The Goal of the Graduate School of Global Communication and Language

The AIU Graduate School equips teachers and professionals with advanced knowledge, skills and expertise.
In addition to the common courses which offer the basics of global communication, the Graduate School provides three programs to enhance students’ professional expertise in theories and practices.

The information below is as of May, 2022. Courses are subject to change.

Curriculum

Common Courses

Complete 2 courses (6 credits) or more
Acquire the basic knowledge related to global communication which serves as the common foundation for the three fields of study, deepen understanding of global society and cultures as well as practical knowledge as a professional.

Required Elective

• GCS600 (GCP630)*: Intro. to Global Communication
• GCS601 (ELT641, GCP631)*: Language, Culture, and Identity
• GCS602 (GCP632)*: Contemporary Issues in a Global Context
• GCS607 (GCP637)*: Academic English for Global Professions
• GCS608: Intro. to Japanese Studies (offered in Japanese only for int’l students)
• GCS609 (GCP600)*: Strategies for Intercultural Communication
• GCS610: Reflective Professional Experience (Applicable only for Gap Year participants)
• GCS611: Interpreting (English/Japanese) I
• GCS614 (GCP634)*: Communication Research Methods

*These courses may be counted as specialized course.

Specialized Courses

Students may enroll in three courses (9 credits) outside of their major program.

English Language Teaching Practices

Complete 10 courses (30 credits) or more
Develop future leaders in English education with high language competency, specialized knowledge and practical expertise.

Required

Teaching Practices

• ELT601: EFL Teaching Methods and Materials
• *ELT700: English Teaching Practicum with Seminar
• *ELT701-703: English Teaching Seminar I-III

Language Acquisition

• ELT600: Intro. to Foreign Language Acquisition
• ELT660: Intro. to Research Methods in Language Education

English Language

• ELT610: Linguistic Foundations

*Required Electives

Electives

• †ELT606: Teaching EFL Speaking and Listening
• †ELT607: Teaching EFL Reading and Writing
• †ELT608: Teaching Vocabulary in a Foreign Language
• †ELT609: EFL Testing and Assessment
• †ELT611: Pedagogical/Communicative Grammar
• ELT612: Sociolinguistics
• †ELT619: Teaching English to Young Learners
• †ELT624: Teaching English in Higher Education
• †ELT631: Materials Development in the Context of English Education in Japan
• †ELT635: Applied Psycholinguistics for Language Teachers
• ELT641: Language, Culture, and Identity
• ELT663: Classroom Research and Observation
• ELT699: Scholarly Research and Paper
• ELT68X: Special Topics in Language Teaching/Learning

†Offered every two years

English Language Teaching Practices

Japanese Language Teaching Practices

Complete 10 courses (30 credits) or more
Develop Japanese language teachers capable of succeeding in educational institutions in Japan and abroad with a high-level of specialized knowledge and techniques.

Required

Teaching Practices

• JLT604: Teaching Materials and Aids for Japanese Language Teaching
• JLT650: Design of Japanese Language Teaching Practicum
• JLT651: Japanese Language Teaching Practicum in Akita
• JLT652: Japanese Language Teaching Practicum on Abroad and Writing Action Research Paper
• JLT653: Japanese Language Teaching Action Research Paper (for the students targeted for Recurrent Education)
• JLT654: Japanese Language Teaching Practicum for Recurrent Education (for the students targeted for Recurrent Education)

Electives

• JLT601: Japanese Pedagogical Grammar for Beginners I
• JLT602: Japanese Language Teaching for Intermediate and Advanced Students
• JLT606: Pedagogy for Japanese Speech Sounds and Prosody
• JLT609: Evaluation and Testing in Japanese Language Teaching
• JLT614: Japanese Pedagogical Grammar for Beginners II
• JLT615: SLA theories for Japanese Language Teaching
• JLT616: Intro. to Japanese Language Teaching
• JLT619: Teaching Japanese to Learners from Diverse Communities
• JLT620: Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language
• JLT660-665: Japanese Independent Study I-VI

Japanese Language Teaching Practices

Global Communication Practices

Complete 11 courses (31 credits) or more
Develop individuals capable of succeeding in international media or institutions settings with high-level communication skills, such as information collection, dissemination, negotiation, and interpretation.

Required

• GCP645: Design of Graduation Project

Research/Interpreting Methods

• *GCP601: Organizational Communication
• *GCP642: Intro. to International Public Relations
• *GCP643: Intro. to International Journalism

*Required Elective

Required for Completion

Research and Practices

• *GCP649: Scholarly Research and Paper
• *GCP650: Global Communication Practicum

*Required Elective

Electives

• GCP600: Strategies for Intercultural Communication
• †GCP604: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
• †GCP613: Debate and Discussion
• GCP614: Interpreting (English/Japanese) II
• GCP620: Discussing Global News
• GCP622: Communication and Organizational Behavior
• †GCP624: Leadership and Group Communication
• GCP630: Intro. to Global Communication
• GCP631: Language, Culture, and Identity
• GCP632: Contemporary Issues in a Global Context
• GCP633: Digital Marketing and Advertising
• GCP634: Communication Research Methods
• †GCP635: Public Speaking and Effective Presentations
• GCP637: Academic English for Global Professions

†Offered every two years

Global Communication Practices

Completion

• ELT/JLT: 36 credits or more
• GCP: 37 credits or more
• GPA Requirement: To achieve and maintain GPA 3.0 or above