Bachelor of International Liberal Arts: Political Science

Political Science addresses some of the fundamental problems facing human society. Questions concerning government policies aimed at achieving economic stability and growth, the gap between the rich and poor, the role of NGOs to affect social and political change, the relations between countries, the crisis of our democratic institutions, and the world peace are all on the research agenda of contemporary political scientists.

The general purpose of the major is to address these and other similar important issues in a multidisciplinary way, and, simultaneously, to expose students to think critically and reason analytically about the constantly evolving political landscape in Asia compared to the rest of the world.

In addition to the knowledge students gain from the major, iCLA also prepares students for postgraduate studies and for a rich and rewarding career. Political Science graduates are well equipped for professions both in Asia and globally in the fields of international relations and diplomacy, public administration and government service, non-government organizations and community building, and research and business.

Why study Political Science

As Political Science Majors, students will gain a wide range of knowledge and skills to enhance their future career opportunities:

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of political science, its various sub-fields, major themes, and analytical techniques
• International perspective on political science research, the nature of change in Asia and in the global political community, and the complex character of processes such as globalization
• Understanding of human cultural and political variability in the Asian and the global community, and an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and culture-specific attitudes, ideals, and practices
• The intellectual framework for vigorous participation in civil society and public debate over the nature of the “global society”

Skills:

• Ability to examine written material and oral presentations critically
• Ability and desire to engage with social and political problems, to acquire relevant data, and use insight, knowledge, reasoning, and technical skills to analyze that data and develop logical solutions
• Ability to gather information, assess its importance, and organize it for use.
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas and information verbally, visually, and in writing

Register for iCLA's April 6th Virtual Open Campus

Choose liberal arts. In Japan.

The International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) is a four- year, American style liberal arts college where the primary language of instruction is English. Students can choose from a wide array of courses as part of an innovative curriculum which leads to a bachelor’s degree in International Liberal Arts. Just 90 minutes west of Tokyo, iCLA combines a multi-cultural learning environment with a beautifully traditional Japanese setting in the shadow of Mt Fuji. iCLA offers students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the very essence of Japanese culture, whilst acquiring a contemporary and globally relevant education at our state of the art facilities. Register for iCLA's April 6th 2024 Virtual Open Campus All iCLA undergraduate students share a liberal arts college curriculum experience in studying towards our innovative Bachelor of International Liberal Arts degree. The iCLA curriculum was designed to cultivate critical, creative, independent, and global thinking. iCLA students learn how to acquire and analyze knowledge in order to create their own answers to age-old questions.

Our residential campus provides a cross-cultural living experience, ensuring that the themes of internationalization and globalization run throughout life at iCLA, not just in the classroom. Small interactive classes are at the core of our pedagogical approach. Low faculty-to-student ratios foster close connections between instructors and students and enhance communication and collaboration among students themselves.

The first-year common experience includes a focus on foundation courses and omnibus courses that is a great way for students to find what is interesting for them and make an informed decision on their major area of study.

In the second year, students take a closer look at their major while taking a variety of courses and experiential learning workshops. The traditional majors in Global Business and Economics and Political Science are enriched by integration with courses in Data Science, Psychology, and Sociology providing depth and breadth. Courses in Arts, Music, Language Arts, Performing Arts, are given a symbiotic relationship in the majors of Japan Studies and Interdisciplinary Arts. The unique nature of Humanities is brought out by “design your own major” philosophy where students can choose a wide variety of courses from different disciplines and design their own major.

In the third year, students have a good sense of their field of specialization and can pursue an in-depth study in their major area of study. Students can take study abroad experience (optional for International students) in one of over 60 partner schools spread across 30 countries.

In the final year, the senior seminar and Graduation Research Project (GRP) are the focus of study. GRP allows students to showcase their writing, critical thinking and problem-solving skills they have learned during college. Students develop independent thinking by discussing and sharing their research with the peer group and get ready to decide next steps after college.