• 日本語

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Japanese Higher Education System

Types  |  Figures  |   Higher Education Reform

Types of Higher Education Institutions

1) University
A university offers a four-year higher education (six years for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine) and requires graduation from upper secondary schools or equivalent academic ability for admission. The graduation requirement is a minimum of four years of study with more than 124 credits (six years with 188 credits for medicine and dentistry, six years with 186 credits for certain parts in pharmacy, six years with 182 credits for veterinary medicine). Students who graduate from universities are awarded a Bachelor's Degree.

A university can establish a graduate school. A graduate school offers master's, doctoral and/or professional degree programs and is often located in a university. It requires a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent academic ability for admission. It may be established without undergraduate programs.

Master's Program
A two-year graduate program at a higher level than the bachelor's. Students who complete a master's program are awarded a Master's Degree. In the context of a five-year doctoral program, it means the first two years of the curriculum leading to a Master's Degree. In this case, it is also called a 'first stage doctoral program'. The general requirement to complete the program is a minimum of two years of study with more than 30 credits, the approval of a final dissertation and the success in an examination.

Doctoral Program
A five-year graduate program that leads to a Doctoral Degree. Currently the following forms are considered acceptable under the Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools: 1) Doctoral programs consisting of a two-year first stage program (generally called 'master's program') and a three-year program following that, 2) Doctoral Programs with no separation (called a 'consistent five-year system'), 3) Doctoral Programs composed of three-year (second stage) programs only. The terms for doctoral programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry and certain parts in pharmacy are stipulated as four years. The general requirement to complete the program is a minimum of five years of study with more than 30 credits, the approval of a final thesis and the success in an examination.

Professional Degree Program
One or two years of education (three years for law schools) offered by professional graduate school to foster experts with advanced skills. The general requirement for a degree is a minimum of two years of study with more than 30 credits and study of necessary academic programs (three years with more than 93 credits for law schools and two years with more than 45 credits for graduate school of teacher education). Students who complete are awarded a Professional Degree (Juris Doctor for law schools, Master's Degree (Professional) for others).

2) Junior College
A college which offers two or three-year higher education and requires graduation from upper secondary schools or equivalent academic ability for admission. A minimum of 62 credits (93 credits for a three-year college) are required for graduation. Students who graduate from junior colleges are awarded an Associate Degree.


3) College of Technology
A higher education institution which offers a unified five-year education (five years six months for mercantile marine studies) aiming nurturing technical experts. It requires graduation from lower secondary schools or equivalent academic ability for admission. A minimum of 167 credits are required for graduation (147 credits for mercantile marine studies). Graduates are awarded the Title of Associate.


4) Professional Training College
A specialized training college offering more than one year of practical/vocational higher education, which requires graduation from upper secondary schools for admission. Graduates who complete more than two years of study are conferred a Diploma and more than four years for conferring a Advanced Diploma.

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