Rapid advances in AI technology are significantly transforming the environment surrounding corporate management. Many aspects of information gathering, analysis, and routine decision-making are increasingly being streamlined by AI. At the same time, however, fundamental decisions—such as which issues should be identified as problems, how AI-generated outputs should be interpreted, and what final judgments should be made—remain firmly in human hands. Precisely because we live in an age in which AI is pervasive, professionals engaged in management are required to possess ever more advanced analytical thinking and sound judgment.

The Degree Program in Business Administration seeks to provide students with more than the mere acquisition of knowledge and technical skills. Our goal is to cultivate the ability to independently identify problems and to address complex, open-ended challenges through scientific reasoning. At the core of this philosophy are master’s and doctoral thesis research projects. Through research, students learn the full process of formulating research questions, constructing hypotheses, and testing them using data and theory. In doing so, they develop analytics capabilities in the broadest sense—not limited to statistical techniques alone. What matters most is not simply mastering analytical methods, but acquiring the ability to understand phenomena through analysis and translate insights into effective decision-making.

The program also places strong emphasis on research presentations and scholarly discussion. Through multiple presentation opportunities, students refine their ability to organize ideas logically and communicate them clearly to others. Furthermore, through the writing of master’s and doctoral theses as well as research papers, students cultivate the capacity to structure complex thinking into coherent written form. These communication and writing skills are indispensable not only in academic settings but also in professional practice.

In addition, The Degree Program in Business Administration provides a learning environment in which working professionals from diverse backgrounds come together and learn from one another. Beyond the peer networks formed during enrollment, students gain access to a broader professional community that includes alumni and faculty members. Dialogue with colleagues from different industries, professions, and experiences broadens perspectives and generates new ideas. These human networks serve as an important foundation for lifelong learning and career development even after graduation.

The Degree Program in Business Administration was established in April 2020 with a primary focus on recurrent education for working professionals, through the reorganization of the Master’s and the Doctoral Programs in Systems Management. Its foundation rests upon nearly four decades of experience in adult and professional education. The predecessor Master’s Program in Systems Management was founded in 1989 as the first evening graduate school for working professionals at a national university in Japan. Together with the Master’s Program in Business Administration, it has produced more than 1,000 graduates. Furthermore, the Doctoral Program in Systems Management, established in 1996, as well as the Doctoral Program in Business Administration, have conferred doctoral degrees upon more than 150 professionals. The educational environment that enables working professionals to balance careers with academic study, along with an integrated framework that bridges professional practice and academic research, has been carefully cultivated over many years and continues to underpin The Degree Program in Business Administration today.

Building upon its accumulated experience in education and research, The Degree Program in Business Administration remains committed to fostering enduring competencies that retain their value in the age of AI: the ability to identify meaningful problems, to think scientifically, and to engage in dialogue and communicate effectively with society. We sincerely hope that the learning experience in this program will provide a solid and lasting foundation for long-term success in business and society.

Business Administration Program Leader
Koken Ozaki