TISS (English Program)
The Undergraduate Program of International Social Studies (TISS)
The Undergraduate Program of International Social Studies (TISS) run by our School of Social and International Studies is an English-medium bachelor’s degree program in which students can obtain a degree in social sciences (Law, Political Science, Economics, Sociology) from either our College of Social Sciences or the College of International Relations. In 2009, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) began to sponsor the creation of the “Global 30” Initiative designed to create global networks and promote the internationalization of Japanese universities.
As first graders who joined in 2010, we had seven students from Laos, Pakistan, Nigeria and Uganda. Since then, with an increase in the number of applicants, the total number of enrolled students has reached 13.6 students annually on average. The nationalities of students are also very diverse, with students from over 35 countries across Asia, Africa, North and Central America, and Europe. We believe that a place where young people from various societies and cultures come together and spend four years together has created the best environment for fostering the creativity necessary for one’s academic and social life.
Since the start of this program, the world has experienced many great changes. While globalism is becoming more and more prevalent with the spread of the Internet and the mainstreaming of neoliberal economic activities, all over the world and Japan, there has been a movement in society to draw clear, thick lines between oneself and others through the existence of various ethnicities, religions, nationalities, beliefs, lifestyles, gender and sexual identities, and disabilities, and the creation of institutional, psychological, and physical walls have become prominent. In addition, the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus infection in 2020 led to a major shakeup in our way of life, our sense of values, and other things that we had taken for granted and unconsciously internalized. The world we face has many problems piled up on to all peoples: climate disaster, aging populations, overpopulation, the growth of poverty and wealth disparity, the flow of new diseases, terrorism, regional conflict, etc. It has become necessary to recognize those different from ourselves, to hold their hands, and to stand together. We believe that by showing mutual respect and working together, new, never before seen ideas and actions will be birthed into the world.
We at the Undergraduate Program of Social and International Studies accurately understand the flow of this world and are striving to create human resources who can find the necessary actions needed to be taken to solve these problems. As part of this mission, every year since 2013, our international student volunteers have participated in the National Model United Nations Conference. Furthermore, since 2016, we have won both position paper and group awards nearly every year.
In the modern world, people who can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society are in high demand. This program has prepared a curriculum, learning and living environment that can meet the needs of such societies and students seeking diversity, and welcomes ambitious young people from many countries.
School of Social and International Studies | University of Tsukuba English Programs