- Overview
- A Message from the Dean
- About the Courses
- Course Catalog
- Enrollment Information
- Contact Information
Overview
Regional Studies (Doctoral Course)
Training highly-specialized professionals in the field
The Regional Social Research Program was established in 2002 with the goal of actively contributing to the realization of dynamic and vital regional communities.
This program was instituted to train individuals to be able to cope practically with the unique challenges posed by different regions, and to conduct research with viable and pragmatic results.
Doctoral Degree (Philosophy)
This is a three-year independent doctoral research program. It consists of three courses: Regional Industry, Regional Culture, and Regional Political Studies.
Many currently working professionals in a variety of fields related to regional society enroll in this program to study, research, write their dissertations, and earn a PhD in three years.
A Message from the Dean
Dr. MORI Tatsuo, Greetings from Dean of the Hirosaki University Graduate School of Regional Studies (Doctoral Course)
Hirosaki University was selected in 2024 for the national J‑PEAKS Program, which supports the development of regionally anchored and globally competitive research universities. With the establishment of the Global Well‑being Research Institute, the University is now advancing efforts to build a research hub of international distinction.
Within this evolving landscape, our Graduate School is exploring how we can best contribute. We see significant potential in developing a new academic field that integrates regional studies with well‑being research, addressing emerging societal needs from both local and global perspectives.
For more than two decades, the Graduate School of Regional Studies has worked to address regional challenges through academic inquiry and practical engagement. We have trained professionals who create region‑based industries, promote local culture, and contribute to regional revitalization and policy development. The demand for such expertise continues to grow.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to cultivating these highly skilled practitioners. We will continue to collaborate closely with local communities—listening, learning, and working together to address regional issues through research, education, and social contribution. By advancing the combined field of regional and well‑being studies, we aim to be a graduate school that embraces new challenges and leads the way toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.
About the Courses
Regional Industrial Studies
Engage in pragmatic research contributing to the development of regional industry
In this course, students study the field of regional industry, which forms a self-reliant and persistent foundation for the local community.
Students engage in a comprehensive research program which combines comparative and historical perspectives to discern the best course of action or form of cooperation with society, based on issues facing various regions’ environments and industries.
Students’ research is intended to cultivate new and unique industries by exploring the potential to increase the value of locally-identified products and to industrialize aspects of local culture.
Finally, students must always think about the pressing concern of promoting entrepreneurial ventures based on developing products specific to their locality. In doing so, their research will consider how to build an industrial system suited to the present state of a region, and seek to develop industrial resources produced by the region itself.
Teaching staff List
Regional Cultural Studies
Rediscover unique regional cultures, and seek ways to use them to rejuvenate the local community
Students grapple with fundamental issues like the reciprocal relationship between local everyday life and the harsh, domineering climate, and the dynamic opposition between deeply-rooted tradition and the modernization of society, culture, and language.
With this understanding, they design research projects geared toward cultivating a twenty-first century regional community well-integrated with various aspects of its environment.
Students also engage in study of aspects of regional culture beginning with the Jōmon Period, which forms the bedrock of present-day Tohoku regional culture.
Teaching staff List
Regional Political Studies
Research solutions to regional policy issues vital to twenty-first century regional communities from an integrated point of view
Students combine the industrial and cultural studies explained above to create a concrete and detailed foundation upon which to engage in a research project concerning issues like the state of the broad political region of northern Tohoku and southern Hokkaido, or the creation of policies related to regional environment.
Students may also study policy issues concerning lifelong learning and the natural environment; policies which are deeply related to individuals’ everyday lives.
Another option is the pragmatic study of insurance and medical policy, both of which have become ever more critical with the phenomenon of rapidly-aging society in rural Japan.
Teaching staff List
Enrollment Information
Selection of applicants for admission to the Hirosaki University Graduate School of Regional Studies (Doctoral Course) will be conducted through general entrance examination, without limiting the categories of “general students,” “working adults,” and “international students”.
Before applying, please have a preliminary discussion about your research with your prospective academic advisor.
Admission Details
| Major | Regional Social Research |
|---|---|
| Positions | 6 |
| Mailing Address | Hirosaki University Gakumu-bu Nyūshiki-ka Ōaza Bunkyō-chō 1 Hirosaki-city, Aomori Prefecture Japan 036-8227 |
| TEL | 0172-39-3973 0172-39-3193 |
| Website | Hirosaki University School Affairs Division, Entrance Exam Department (Japanese) |
Contact Information
Hirosaki University Graduate Schools
Regional Studies (Doctoral Course)
| Address | Hirosaki University, Bunkyō-chō 1 Hirosaki-city, Aomori Prefecture Japan 036-8560 |
|---|---|
| TEL | 0172-39-3960 |
| Website | https://tlag.hirosaki-u.ac.jp/ |
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