studying that language, students will be able to understand and handle foreign cultures, not limited to the culture of the countries speaking that specific language. Also, international and Japanese students who don’t have the necessary level of Japanese language proficiency needed for university studies will acquire the basic knowledge of the Japanese language.

Academic Environment

In order to achieve the learning outcomes above listed, the following academic environment will be provided:

  1. As a general rule, the GLAP curriculum will be offered entirely in English and to a small number of students (around 30 students per one grade).
  2. Students will live in dormitories together with international students, and opportunities will be provided to learn independently and in collaboration with diverse people.
  3. Upon entering the university, each student will be assigned a faculty member as an academic advisor with whom they will discuss their course of study each semester, their study abroad destination, and study methods regularly.
  4. The Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods) offered in the first year will consist a maximum of five students per class. It will provide an opportunity to read documents, write essays, make presentations, and engage in discussions.
  5. The courses such as Liberal Arts in Higher Education (Introduction to Academic Studies), the GLP Core Course (Leadership Education), and the GLAP Summer Short-Term Intensive Program Course taught by visiting faculty from Rikkyo’s overseas partner institutions, will provide students with the opportunity to acquire the skills that are fundamental to a liberal arts education.
  6. The English Liberal Arts (ELA) courses enable all students to take classes in a variety of fields, including the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences from the first year.
  7. GLAP students will participate in a one-year Study Abroad program from the fall semester of the second year. The destination will primarily be liberal arts colleges overseas that are Rikkyo’s partner institutions.
  8. From the third year through the fourth year, students will primarily select Global Studies Electives from among courses offered in one of three fields—Humanities, Citizenship, and Business—according to their own individual interests and will carry out studies and research.
  9. The class size for courses will be limited and in principle undergraduate students belong to other colleges than GLAP and international students may also participate, offering a more diverse environment in addition to the GLAP framework.
  10. Learning opportunities are offered that include not only the formal curriculum but extracurricular activities as well, such as learning from interaction with international students in the dormitory setting and elsewhere, learning in the form of teaching support (SA activities), and so on, as well as various learning opportunities outside the classroom.

GLAP Curriculum Organization Policy

GLAP’s Educational Objectives

The objectives of Rikkyo University’s GLAP is to develop “global leaders” who can think and act independently and live in harmony with the world.
By “global leader,” we are referring to individuals who can fully utilize their own strengths and work together with those around them no matter what sort of position or environment they encounter, who possess an abundance of sensitivity and intellect, who treat others with respect, and who have the skills and character to think for themselves and seek a new path forward for the world.

Organization and Distinctive Features of the Curriculum

The GLAP’s curriculum divides the four years of the undergraduate course of study into three stages: Introduction Phase, Development Phase, and Completion Phase.

The Introduction Phase is comprised of Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods), Liberal Arts in Higher Education (Introduction to Academic Studies), the GLP Basic Subject (Leadership Education), the courses in English-Language Liberal Arts, Language Education, etc. These subjects enable the students to gain the knowledge, skills, and English-language capabilities that form the foundation for the study of liberal arts.

During the Development Phase, students take three subjects in the Global Studies Essentials. By taking these subjects, students gain the foundational knowledge they will need for the courses (or subjects) in the Global Studies Electives that form the core of their subsequent Completion Phase. At the same time, their participation in a Second Year Seminar, a small-group seminar-style course where they will participate in debates and make presentations, is designed to further strengthen their communication skills, critical thinking skills, and self-expression skills. One-year Study Abroad program at a partner institution will start. During this program, by putting the skills acquired in the Introduction and Development Phases to practical use as they experience different cultures, students will build appropriate personal connections with people whose culture and customs differ from their own and improve their collaborative skills, further deepening their liberal arts education at a university overseas.

The Completion Phase is structured so that students who have completed Study Abroad Program will be able to select Global Studies Electives from among courses offered in one of three fields—Humanities, Citizenship, and Business—according to their own individual interests and will concentrate their studies in that area. At the same time, by taking courses in a field outside of their focus area, they will be able to develop integrated knowledge and skills that are not bound to a specific field, and that can be tied into the Graduation Paper that they will be expected to write as the summation of their GLAP studies.

GLAP Curriculum Map

Program Structure

The graduation requirement for the GLAP is 124 credits, which can be divided into the following subject groups according to the course category:
  1. The course distribution for compulsory subjects (48 credits) is as follows:
    -Language education subject (Language A) 6 credits 
    -Language education subject (Language B) 4 credits
    -Tutorial(Academic Learning Methods)4 credits 
    -Liberal Arts in Higher Education (Introduction to Academic Studies) 4 credits
    -GLP Basic Subject 4 credits
    -Second Year Seminar 2 credits 
    -Global Studies Essentials 12 credits
    -Final Year Seminar 4 credits
    -Graduation Paper 8 credits
  2. The course distribution for electives (60 credits) is as follows:
    -English Liberal Arts (ELA) Course 20 credits
    -GLAP Summer Intensive Programs 2 credits
    -Study Abroad 24 credits
    -Global Studies Electives 14 credits
  3. Free electives (16 credits or more) may comprise credits for GLAP elective courses in excess of the graduation requirements, University-wide Liberal Arts Subjects Language Free Elective subjects, Center for Japanese Language Education’s Subjects, Introduction to Academic Studies, cross-disciplinary studies, general sports studies, specialized subjects in each college, f-Campus (courses taken at five partner colleges that permit credit transfer) courses, approved study abroad courses, and so on.


At GLAP, all courses from the first year are taught in English, which improves the student’s ability to think and communicate in English, while at the same time deepening the student’s understanding of the liberal arts.

In addition, the Introduction Phase through the Development Phase, students learn leadership skills that can be demonstrated even without having authority, and in the second half of the Development Phase, students have an opportunity to learn by putting those skills to use as they spend a year studying abroad. After that, during the Completion Phase, students will select a field that corresponds to their interest, and building on the skills they acquired through their study of the liberal arts, they will be able to further deepen their studies, thereby forming a four-year curriculum grounded in the liberal arts.

In the language education subject, there are two compulsory subjects, Language A (English) and Language B (students select 1 from the following: German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Japanese). In order to further deepen one’s studies or take on the challenge of a new language, there are language free elective subjects offered (10 languages). Basic skills training on “listening, speaking, reading, writing” in a small class setting enables students to use their language of study both in professional and everyday communication and develop the ability to handle other cultures.

The objective of Academic Learning Methods is to strengthen the skills needed to pursue one’s studies at the university. In conformity with GLAP’s fields of studies, this course uses small-group seminar-style teaching, to improve student skills, study skills, and so on.

“Learning Outcomes” and Course Groupings or Connection to Courses


  1. Students will acquire the flexible thinking needed to face issues squarely and to logically investigate the essence of a problem.
    Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods), Liberal Arts in Higher Education (Introduction to Academic Studies), Second Year Seminar, Final Year Seminar, etc.
  2. Students will possess a broad range of knowledge and culture and be able to critically reflect on their own behavior and act accordingly.
    Global Studies Essentials, English Liberal Arts (ELA) Course, Global Studies Electives, etc.
  3. Students will be able to form the appropriate personal ties to and collaborate with individuals whose culture and customs are different from their own.
    GLP Basic Subjects, Study Abroad, GLAP Summer Intensive Programs, etc.
  4. Students will be capable of conducting advanced presentations, discussions, and paper writing in English.
    Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods), Study Abroad, Global Studies Electives, Final Year Seminar, Graduation Paper, etc.
  5. Students will be able to think autonomously, continue to learn about various fields and issues, and continue to put what they learn into practice.
    Study Abroad, Final Year Seminar, Graduation Paper
  6. Through Language A study, students will be able to communicate appropriately to the circumstances based on their fundamental skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, with the international knowledge gained through the use of English, students will be able to understand and handle diverse cultures, not limited to those of English-speaking countries. Also, they will acquire the foundation for substantive study in English in their area of expertise.
  7. Through Language B study, students will be able to carry out basic, everyday communication based on their fundamental skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, with the pluralistic perspective gained in the process of studying that language, students will be able to understand and handle different cultures, not limited to the culture of the countries speaking that specific language. Also, international and Japanese students who don’t have the necessary level of Japanese language proficiency needed for university studies will acquire the basic knowledge of the Japanese language.

GLAP Admissions Policy

Educational Objectives

The objectives of Rikkyo University’s GLAP are to develop “global leaders” who can think and act independently and live in harmony with the world.
By “global leader,” we are referring to individuals who can fully utilize their own strengths and work together with those around them no matter what sort of position or environment they encounter, who possess an abundance of sensitivity and intellect, who treat others with respect, and who have the skills and character to think for themselves and seek a new path forward for the world.

Educational Activities

Educational Content
The GLAP curriculum is divided into three stages: Introduction Phase, Development Phase, and Completion Phase.

The Introduction Phase, through the courses including a Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods), Liberal Arts in Higher Education (Introduction to Academic Studies), and the GLP Core Course (Leadership Education), students will gain skills in communication, critical thinking, self-expression, and more. In addition, in the courses in the English Liberal Arts (ELA), they will deepen their studies in such fields as the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition, through experiences in their dormitory life and extracurricular activities, students will develop an attitude that allows them to act independently and learn in cooperation with diverse people.

During the Development Phase, students take three courses in the Global Studies Essentials, through which they gain the foundational knowledge they will need for studying the Global Studies Electives in various fields that form the core of their subsequent Completion Phase. At the same time, the Second Year Seminar, a small-group seminar-style course where they will participate in debates and make presentations, is designed to further strengthen students’ skills in communication, critical thinking, and self-expression. Through our Study Abroad program, students will participate in a one-year study abroad program at a partner institution that offers a high-quality undergraduate education centered on the liberal arts. By interacting with different cultures and customs and by learning alongside those who are different from them, students will discover their own potential, strengthen their communication skills, and develop a broad range of human networks across borders.

In the Completion Phase, students will select one of three fields from the Global Studies Electives—Humanities, Citizenship, and Business—according to their own interests and then will concentrate their studies in that chosen area. At the same time, by taking courses in other two fields than their focus area, students will be able to develop integrated knowledge and skills that are not bound to a specific field, and that can be tied into their Graduation Paper. Class size of each course will be kept small, and since classes will be open to the students from other departments and international students, the students in GLAP will be able to learn in a more diverse environment.

Instructional Structure
Thirty students will be admitted each year. Also, because class size for all courses will be limited as a rule, the program will provide a learning environment that offers meticulous individualized guidance. Moreover, the use of an academic advisor system and office hours will facilitate regular consultations on academics and university life.

A study abroad program will be carried out for one academic year. Immediately after the time of their entrance into university, students will be regularly provided instructions and guidance on their studies and other issues regarding this program essentially by the academic advisors.

The GPA system is being used. GPA will be referred to for academic consultations, as well as for the selection of the destination for study abroad, scholarship selection, and other purposes.

Instructional Method
By using a common syllabus, the Tutorial (Academic Learning Methods) thoroughly implement the GLAP educational goals.
As a rule, the class size for GLAP courses will be limited in order to encourage communication between the instructor and student and among the students themselves. Classes will be run using the active learning method, placing priority on discussions. Outside the classroom as well, experiential-based programs such as study abroad preparations, extracurricular activities, and so on will be carried out, providing opportunities for new discoveries that connect to the student’s learning experience. Through the year-long experience abroad and the Global Studies Electives that the students pursue upon their return, they deepen and temper the knowledge they have gained, offering them a chance to acquire the type of “intellect” and “thinking” that will serve them throughout their lives, and they will therefore be guided appropriately.

Knowledge, Skills, Attitude and Experience Sought in New Students

Knowledge
Students must have an understanding of the contents of the high school curriculum in a foreign language (English), Japanese language, geography and history, and civics. Students are also expected to possess a strong interest in a broad range of subjects, such as mathematics, science, art, etc.

Skills
With regard to English language, students need to have acquired sufficient skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening during high school.
Classes will generally be taught in English, and thus students should possess English language skills that enable them to understand the main content of complex writing, both on abstract and concrete topics, including technical discussions within their own field; to interact with native English speakers fluently and naturally without creating any mutual tension; and to write clear and detailed essays on a range of topics.
Students also need to know the basics of how to use computer.

Attitude
The program is seeking students who are highly ethical and who have the potential to build strong personal ties to and work cooperatively with people who have diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Also, it seeks people who have an interest in the entirety of human activity, such as languages and art, and who have the desire and ambition to explore those areas academically.

Experience
Students do not need to have an experience of travel abroad, but the program expects them to have been involved in some sort of English-language activities outside of school and to have had any opportunities to experience using English.

Objectives of Different Admissions Procedures

  1. Entrance Exam for International Courses
    The objective is to assess and select students who wish to study on a course that cultivates individuals who can contribute to the global community, a course in which the credits required to graduate can be earned using only English, or similar. The assessment process is multifaceted and comprehensive, and includes evaluation of submitted documents, an essay, and an interview.
  2. Admission by recommendation by designated school
    The objective is for GLAP to accept students recommended by the principals of high schools it has designated as offering distinctive education according to GLAP’s own educational objectives. Such students should understand GLAP’s educational objectives and possess a certain level of academic ability as stipulated by GLAP.
  3. Admission following recommendation by partner school
    The objective is for the University to accept students recommended by the principals of high schools that belong to the Anglican-Episcopal Church of Japan, the Nippon Sei-Ko-Kai. Such students should understand the educational objectives of the University and GLAP, and aspire to continue with education based on Christianity.
  4. Admission to PEACE Program (Recommendation entrance examination)
    The objective is for GLAP to accept students recommended by the principals of overseas high schools it has designated as offering distinctive education according to the educational objectives of GLAP’s PEACE Program. Such students should understand GLAP’s educational objectives and possess a certain level of academic ability as stipulated by the University.
  5. Admission to PEACE Program (General entrance examination)
    The objective is to assess and select international students who aspire to further deepen and develop the skills and individuality they acquired during their school education overseas through an English-language course at the University. The assessment process, which is multifaceted and comprehensive, comprises evaluation of submitted documents, and students are also required to understand GLAP’s educational objectives and meet certain criteria for academic ability as stipulated by the University.

Pre-admissions Studies

Prospective students are required to use the REO (Rikkyo English Online) program to keep studying English.
Also, students who have been successfully admitted by recommendation by designated schools and those admitted by recommendation by partner schools, and those who have passed the Entrance Exam for International Courses (GLAP), are asked to ensure that they prepare to start their GLAP studies by undertaking the pre-admissions study tasks. Prospective students are also urged to read some books on the recommended reading list of GLAP.

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