Graduate School of Business

Ikebukuro Campus

OBJECTIVE.

Developing scholars and highly-specialized professionals equipped with the knowledge and ability to analyze new economic environments with fresh, interdisciplinary approaches

Features

Research of new business studies founded on history and tradition

What is the significance of researching business studies at Rikkyo University? The answer is in the researching of a kind of business studies that is both new and also grounded in history and tradition. The Graduate School of Business at Rikkyo University has only recently been established. However, research of business studies at Rikkyo University has a history of over one hundred years. The mission of the Rikkyo University Graduate School of Business is to study the new, modern shape of business studies with an active, enterprising spirit that is based on our history, our tradition, and the principles of Rikkyo University. This is a form of business studies that can only be researched at Rikkyo University. Organizations, let alone companies, can only thrive if they can respond to society’s expectations. As such, organizations must contribute to society, and bring happiness to the people who work there. Our students develop knowledge about what is needed for organizations in this new age.

Business studies is a practical science that seeks theories that will be truly useful in society. The Graduate School of Business focuses on business studies that will serve in real business contexts, and we develop leaders that can individually practice and implement business theories in the real world. Many kinds of people exist in this globalized world, with various values and ways of thinking. We conduct our program with a stance that values diversity, from a global point of view. If people can recognize differences and mutually respect each other, without denying or attempting to assimilate that which is different, not only business, but all people can benefit from the diverse, positive aspects of global society.

Programs

Graduate Program in Business

Overview

This Master’s program provides specialized education in leadership development. It specifically fosters advanced professionals capable of leading leadership development initiatives across various organizations, including corporations. This program is offered in Japanese.
To achieve this, students must acquire foundational knowledge in business administration, human resource development, organizational development, and leadership development. Beyond merely acquiring knowledge, students also need the practical skills to conduct research and analysis for leadership development, as well as to plan and implement development programs. This program provides cutting-edge curricula designed to equip students with both this knowledge and these practical skills.

The Master in Leadership Development (MLD)

AACSB accredited
The most prominent feature of the Leadership Development Course (Master's Program) is that the two-year graduate education "begins with a project and ends with a project." Immediately after enrollment, graduate students form diverse, heterogeneous teams with their peers are required to engage in project-based problem-solving. Through tackling these issues, various conflicts naturally arise within the teams, bringing real leadership challenges to the surface. Additionally, throughout the two years of the MLD Course, students reliably acquire fundamental knowledge and skills through numerous compulsory classes. The culmination of the two years is the Leadership Final Project (LFP), which every student undertakes individually. Students develop practical problem-solving skills by independently planning, executing, and compiling the results of a project related to leadership, organizational, or human resource development.

As a general rule, courses are offered online on Friday nights and Saturdays. Additionally, intensive courses are held during the summer and spring breaks. While HyFlex (hybrid-flexible) classes offering both in-person and online options are regularly provided, the curriculum is designed so that students can complete the entire program online if they prefer. Therefore, the program allows working professionals to attend classes and earn their Master's degree without overextending themselves. Furthermore, students can dynamically learn by continuously bridging their graduate studies with the practical application of leadership development in their own workplaces.
Graduate Program in International Business

Established in April 2011, the Graduate Program in International Business Master of Arts in International Business (MIB) Course develops talent with a global perspective, leadership capabilities, and a high level of expertise in the field of international business. Students engage in comprehensive study of the different fields of business by writing business proposals and carrying out projects focused on the real world. Additionally, the Graduate Program in International Business Master of Public Management and Administration (MPMA) Course was established in September 2016. This course provides a curriculum to develop highly-specialized professionals with knowledge about a wide range of subjects concerned with public management and administration. Students acquire expertise in public management and administration through writing a master’s thesis.

Overview

All subjects offered in English
A major advantage of the program is that all subjects are offered in English. The MIB Course features subjects that explore the strategies, challenges and future developments of business in Asia, while the MPMA Course features a range of foundation and applied subjects, from statistics and mathematics to public management and administration. Students learn these subjects in English.

Introduction of double degree program (the MIB Course)
We have introduced a double degree program that allows students to earn a master’s degree in international business at Rikkyo and a master’s degree in business at an overseas partner institution during a two-year period.

Implementing a Case Method Teaching approach (the MIB Course)
Our classes involve becoming immersed into realistic situations faced by management professionals. With small class sizes, we have thorough discussions and debates, and emphasize the role of students as participants trying to deal with the key problems of actual business contexts.

Writing a master's thesis (the MPMA Course)
Submission of a master’s thesis is one of the graduation requirements of the MPMA Course. Students select a research topic, gather and analyze data, and write their thesis with careful guidance by advisors.

The Master in International Business Program (MIB)

AACSB accredited
The College of Business at Rikkyo University offers a full-time, two-year, Master of International Business (MIB) degree program that is designed to develop our students’ ability to conceptualize, plan, and implement business in diverse and intercultural contexts. The degree has been established in response to industry demand for highly qualified, bilingual graduates with wide ranging international experience and the ability to conceptualize complex business problems. The MIB program has been designed to train students with limited prior professional experience but strong leadership potential, and students who have experience but want to expand their understanding of the theoretical and conceptual issues in global business. This is one of the few programs of its kind in Japan. All courses are taught in English, preparing graduates to achieve their goals and boost their careers in the global market.

Master of Public Management and Administration Course (MPMA)

The College of Business also offers a two-year program whose primary focus is public management. This new program – the Master of Public Management and Administration (MPMA) Course – was launched in September 2016 and is designed to develop the capacity of students to formulate, manage, and evaluate policies and programs. Students in the MPMA Course are expected to take courses in Public Management, Economics, and Business, in order to build strong theoretical and methodological foundations. In addition, each student is required to complete a master’s thesis; an independent research project in which the student examines a focused research question under the close supervision of faculty members. The primary target of the MPMA Course is mid-career public officers. However, we also welcome students who have no prior experience in the public sector but would like to pursue careers in government or with international organizations in the future, as well as students who seek to advance to PhD programs in Public Management or Economics.

MLD program in Business department and MIB program in International Business department are AACSB accredited.

Learn more

For more information, please visit the links below.