From International Student Blog. [Click image to read]

The origin of Sophia University can be traced back to more than 450 years ago when the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier came to Japan in 1549 to spread Christianity in Japan. The actual foundation of the university began In 1908, when three Jesuit priests arrived in Japan in response to a request from the Roman Pontiff at that time, Pope Pius X. Five years later, in 1913, they opened the first Catholic university in Japan on this Kioi site where Sophia still stands. As such, the university as we know it today has a history of over 100 years.

Sophia University led the move to internationalization in Japan, providing study and educational opportunities that take our increasingly complex world into account. Over the years, the university has created an original global network that allows researchers and students from overseas to teach and study in Japan, and Japanese researchers and students to do same abroad. Sophia provides an excellent educational environment for the era of internationalization, cultivating “Men and Women for Others, with Others” who can excel on the global stage.

Sophia’s reputation for excellence in undergraduate education, outstanding graduate programs, and a competitive research environment enables it to maintain its ranking as one of Japan’s top private universities. Students benefit immensely from the ability to study the latest developments in their chosen field of specialization with distinguished Japanese and international faculty members. Reflecting the quality of their education, Sophia graduates are highly regarded as leaders in the global workplace at multinational companies and international organizations.

All of our faculties and graduate schools welcome international students. 1,148 international students come from more than 60 countries and from all parts of the world. Our faculty includes members from more than 20 countries, and most faculty members have overseas study and research experience.

Students can study business and economics, science and technology, and environmental studies, all strengths of Japan, in English. Sophia also boasts a long tradition in Japanese studies.

The following programs offer entirely of English-medium curriculum:

Undergraduate level:
・Liberal Arts
・Science and Technology

New undergraduate level programs to launch in autumn 2020 as per the Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF):
・Journalism
・Education
・Sociology
・Economics
・Management
・International Relations, and
・Area Studies

Graduate level:
・Global Studies
・Global Environmental Studies
・TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
・Science and Technology

Non-Degree programs:
・Liberal Arts
・Center for Language Education and Research (Japanese-Language courses)
・Short programs (Asian Studies, Japanese Studies, and Japanese Language and culture)

Since the time of its founding Sophia has emphasized foreign language education, and Sophia graduates are highly regarded for their exceptional language proficiency and communication skills. The Center for Language Education and Research offers courses in 22 languages to Japanese speaking students. The center also provides a wide variety of Japanese courses for international students. In addition to fostering the ability to utilize foreign language proficiency as they pursue careers in an increasingly global and diverse world, Sophia University aims to lay the groundwork for students’ ability to use foreign languages to logically develop their own ways of thinking, present their thoughts, and negotiate at a deeper level.