Search

About ISGS

HOME > About ISGS > Diploma Policy

Diploma Policy

Examination Criteria for the Master's Thesis

1. Examination System

Thesis examination is carried out by an examination committee that consists of one main member, three or more sub-members, and advisory committee members.

2. Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria for the master's thesis examination are designed according to the graduate school's philosophy of integrated interdisciplinary education and research from the perspective of global society and the goal stated in diploma policies. The criteria are as follows.

  1. Significance of the Research Theme
    The thesis is evaluated in terms of whether its problem setting shows an understanding of the state of the relevant academic fields, appropriateness and clarity, as well as academic and social significance.
  2. Appropriateness of the Research Methodology
    The thesis is evaluated in terms of whether there is a proper and effective combination of research methods such as theories, experiments, field research, data collection, etc., as well as proper and effective analysis of those methods to investigate the research problem.
  3. Validity and Significance of Argumentation and Conclusions
    The thesis is evaluated in terms of the logic and clarity of argumentation from the problem setting to the conclusion, as well as the academic value or application value of the conclusion and novelty of the conclusion.
  4. Ethics and Format
    The thesis is evaluated in terms of the research ethics used in the research methods, materials, and data, as well as the appropriateness of the language expressions, cited literature, tables, and figures.
  5. Research Capability
    Wide expertise and voluntary research capabilities based on integrated interdisciplinary education and research, and skills of logical explanation of research results are evaluated under these criteria.

Examination Criteria for the Doctoral Dissertation

1. Examination System

The dissertation examination is carried out by a Dissertation Examination Committee that includes one main member and four sub-members.

2. Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria for the doctoral dissertation are designed according to the graduate school's philosophy of integrated interdisciplinary education and research from the perspective of global society and the goal stated in diploma policies. The criteria are as follows.

  1. Significance of the Research Theme
    The dissertation is evaluated in terms of whether its problem setting shows a deep understanding of the state of the relevant academic fields, appropriateness, clarity, significance, and originality.
  2. Appropriateness of the Research Methodology
    The dissertation is evaluated in terms of whether there is a proper and effective combination of research methods such as theories, experiments, field research, data collection, etc., as well as proper and effective analysis of those methods to investigate the research problem.
  3. Validity and Significance of Argumentation and Conclusions
    The dissertation is evaluated in terms of the logic and clarity of argumentation from the problem setting to the conclusion, as well as the contribution of the conclusion to the academic development of the field.
  4. Ethics and Formality
    The dissertation is evaluated in terms of the social ethics used in the research methods, materials, and data, as well as the appropriateness of the language expressions, cited literature, charts, and figures.
  5. Research Capability
    The following are evaluated under these criteria. i)Advanced expertise and voluntary research capabilities based on integrated interdisciplinary education and research, ⅱ)　Logical explanatory power of research results at both local and international levels.
3. Degree Examination Requirements

In principle, research papers related to the doctoral dissertation must have been published or accepted in academic journals in Japan or overseas that have a strict peer review system, with the student as the single author or first author, or there must be equivalent research achievements.
As this graduate school is an interdisciplinary educational institution, the research themes of students are diverse, and the research fields they work in are also broad. In addition to international academic journals, depending on the field, domestic academic journals may also be recognized as authoritative journals that fully meet the review requirements. As the positioning and evaluation criteria of academic journals differ across disciplines, it is difficult to set uniform degree review requirements.
The specific criteria (number of required papers and academic presentations, conditions for authors, language, etc.) shall be determined according to each research theme, and shall be decided after admission through consultation with the academic advisory group. The main advisor will assess whether the student's research achievements satisfy the examination requirements, describing their appropriateness and validity for approval.