WMHA0059 Special Study (October 2026 Master's Students)

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Master's Course) Division of Humanities and Social Sciences International Economic Development Program

Lecture Code WMHA0059 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name Special Study (October 2026 Master's Students)

Subject Name
（Katakana）トクベツケンキュウ

Subject Name in
English Special Study (October 2026 Master's Students)

Instructor CHEN SHUNING

Instructor
(Katakana) チン　シュウニン

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 1st-Year, Second Semester, Year

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (Year) Inte

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 4.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction E : English

Course Level 7 : Graduate Special Studies

Course Area（Area） 24 : Social Sciences

Course Area（Discipline） 03 : Economics

Eligible Students

Keywords

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline Identify research gaps and formulate a focused research question in international economic development.
Critically evaluate published research (theory, identification, data, measurement, and validity).
Design a feasible research plan (conceptual framework, empirical strategy, and data plan).
Present and defend research ideas clearly in oral and written formats.
Produce a polished research proposal or a substantial draft section suitable for a master’s thesis trajectory.

Class Schedule Week1 Orientation: seminar rules, expectations, research ethics; topic mapping
Week2 How to read papers efficiently; writing a critique memo (template training)
Week3 Literature search strategy; building a bibliography; identifying gaps
Week4 Paper Presentation 1 (student-led) + critique workshop
Week5 Paper Presentation 2 (student-led) + measurement/data discussion
Week6 Identification strategies in applied development research (overview)
Week7 Research Question Clinic: each student presents a 3-minute pitch + feedback
Week8 Research Design Workshop: conceptual framework + hypotheses
Week9 Data Plan Workshop: data sources, feasibility, variables, limitations
Week10 Methods Clinic: empirical strategy/estimation plan (or qualitative strategy)
Week11 Progress Presentation 1: proposal draft + peer review
Week12 Academic writing workshop: structure, argumentation, tables/figures
Week13 Progress Presentation 2: revised design + expected contribution
Week14 Final Presentation (conference-style)
Week15 Final submission and reflection; planning for the next semester and thesis milestones

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Textbook (Required):
Gertler, P., Martinez, S., Rawlings, L. B., Premand, P., & Vermeersch, C. (2016). Impact Evaluation in Practice (2nd ed.).
Reference Books (Recommended):
1. Causal inference / applied econometrics
Cunningham, S. (2021). Causal Inference: The Mixtape.
2. Input–Output / MRIO / GVC analysis
Miller, R. E., & Blair, P. D. (2009). Input–Output Analysis: Foundations and Extensions (2nd ed.).
(Optional, if you explicitly teach MRIO/GVC decomposition) Koopman, R., Wang, Z., & Wei, S.-J. (2014). “Tracing Value-Added and Double Counting in Gross Exports.” (AER)
3. Environmental & economic accounting / sustainability
United Nations (2021). System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA).
(Optional, broader sustainability indicator perspective) Dasgupta, P. (2021). The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc.

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Students should read the assigned materials in advance, write a short memo (summary and critique), and come to class ready to discuss questions and limitations. After each session, students should review feedback, refine their notes, and incorporate lessons learned into their research plan or proposal draft.

Requirements

Grading Method Grades are based on (i) consistent preparation and active participation, (ii) quality of weekly reading memos demonstrating accurate understanding and critical evaluation, (iii) presentation performance including logical structure and defensible responses to questions, and (iv) the quality of the final research proposal or draft section in terms of originality, feasibility, methodological coherence, and academic writing.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Master's Course) Division of Humanities and Social Sciences International Economic Development Program
Lecture Code	WMHA0059	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	Special Study (October 2026 Master's Students)
Subject Name （Katakana）	トクベツケンキュウ
Subject Name in English	Special Study (October 2026 Master's Students)
Instructor	CHEN SHUNING
Instructor (Katakana)	チン　シュウニン
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	1st-Year, Second Semester, Year
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(Year) Inte
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	4.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	E : English
Course Level	7 : Graduate Special Studies
Course Area（Area）	24 : Social Sciences
Course Area（Discipline）	03 : Economics
Eligible Students
Keywords
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	Identify research gaps and formulate a focused research question in international economic development. Critically evaluate published research (theory, identification, data, measurement, and validity). Design a feasible research plan (conceptual framework, empirical strategy, and data plan). Present and defend research ideas clearly in oral and written formats. Produce a polished research proposal or a substantial draft section suitable for a master’s thesis trajectory.
Class Schedule	Week1 Orientation: seminar rules, expectations, research ethics; topic mapping Week2 How to read papers efficiently; writing a critique memo (template training) Week3 Literature search strategy; building a bibliography; identifying gaps Week4 Paper Presentation 1 (student-led) + critique workshop Week5 Paper Presentation 2 (student-led) + measurement/data discussion Week6 Identification strategies in applied development research (overview) Week7 Research Question Clinic: each student presents a 3-minute pitch + feedback Week8 Research Design Workshop: conceptual framework + hypotheses Week9 Data Plan Workshop: data sources, feasibility, variables, limitations Week10 Methods Clinic: empirical strategy/estimation plan (or qualitative strategy) Week11 Progress Presentation 1: proposal draft + peer review Week12 Academic writing workshop: structure, argumentation, tables/figures Week13 Progress Presentation 2: revised design + expected contribution Week14 Final Presentation (conference-style) Week15 Final submission and reflection; planning for the next semester and thesis milestones
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Textbook (Required): Gertler, P., Martinez, S., Rawlings, L. B., Premand, P., & Vermeersch, C. (2016). Impact Evaluation in Practice (2nd ed.). Reference Books (Recommended): 1. Causal inference / applied econometrics Cunningham, S. (2021). Causal Inference: The Mixtape. 2. Input–Output / MRIO / GVC analysis Miller, R. E., & Blair, P. D. (2009). Input–Output Analysis: Foundations and Extensions (2nd ed.). (Optional, if you explicitly teach MRIO/GVC decomposition) Koopman, R., Wang, Z., & Wei, S.-J. (2014). “Tracing Value-Added and Double Counting in Gross Exports.” (AER) 3. Environmental & economic accounting / sustainability United Nations (2021). System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA). (Optional, broader sustainability indicator perspective) Dasgupta, P. (2021). The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Students should read the assigned materials in advance, write a short memo (summary and critique), and come to class ready to discuss questions and limitations. After each session, students should review feedback, refine their notes, and incorporate lessons learned into their research plan or proposal draft.
Requirements
Grading Method	Grades are based on (i) consistent preparation and active participation, (ii) quality of weekly reading memos demonstrating accurate understanding and critical evaluation, (iii) presentation performance including logical structure and defensible responses to questions, and (iv) the quality of the final research proposal or draft section in terms of originality, feasibility, methodological coherence, and academic writing.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Back to syllabus main page