For advanced, specialized research

     Hokkai-Gakuen University Graduate School, which has developed in step with the growth of Hokkaido by responding to social needs, offers eight majors (in five graduate schools) in its Master's and Doctoral programs. In 2005, Hokkai-Gakuen Law School became the first law school at any private university in Hokkaido. Hokkai-Gakuen University Graduate School serves local needs with advanced education and research structures.

Economic Policy Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs

     In 1970, the Graduate School of Economics became the first graduate school at any private university in Hokkaido to offer a Master's Program in Economic Policy. This offering came in response to an increasing need to reconsider Japan's rapid economic growth and in answer to local demand for new perspectives on developing Hokkaido. Since its establishment, the Graduate School of Economics has educated students of remarkable talent in education, administration, business and other areas. It also has accepted international students and independent members of society, thus earning it favorable recognition from the public. The Doctoral program was added in 1995, targeting those wishing to become independent-minded researchers at universities and other educational institutions and those hoping to acquire abilities and knowledge required in communities.

Business Administration Major in the Master's and Doctoral

     The Graduate School of Business Administration established a Master's Program in Business Administration in 2000, and added a Doctoral Program in 2002. As society and economy are rapidly becoming more sophisticated and complex, more than just organizational restructuring is required. There is a need to restructure people's very ways of thinking, in both private businesses and local public bodies. In this graduate school, students' knowledge and ability regarding organizational administration and organizational psychology are fostered. The course aims at developing management skills that allow businesspeople to formulate and implement effective administrative strategies by using appropriate information collected from the market. The course fosters professionals and researchers who excel in theory and practice.

Law Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs
Political Science Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs

     The Graduate School of Law established a Master's Program in Law in 1986, and added a Doctoral Program in 1992. In Political Science, a Master's Program was established in 2003, followed by a Doctoral Program in 2005. These programs provide fulfilling opportunities for research, in our modern society of complex problems, to meet the needs of people wishing to pursue more advanced scholarly research and specialized knowledge in Law and Political Science. This graduate school is proud of its pioneering status in offering Japan's first graduate Law program with evening courses for independent members of society. We offer opportunities for advanced research by employing a teaching system with excellent faculty members, including people from various walks of life, to help students study flexibly and intensively toward their degrees.

Japanese Culture Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs
English and Cultures Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs

     The Graduate School of Literature established a Master's Program in Japanese Culture in 1999, and added a Doctoral Program in 2001. In 2003, a Master's Program in English and Cultures was established, and a Doctoral Program was added in 2005. In taking “New Humanities” as its basic approach, the Graduate School of Literature fosters people who are able to learn from past cultures and to present creative suggestions. The Japanese Culture Major encompasses two fields: Japanese Literature, and Ideologies and Cultures. The English and Cultures Major also has two main fields: Socio-cultural Studies and Studies in Thought and Culture. Both courses include subjects that help students understand the relationships between Japanese and foreign cultures. This postgraduate course also offers the same curriculum for day and evening courses, to help working students continue learning.

Civil and Architectural Engineering Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs
Electronics and Information Engineering Major in the Master's and Doctoral Programs

     To foster the talented engineers required in this age of rapid technological progress, the Graduate School of Engineering established Master's Programs in Civil and Architectural Engineering and in Electronics and Information Engineering in 1991, and added Doctoral programs in 1995. The Civil and Architectural Engineering Major is divided into Civil Engineering and Architectural Engineering courses, both offering theoretical studies and applied research for the realization of a truly affluent society and comfortable living environments. The key research theme in Civil and Architectural Engineering is technological challenges specific to cold, snowy regions. In Electronics and Information Engineering, students study diverse areas, including optical, image and visual information processing, autonomous mobile robots, electronic properties and devices, computer applications, and voice and natural language processing.

     In 2005, the Law School was established to educate legal professionals who can serve local needs in Hokkaido and throughout Japan. What distinguishes the Hokkai-Gakuen University Law School is its emphasis on community-based education and its evening courses, which allow working people to continue learning and which meet the need to open the legal profession to people of all walks of life. The Law School also boasts a uniquely low student-to-instructor ratio. The faculty of scholars and experienced law practitioners, including former judges and lawyers, help students to make the connection between legal theory and practice, and to absorb the expertise and technical skills required in the legal profession.