Rikkyo University's College of Sociology, which serves as the parent body for the Graduate School of Sociology, underwent a significant reorganization in April 2006. The Graduate School of Sociology also took this opportunity to adopt a new education and research structure. The School, by clearly defining its position within the discipline, changed from a two-part structure comprising the Graduate Programs in Sociology and Applied Sociology to a Graduate Program in Sociology. At this time it established six social research fields: Policy, Culture, Urban Areas, Media, and Communication, and established a curriculum that develops from basic theory in each of these fields. Furthermore, the School established a research method theory course was established as a program whereby students acquire certification as specialized social researchers.
Sociology is a discipline which requires its practitioners to systematically master the theories and methodologies that underpin research, while simultaneously approaching actual contemporary problems in a realistic and practical manner. The Graduate School of Sociology provides six research fields and a systematic educational curriculum.
