Website for the College of Business
Today's business activities connect every country and region in real-time, making it possible to directly trade information, resources, products, and even manpower. Many foreign-owned companies have expanded their operations into overseas markets, including Japan. Conversely, many Japanese companies employ people from a wide range of countries and have increasingly been establishing relationships overseas. Nowadays, it is impossible to manage a company, or to successfully participate in global markets, without understanding the national or regional characteristics and cultures of other countries. The College of Business cultivates students to be able to contribute to society, to understand the economic functions and social roles of international companies, and to become people of "global value." In other words, the College of Business helps individuals become business leaders in this international society. The curriculum is designed around the belief that business should not be conducted just to pursue economic practicality or efficiency. Other important elements, including multicultural understanding and ethical business practices, are also necessary. The College's curriculum offers students a solid foundation of business administration basics and specialized subjects, but also an extensive range of studies in related fields, such as economics, sociology, information science, and statistics. The key to practical business success lies in whether or not each respective member of an organization can serve as a leader when necessary.
These are the leaders of the digital age. Small class size allows students to become self-confident adults who possess the ability to present their ideas, the capacity to communicate through multiple channels, and the courage to lead, while also being able to support leaders.
Bilingualism is essential in the internationalized field of business. While still in Japan, students learn business studies in English at the College of Business to cultivate the ability to carry out transactions and negotiations in English. Students improve their ability to compete in the international business arena by taking advantage of opportunities for overseas study and internship.
The College of Business has an enhanced website, made interactive to report on its activities to persons both within and outside the school. The "COB Today" weblog transmits reports on the College of Business's functions and events, and contains essays written by faculty and students. The site also accepts comments from students and faculty regarding its contents.
We offer an international study program that allows students to take formal specialized courses at our overseas partner universities for one or two semesters, and to count credits earned abroad toward their degree at Rikkyo. Students may study abroad at universities with which the College of Business has a direct college-to-college agreement (22 universities in 14 countries) or may also study at universities with which Rikkyo University has a general exchange agreement (38 universities in 18 counties). In the 2007 academic year 23 students of the College of Business (sophomores) studied at 13 universities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. During the second semester of that year, 14 international students from seven overseas partner universities came to Japan and participated in courses with Japanese students in the College of Business.
With its first-year “Foundation Seminar” and the “Business Leadership Program” which continues thereafter, the Department of Business offers a successive curriculum founded on such fresh concepts as group work, presentations, and business games. The Department develops students with the creativity needed in the business community by having them experience personally the leadership process of planning and executing actual projects to produce results. Furthermore, students are able to deepen their understanding of what business leadership means by participating in internships, business seminars, and other activities.
The specialized elective courses in the Department of Business are organized around the four fields of business and society, organizational management, marketing, and business administration information. After acquiring an overview of business administration in the first-year “Studying Business Administration” class, students continue to deepen their knowledge of business administration theory through both lectures and seminars.
A certain business literacy is required in just about every area of an industry. Students in the Department of Business acquire core skills such as information literacy, data processing, and accounting during their first and second years.
In addition to Overseas English for Academic Purposes (EAP), English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and the Bilingual Business Program (BBP), students are also permitted to take a variety of specialized courses offered in the Department of Global Business, such as International Accounting and Theory of Intercultural Communication.
Approximately two-thirds of the specialized subjects offered by the Department of Global Business are taught in English. To ensure that students are able to understand these lessons, the Department offers English language classes starting in the first year. These language lessons, organized in progressive levels in accordance with students’ language proficiency, are aimed at promoting understanding and retention of the specialized subjects.
Students in the Department acquire the skills necessary for various intercultural tasks, such as negotiating or working with people from different backgrounds, in courses such as Theory of Intercultural Communication, International Business Communication, and Intercultural Management.
In the BBP, third-year students in small-sized groups are given the opportunity to experience first-hand a real-life business environment. They are required to work under the assumption that they are participants in an English-speaking situation or a bilingual environment, as they carry out the entire process of planning, proposing, and implementing a business project.
The Overseas English for Academic Purposes program, held during the summer of a student’s freshman year, offers opportunities for students to improve their English communication skills and experience different cultures. Students in their second or third year can study abroad through Rikkyo University’s medium-term or long-term overseas study programs. Through these programs, students can study at universities in a wide variety of countries that include the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Students in the Department of Global Business can take classes in other departments. In other words, in addition to BLP, they are able to select classes in which they are interested from among specialized subjects offered by the Department of Business, such as Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility.
