Part 1
Higher Education to Support a Knowledge-Based Society Full of Creative Vitality - New Developments in Higher Education Reform
Reference Higher Education Reform Q&A?
Question8-2
Can graduates of a professional graduate school proceed to a doctorate course?
Answer
It is possible.
In the case of proceeding to a doctorate course after completing a course at a professional graduate school, in principle one must spend a combined five years in school, including the period spent at the professional graduate school and the period spent studying the doctorate course. For example, in principle, one who has completed a two-year professional graduate school takes a doctorate course for three years, and one who has completed a three-year professional graduate school takes a doctorate course for two years (see
Part I,Chapter 2, Figure 1-2-8
).