The Major in Career Studies was established in 2005 as the first unique department in Japan to create "Career Design Studies" in the Graduate Graduate School of Business Administration.
The major focuses on education and research in the field of "career design studies" in the interdisciplinary academic field consisting of business administration, education, etc., and is designed to provide career consultants and career counselors who are active in the background of job mobility, personnel and labor managers in companies, staff working in the human resources business, and public employment placement and public job training. The program is designed to provide practical learning backed by theory to human resource managers in companies, staff working in human resource businesses, career consultants and career counselors working in public employment agencies and public job training centers, teachers and career guidance staff practicing career education in schools and educational institutions, and staff in NPOs, public cultural facilities, etc. with the ability to support the lifelong career development of citizens. We have responded to society's demand for human resources by providing them with practical learning supported by theory.
During this period, the learning and research needs of working graduate students have greatly changed beyond the area of career design studies as a "new field of business administration" to encompass the area of life career research.
In order to respond to the diversification and sophistication of social needs, the Graduate School of Career Studies was spun off from the existing Graduate School of Business Administration and established as a new graduate school in April 2013.

Master's Program

The Graduate School of Career Design was established for the first time in Japan as a major to create career design studies. The program is designed for those who are in charge of human resources, education, and career support at companies, public organizations, NPOs, universities, high schools, and other institutions, as well as those who are working as career consultants and aiming for more advanced professional careers. The department is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach to clarifying individual careers while drawing on a background of specialized fields such as business, education, and psychology. In response to students' professional backgrounds and areas of interest, the department offers programs in two fields: (1) developmental and educational fields (developmental and educational career programs), which emphasize career support and lifelong learning in schools, and (2) business fields (business career programs), which emphasize career development and support within organizations. The curriculum consists of (1) basic and common courses and (2) business courses that emphasize career development and support within an organization.
The curriculum consists of (1) basic and common subjects, (2) program subjects, and (3) seminar subjects. Program subjects are selected according to the two programs based on basic and common subjects such as fundamental theories and research methods. The program subjects consist of a career development subject group that focuses on individual career development and development, a career professional subject group that considers organizations and professional functions that support careers, and a career policy subject group that examines social policies and institutions that condition individual organizational behavior. Based on these basic theories and methods, students are guided in their thesis research in seminars.

• The master's thesis is required and is emphasized as an outcome that concretely demonstrates your academic career. Guidance and support for writing the master's thesis begins with a presentation of the master's thesis concept in the fall of the first year, followed by the appointment of a faculty advisor in December of the first year, and then by two interim presentations (group guidance) in April and September, while receiving small-group individual guidance through exercises to complete the thesis.
• Most classes are offered in two consecutive evenings and on Saturdays, and are completed in half a semester. This is a device to enable students to effectively concentrate on their studies and to stimulate discussion.

1. The master's thesis is based on empirical research in principle, and many of them are based on qualitative and quantitative analysis using social research methods such as questionnaire surveys, case studies, and analysis of existing data, which has become a tradition.
2. Many of our seniors have taken up the challenge of presenting reports at academic conferences after obtaining their master's degrees while continuing to work, and have also actively participated in research group activities to continuously improve their professional skills. Through the alumni network, they are also shaping their careers as highly-skilled professionals. Indeed, we are making steady progress toward our major goal of fostering highly skilled professionals.