MA Degree Program Details

Peace and Conflict Studies is a relatively new and still evolving discipline that has gained a large amount of attention in the past few years. This is due to various trends such as: globalization and the new challenges that have come with it, the expanding role of the United Nations and other international institutions focused on peace and security, the growth of international NGOs of all types, and the increasing prominence of armed conflicts, terrorism, complex emergencies, and environmental issues in media coverage around the world. The PCS MA Program is a 2-year degree course touching on many of these issues and leading to a Master of Arts in International Studies with a Concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Combining substantial coursework and a 15,000-20,000 word thesis ideally based on significant field research or internship experience, our MA Program falls in between a fully taught program and a traditional research degree. In addition, by offering students introductory through advanced classes as well as the opportunity to undertake field research, our program can satisfy the needs of experienced professionals in areas that make up the core of peace and conflict studies such as conflict resolution and management, international affairs, diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and development, as well as individuals who have limited experience or an unrelated background but who would like to make the transition into these fields.

As a key mission of the PCS department is to train scholars and practitioners who can contribute to resolving conflict and promoting peace around the world, the large majority of our MA students are selected from outside of Japan and our program is run in English. By drawing on resources from within and outside of TUFS, as well as our diverse student population, the department is able to provide a unique educational experience and research environment. Please explore more about our MA Degree Program by reading below and selecting from the Menu on the right.

We are also proud to announce that "PCS Course to Foster Professionals for Post-conflict Peacebuilding" within this Peace and Conflict Studies Course has been designated as "International Priority Graduate Program" (PGP) under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for international students from conflict-affected countries worldwide. There will be a preferential allocation of the Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship for those entering our MA program from October 2020 (4 students per year for the next three years).

 

Demographics- The typical MA class at PCS is made up of 50% men and 50% women, and the average age of incoming students is 30 years old with most in their late 20's and 30's. The table below gives a breakdown of the nationalities of our past and current MA students by region and country.

• Europe
• Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Great Britain
• Ireland
• Portugal
• Estonia
• Spain
• Macedonia
• Norway
• Romania
• France
• Serbia
• Lithoania
• Georgia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Russia
• Uzbekistan
• Americas
• Argentina
• USA
• Canada
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Brazil

• Africa
• Egypt
• Nigeria
• Sudan
• Tunisia
• Mozambique
• Chad
• Ghana
• Uganda
• Morocco
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Oceania
• Australia
• Timor-Leste
• Micronesia
• Middle East
• Lebanon
• Syria
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Turkey

• Asia
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Philippines
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• China
• Bangladesh
• Nepal
• Malaysia
• Sri Lanka
• India
• Myanmar

Previous Study- All MA students have at least one previous university degree, with 20% of students having obtained more thanone degree before entering PCS. Previous fields of study include International Relations, Political Science, Law, Public Administration, English, Literature, Sociology, Economics, Mathematics, Medicine, Japanese Studies, Japanese Language, Engineering, and Mass Communications, among others, with 30% of students with past experience of having studied in Japan and 20% of students with Japanese language ability at an intermediate or higher level at the time of entry.

Work Experience- Students join the MA program with an average of 3.5 years of professional experience in positions such as: teacher, university lecturer, management consultant, legal or economic researcher, military officer, civil service / government officer or official, embassy staff member, press reporter, development agency officer, public policy researcher, NGO staff member, and UN officer / official.

Financial Support- About 1/3 of all MA students receive funding from the Japanese government for their studies through the Monbukagakusho scholarship program. To date, most of our other students have been able to locate support for one or both of their years of study through private foundations in Japan, other Japanese Government Scholarships, or from organizations in their home countries.

Destinations- PCS MA graduates pursue various paths after completing their studies. About a fourth of our graduates have gone on to further study at TUFS, other universities in Japan such as Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, and Hiroshima University, and universities abroad. Others have taken up lecturing posts at universities and colleges in their home countries. Most MA graduate have opted to take up positions with international organizations such as the OSCE or UNAIDS, NGOs, think tanks and other research organizations, and private companies in Japan and abroad.

Coming from a post-conflict country, Sierra Leone, into the master`s program at TUFS to pursue peace studies, my expectation was to be able to learned more broadly the excruciating factors that invariably remained the most challenging trend towards states` stability particularly in the emerged globalized world, but most importantly, to appreciate what unique frameworks accordingly response to such demands.
The methodological journey pursued in unpacking these phenomena at PCS, helped me understand the diverse cross cutting perspectives on peace studies, and in other related disciplines. I understand that `causal explanation of social world is deeply situated within human interactions, and their ideational construct`. PCS-TUFS in my perspective is the center for training both future scholars and practitioners that shall be fully prepared to response to the emerging global phenomenon. I shall soon be among one of them.

~ from Sierra Leone, 2016 MA Graduate

There are many reasons PCS MA program attracts students of various backgrounds from around the globe. Firstly, the program is offered fully in English and is structured around the needs of international students, which I believe is not very common in Japan. The fact that the professors, as well as the students, come from diverse specializations allows students to be introduced to different disciplines and subjects of interest; from international relations, political science and sociology to conflict resolution practices and the workings of international institutions. While you are introduced to various approaches in the courses you take during the two years, the program will also enable you to select the most appropriate perspective to conduct your research in your area of interest.  

Secondly, another advantage of the program is that you will have classmates from diverse cultures and backgrounds with a broad range of research interests. This diversity will definitely expand your horizons, through class discussions always vibrant and rich, offering insights into different cultures and outlooks, as well as giving you the opportunity to make friends from around the world. On top of all, supportive environment in the department, the chance to achieve proficiency in a myriad of languages offered at TUFS, and of course, the experience of studying and living in Tokyo, I think makes pursuing PCS MA program a worthwhile choice.

~ from Turkey, 2017 MA Graduate