Department of Management
The Department of Management fosters the ability to think about what constitutes a ‘good company or organization,’ and how to achieve it.
Management Studies is a discipline that investigates the challenges that must be overcome for sustainable growth of companies and other organizations, and considers the methods for overcoming these challenges. In Management Studies, we seek to identify elements of a ‘good company’ by focusing on commonalities shared by good organizations, working from individual cases to draw out principles applicable broadly across industries and over time.
There are many companies in the world, but only a few last more than a century. A 'sustainable company’ is an organization that continues to create value for society and give employees a feeling that their work is worthwhile. Management Studies aims to enrich people’s lives by increasing the number of such organizations.
The Department of Management helps students develop the ability to solve problems in an organizational setting, a skill highly valued by all companies. Our curriculum includes not only foundational courses on management and organizational behavior, but also courses on marketing, finance, human resource management and other topics relevant to careers in the business world.
Subjects and skills emphasized in the Department of Management curriculum
1. Understanding and dealing with management problems of companies and organizations
Management Studies analyses and solves various managerial, economic, and social issues faced by companies and organizations. The Department of Management uses case studies of companies and organizations to teach specialized knowledge and know-how, as well as familiarize students with problems that arise commonly in the business world.
2. The ability to proactively identify and solve problems
The Department Management fosters the ability to proactively recognize the problems and challenges in the operations of any business, as well as the ability to find methods to address them. By repeated exposure to problems and appropriate solutions in case studies, students acquire the ability to spot and resolve problems in real companies.
3. Communication and leadership skills to mobilize an organization
Problem-solving in companies and organizations requires setting clear goals, communicating plans and intentions in an easy-to-understand manner, and openly listening to the many voices on the inside and outside of the team. While emphasizing such communication and leadership skills, the Department of Management also promotes respect for interpersonal differences and broader social consequences of business activities.
Career paths after graduation
- Relying on the proactive problem-solving skills emphasized in the curriculum, many graduates expect to rise to leadership positions in companies across all sectors of the economy.
- The knowledge of management is in high demanded not only in commercial enterprises but also in public organizations, such as NPOs and government.
- Applying the knowledge accumulated from various case studies, some graduates come up with an original product or service idea and start their own businesses.
Yuri Mamiya [Class of 2017 / Accenture Ltd.]
I studied business management broadly, including strategy, marketing, finance. In particular, in the Innovation Strategy Seminar I learned ways of thinking necessary to create new products, services and business models. Moreover, through participating in international exchange events and studying abroad in Shanghai, I was able to acquire a mindset open to various ways of thinking. I am currently working in the technology department of a foreign general consulting firm, supporting systems design, operation and business improvement. I aim to become a consultant working with clients to solve business operations problems related to product manufacturing and distribution. In my work going forward, I will be utilizing the broad range of managerial knowledge, the mindset of respect and the ability to understand complex issues to solve problems, all of which I learned in my university years.
A distinguishing feature of Gakushuin University's Department of Management is the flexibility with which students can select subjects to fit their future goals based on their own values and judgment. The curriculum is designed around the core principle of 'cultivating talent with strong problem-solving ability and rich creativity.' Each student selects the courses relevant to their future careers and learn a balanced mix of management theory and practical problem-solving.
1. Required Elective Subject Group A: basic theory and methodology of management plus English study
In Management Studies it is often necessary to theoretically investigate qualitative issues that cannot be captured numerically, issues such as interpersonal relations. In order to flexibly respond to real-world organizational issues, we first teach theoretical fundamentals as well as the technology and methodology of management. We also begin cultivating managerial perspectives and ways of thinking from the start of the curriculum. Moreover, in order to develop globally useful skills, we emphasize the study of English. We offer courses in which students study management theory and business affairs in English and other languages. By discussing business and management issues in such classes, students not only improve their language abilities but also prepare themselves for work in global business assignments. In particular, the "Introductory Seminar to Management' for first-year students develops discussion, presentation and report-writing skills.
[Required Elective Subject Group A]
Introductory Seminar to Management, Business Organization, Theory of Management, Business Policy, Business History, Marketing, Human Resource Management, and Management Theory in English, etc.
2. Required Elective Group B: studying more advanced theory and its methods of application, deepening skills in chosen area of concentration
The professors in the Department of Management at Gakushuin University have specialized knowledge in a variety of subfields. To ensure broad coverage of topics in Management Studies, courses taught by our professors are supplemented by courses led by active business practitioners. Our small-group seminars foster skills in identifying management problems, positing hypotheses regarding the cause of and solution to the problem, and then verifying the hypotheses. By studying in practical and small-groups settings, students polish the skills necessary for their future careers.
[Required Elective Subject Group B]
Seminars, Special Lectures on Business Management, Manufacturing Systems, Multinational Enterprises, Marketing of Local Revitalization, Theory and Practice for Entrepreneurs, and Art Business, etc.
3. Elective Subjects, expanding education while refining expertise and acquiring new perspectives
Developing the ability to understand the entire organization and draw inferences attuned to changing times and circumstances requires a broad education that includes the knowledge of economics, politics, and law. Our 'Elective Courses' address the varied interests of individual students and broadens their perspective through exposure to other related disciplines.
Public Finance, Monetary and Financial Theory, Econometrics, Game Theory, and Industrial Organization, etc.