POLICIES OF THE FACULTY
OF COMMERCE AND MANAGEMENT

Diploma Policy (Degree Awarding Policy)

Hitotsubashi University, which was established in 1875 as the Shoho-Koshujo, has since the time of its predecessors—the Tokyo Higher Commercial School and the Tokyo University of Commerce—nurtured highly specialized professionals with a strong sense of mission, objective analytical skills, and deep-thinking abilities to support the economic and social development of Japan and the world.

1. Abilities and Qualities to be Acquired

As one of the business schools with the longest history in the world, the Faculty of Commerce and Management has directly inherited the traditions of Hitotsubashi University. Students are expected to take an interest in phenomena related to companies and markets, to identify the problems to be solved through deep observation, and to develop creative solutions to problems by repeatedly going back and forth between social scientific thinking and theory and real-life phenomena. Our mission is to nurture human resources who are able to develop creative solutions to problems and put them into practice. These individuals must possess ① leadership that combines deep insight with effective communication skills, ② creativity supported by advanced professional skills, and ③ a highly ethical and honorable spirit that is considerate of others and has a global perspective. Through their studies at the Faculty of Commerce and Management, students are expected to become individuals with a strong practical orientation who can creatively mobilize their intellect to solve problems that they face, rather than simply keeping what they have learned at a theoretical level. They are also expected to be a person with a particularly international mindset who can demonstrate their abilities without being limited by differences in language or cultural backgrounds. Such students are expected to contribute to society and play an active role both domestically and internationally.

2. Method of Judgment of Acquired Abilities and Qualities

Students will be judged to have acquired the abilities and qualities listed in 1. Acquired abilities and qualities when they have fulfilled the graduation requirements specified in the Undergraduate Course Regulations.

Curriculum Policy (Curriculum and Implementation Policy)

Commerce, as studied at Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Commerce and Management, is an applied social science related to companies and markets. In other words, commerce is an academic discipline that analyzes and clarifies phenomena related to companies and markets from multiple perspectives and applies them to the real world as practical learning, drawing on knowledge not only from the major fields of business administration, accounting, finance, and marketing, but also from a wide range of adjacent social sciences, including economics, history, sociology, and psychology.

The Faculty of Commerce and Management fosters ① leadership with deep insight and effective communication skills, ②creativity supported by advanced professional skills, and ③ high ethical standards and a spirit of integrity with a global perspective and consideration for others. To this end, we have established an educational curriculum based on the following concept of curriculum organization, which includes content and methods of study, achievement of learning outcomes, and evaluation methods for achievement of learning outcomes.

1. Concept of Curriculum Organization

In order to cultivate the human resources described above, the Faculty of Commerce and Management organizes its curriculum based on three basic pillars: ① small-group seminars, ② specialized courses designed to encourage step-by-step learning, and ③ programs designed to cultivate basic skills, particularly communication skills.

First, the core of the curriculum in the Faculty of Commerce and Management is the small-group seminar program, which provides students with the opportunity to observe business-related phenomena in depth through the back-and-forth between social scientific thinking and theory and real-life events during the four-year seminar, to develop creative solutions to the issues they discover, and to exercise leadership in implementing these solutions. The program also aims to nurture individuals who can exercise leadership and put it into action.

Second, specialized courses are arranged to encourage step-by-step learning from basic to advanced levels. Third, we offer a variety of programs to help students acquire a high level of internationality that will enable them to demonstrate their abilities without being limited by differences in language or cultural backgrounds in an increasingly globalized world economy and society.

2. Content and Methods of Study

① Small-group seminars

Students in the Faculty of Commerce and Management are enrolled in seminars designed to match their learning stage throughout their four years of study, from entrance to graduation. In the Introductory Seminar in their first year, students receive careful guidance to help them develop foundational skills for reading, writing, and thinking. In their second year, in the First Semester Seminar, students develop the ability to read and understand specialized English-language books on commerce. In their third year onwards, in the Second Semester Seminars, students develop in-depth academic knowledge and effective written and oral communication skills related to their chosen specialty through intensive discussions with faculty members and other students.

② Specialized courses arranged to promote step-by-step learning

At the introductory level (100-level courses), students acquire the basic knowledge that every student of the Faculty of Commerce and Management should have in the five areas of business administration, accounting, finance, marketing, and business economics, without bias toward any particular area. At the basic level (200-level courses), students acquire a wide range of specialized knowledge that every student of the Faculty of Commerce and Management should have. At the advanced level (300-level courses), students study in depth in areas that match their own interests. Students who wish to study more advanced specialized knowledge can take the courses (400-level courses) offered jointly with the Graduate School of Business Administration's Master's Course (Researcher Training Course). In these specialized courses, students will also develop a highly ethical and noble spirit and an international outlook by incorporating the perspectives of social responsibility and internationality in corporate activities.

In addition to specialized courses, a wide variety of courses that form the basis of study in specialized fields and contribute to deepening understanding and interest are available at all levels of study.

③ Programs to cultivate basic skills with a focus on communication skills

In the first year, students are required to take a university-wide educational program to improve their basic English communication skills, and in the second year, the Faculty of Commerce and Management offers its own educational program (elective courses) to further improve English communication skills. In the second year and beyond, students are provided with opportunities to study abroad with partner universities overseas, and specialized courses are offered in English at different levels.

In addition, the Faculty of Commerce and Management offers the Shibusawa Scholars Program (SSP), which aims to nurture global business leaders by providing selected students with opportunities for in-depth interaction with people from diverse backgrounds, in English, from their second year onward. SSP also provides its students with opportunities for such interaction through study abroad. Through these programs, SSP helps students acquire the qualities and abilities needed to be global business leaders.

3. Achievement of Learning Outcomes

The objectives for each of the seminar and lecture courses are clearly stated in the syllabus.

4. Evaluation Methods for Achievement of Learning Outcomes

In seminars, student reports and presentations are used to evaluate the degree of achievement of the learning goals . For lecture courses, a limit is imposed on the number of courses that can be taken so that students can effectively acquire knowledge step-by-step, and achievement of the learning goals is evaluated according to performance in the content required for each course. Specifically, students are evaluated on their level of achievement in meeting the objectives of each course as indicated in the syllabus by means of examinations and reports.

Furthermore, in order to confirm the degree of achievement of academic objectives through a systematic educational program, the Faculty of Commerce and Management is continuously working on the Assurance of Learning (AoL), which meets the high standards required for the international accreditation of business schools. The results are used to improve the content of each course and the curriculum as a whole. In addition, the Faculty of Commerce and Management holds its own Faculty Development (FD) meetings on a regular basis, where faculty members share their experiences and deepen their understanding of how to conduct and evaluate lectures, including the Introductory Seminar and First Semester Seminars, which all students in the Faculty of Commerce and Management take. We strive for continuous improvement in our courses and curriculum.

In addition, research ethics education is provided to all students to prevent misconduct in research activities.

Admissions Policy

Target Applicants

The mission of Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Commerce and Management is to nurture individuals who are willing to take an interest in phenomena related to companies and markets, to identify the problems to be solved through deep observation, and to develop creative solutions to problems by repeatedly going back and forth between social scientific thinking and theory and real-life phenomena, and who are able to exercise leadership in implementing these solutions. Our mission is to nurture individuals who are capable of thinking and acting in a leadership role. To this end, students enrolled in the Faculty of Commerce and Management study applied social sciences related to corporations and markets, focusing on areas such as business administration, accounting, finance theory, and marketing, through attentive guidance in small seminars and a step-by-step curriculum that steadily develops from the basics to application. It is important for students to have a high level of interest in society in general in order to effectively pursue their studies after entering the program. This is because an interest in various social issues, not limited to companies and markets, is the source of one's motivation to find problems, learn independently, and find solutions.

In order to gain a deep theoretical understanding of applied social sciences related to companies and markets and to empirically analyze social phenomena, advanced mathematical and logical abilities are necessary. Furthermore, to be active in the international community, general language skills as well as communication skills in foreign languages are essential. Studies at the Faculty of Commerce and Management will be more fulfilling if you have acquired these fundamentals in your studies up to upper secondary school (high school).

Basic Policy for Selection of Applicants

In order to determine whether applicants have the knowledge and abilities described in the Target Applicant section, we will evaluate "knowledge and skills;" "ability to think, judge, and express oneself;" and "attitude to learning independently and in cooperation with diverse people" in the following screening process.

In the General Selection, "knowledge and skills" and "ability to think, judge, and express oneself" will be evaluated through the Common University Entrance Test and individual achievement tests (Japanese, foreign languages, mathematics, and geography/history).

In the School Recommendation Type Selection, "knowledge and skills" and "ability to think, judge, and express" are evaluated by the Common University Entrance Test and the Individual Achievement Test (essay and interview), and "attitude to learning independently and in cooperation with diverse people" is evaluated by the Individual Achievement Test (interview), the research paper, recommendation form, and self-recommendation form.

In addition, we accept international students from all over the world through the selection of privately-financed international students.

Multifaceted and Comprehensive Evaluation Method of the Three Elements of Academic Proficiency

Admission Category Admission Method Knowledge and Skills Ability to Think, Judge, and Express Oneself Attitude to Learn Independently and in Cooperation with Diverse People
General Selection (Preliminary schedule) The Common Test for University Admissions
Individual Achievement Tests
School Recommendation Type Selection The Common Test for University Admissions
Individual Achievement Tests
Face-to-face
Survey Report
Recommendation
Self-Recommendation
Foreign Schools Applicants Individual Achievement Tests
Interview
Privately-Financed International Students TOEFL
EJU
Individual Achievement Tests

(Note) ○ indicates a factor of particular importance

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