HomeGlobal Exchange Group, Hiroshima University
The third floor of Student Plaza, Kagamiyama 1-7-1, Higashi Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, 739-8514, Japan
humorito*hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Replace "*" with "@" when you send us an email.）
Program Overview
The “Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program” is an initiative that accepts international students who have completed their second or third year at their universities as Special Auditing Students. Named after Tatsuo Morito, the first president who championed the spirit of “a single unified university, free and pursuing peace”, the program was inaugurated as a program that offers courses and research guidance primarily in Japanese.
During the program, third-year students (those who have completed their second year at their home universities) enhance their academic knowledge and skills by taking courses primarily in Japanese language and specialized education within social sciences. These social science courses adopt a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach.
On the other hand, fourth-year students (those who have completed their third year at their home universities) focus on their research under the personalized guidance provided by their academic supervisors at Hiroshima University.
Benefits of the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program
1．Specialized Education：
Fourth-year students receive specialized education, including research guidance for their graduation thesis from their academic supervisors at Hiroshima University. Third-year students primarily enroll in Japanese language courses and social science courses that utilize a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach, among others.
Credits earned at Hiroshima University can be transferred to students' home universities and counted towards their graduation requirements.
2． Further Studies at HU：
Upon completing the program, students can continue their studies as research students, facilitating a seamless transition to graduate studies at Hiroshima University when they pass the master’s entrance exam.
3． Extensive Selection of Schools：
Fourth-year applicants can choose one of the 12 undergraduate schools at Hiroshima University for enrollment.
Third-year students are accepted by faculty members of Morito Institute of Global Higher Education, and they enroll in Japanese language courses and social science courses that utilize a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach, among others.
4． Authentic Experience of Japan：
Students gain genuine insights into Japanese life, enjoying the advantages of a safe environment and affordable living costs.
5． Certificate of Completion：
A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants who fulfill the program requirements. Bachelor’s degrees will be conferred by the students’ respective home universities.
6．Japanese Language Courses：
Students in the program can take Japanese language courses that match their proficiency level.
Tuition Fee (Program Fee)
4th-year students: 399,600JPY (3 terms, which are equivalent to 9 months)
3rd-year students: 532,800JPY (4 terms, which are equivalent to 12 months)
Accepted applicants pay the tuition fee (program fee) in a single payment (without installments) when they begin the program.
Curriculum of the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program
Program Contents
・4th-year students： Graduation research and course enrollment based on graduation requirements of their home universities
・3rd-year students： Course Enrollment（Third-year students will be accepted by faculty members of the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education. They will primarily take classes in Japanese language and social science courses that adopt a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach. While third-year students will not receive research guidance for writing a graduation thesis based on their own academic interests, they will receive basic guidance to undertake their graduation research in the later stages of their studies at their home universities).
Course Category and Program Completion Requirements
In the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program, there are four course categories based on the characteristics of the course subjects, and students take classes from each course category according to the completion requirements for each grade (3rd-year students and 4th-year students). Details of each course category are as follows.
- Peace Science Course： This course category focuses on peace studies. In this catefory, a course is pre-selected for the program students by the 3+1 Program administration. It is mandatory only for third-year students, who must earn 2 credits from this category.
- Supervisor-designated Courses： These are courses designated by each academic supervisor and may vary depending on the supervisor. Only third-year students are required to earn 8 credits from these courses.
- Research Tutorial Courses： These are the courses where students receive research guidance from their academic supervisors. The content differs between third and fourth-year students. Third-year students are required to take "Research Tutorial A" (4 credits), where they will learn the fundamentals of university research methods under the guidance of a professor from the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education. Fourth-year students are required to earn a total of 12 credits in "Research Tutorial I" (8 credits) and "Research Tutorial II" (4 credits). Students will receive research guidance from their academic supervisors affiliated with one of the 12 faculties (undergraduate schools), based on their research focus and content.
- Elective Courses： These are courses that students choose to meet their academic needs and interests. All courses not included in the three categories above are considered elective courses, including Japanese language courses. Only 3rd-year students are required to earn 16 credits from elective courses, while 4th-year students may also take electives if they wish. Please note that course registration requests might not always be accommodated due to specific enrollment requirements or enrollment capacity limits.
The program completion requirements are shown below. Each grade (third-year and fourth-year) has its own set of completion requirements, and students who complete those requirements can obtain a program completion certificate from Hiroshima University upon completing the program.
|
Course Category |
Required number of credits for 3rd-year students | Required number of credits for 4th-year students | |
| Peace Science Courses |
2 |
- |
|
| Supervisor-designated Courses |
8 |
- |
|
| Research Tutorial Courses | Research Tutorial A |
4 |
- |
| Research Tutorial I |
- |
8 |
|
| Research Tutorial II |
- |
4 |
|
| Elective Courses |
16 |
- |
|
| Total number of required credits |
30 |
12 |
|
Number of credits that students can earn during the program at Hiroshima University
- 4th-year students： Up to 27 credits
- 3rd-year students： Up to 36 credits
At Hiroshima University, one credit is equivalent to a workload of 45 hours, which includes 15-30 hours of lectures and exercises, or 30-45 hours of experiments, practical training, and skills practice.
Hiroshima University Syllabus
Syllabus for the courses offered at Hiroshima University can be accessed through the following link:
Please note that some courses may not be available to program students if:
・The number of registered students exceeds the course capacity.
・There are specific enrollment limits or requirements.
Program Period
The program duration varies between third-year and fourth-year students.
・4th-year students：9 months（October to June）
・3rd-year students：12 months（October to September）
The image below depicts the general timeline from application to program completion:
General Timeline for 4th-year Students
General Timeline for 3rd-year Students
Application Procedures
Application guidelines are typically sent to the designated contact person at partner universities in January.
Once the guidelines are distributed, each partner university will gather the application documents from their students and submit them to Hiroshima University through their respective contact persons. The submission deadline is generally around the end of March.
※The detailed application schedule may vary each year. Please make sure to check the announcements from your home university for specific dates.
Academic Calendar at Hiroshima University
At Hiroshima University, the academic year is divided into two semesters: the Spring Semester (April to September) and the Fall Semester (October to March). Each semester is further divided into two terms. Each term typically lasts for 8 weeks, making each semester 16 weeks long.
・Spring Semester: Term 1 (April to June) and Term 2 (June to August)
・Fall Semester: Term 3 (October to November) and Term 4 (December to February)
You can check Hiroshima University’s class schedule through the following link.
Messages from Program Alumni
YU YICEN
Research Student at Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University
(Eighth cohort (Oct 2023- Jun 2024) of the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program)
My stay at Hiroshima University was fulfilling and unforgettable. The diverse courses, including literature, Japanese culture, and history, allowed me to deepen my understanding of Hiroshima’s history and Japanese society while enhancing my professional knowledge. Through extracurricular activities such as kimono dressing, tea ceremony, and kendo demonstrations, I experienced the charm of Japanese culture and enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere and scenic beauty of Hiroshima City.
Come to Hiroshima University, embark on a new journey in life, and step into the world!
YU YICEN
HU International Student Video Contest
Grand Prize 2024
(The video is available in Japanese and Chinese)
LI MENGDA
Economics Program (Master's Program), Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University
(Eighth cohort (Oct 2023- Jun 2024) of the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education)
I joined Hiroshima University in 2023 as a student in the 3+1 program. After a year of study, I was admitted to the university's graduate school, where I am currently pursuing a degree in economics. Throughout this year, I made many friends, traveled across Japan with the money I earned from part-time jobs, and immersed myself in Japanese life and scenery. My year in the 3+1 program was incredibly fulfilling. I believe this program offers an excellent opportunity for students who love Japanese culture and wish to pursue further studies at the graduate level.
Frequently Asked Questions
On the following page, you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the Morito Institute of Global Higher Education 3+1 Program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Inquiry
