Osaka Gakuin University
Osaka Gakuin University, also known as Osaka Graduate University, is a mid-sized, mid-level private liberal arts university located in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The university focuses on law, economics, and international studies, but still provides a wide array of other subjects for study.
History/Background
Osaka Gakuin University was founded in 1963, from the previous establishment, Kansai Kenri Senmon Gakko. The school was subsequently refurbished and expanded during the 1990s.Historical Overviewhttp://www.osaka-gu.ac.jp/english/general/frame/index.html
- 1940 – Kansai Accounting Institute founded.
- 1952 – Kansai Accounting School founded.
- 1953 – Kansai Business College founded.
- 1959 – Osaka Gakuin University High School founded.
- 1962 – Osaka Gakuin Junior College founded.
- 1963 – Osaka Gakuin University founded
- 1964 – Addition of Departments of Business Administration and Economics to Faculty of Commerce.
- 1967 – Graduate School of Commerce founded.
- 1969 – Doctoral program established in Graduate School of Commerce.
- 1970 – Faculty of Economics established. Division of Correspondence Study established.
- 1974 – Faculty of Law established. Faculty of Foreign Languages established. Graduate School of Economics founded.
- 1976 – Doctoral program established in Graduate School of Economics.
- 1987 – Addition of Department of International Studies.
- 1990 – Faculty of International Studies founded.
- 1994 – Division and Reorganization of Faculty of Commerce: Department of Commerce reorganized into Faculty of Distribution and Communication Sciences, Department of Business Administration reorganized into Faculty of Adiministrative Sciences, Graduate School of International Studies founded
- 1995 – Graduate School of Law founded.
- 1996 – Doctoral program established in Graduate School of International Studies.
- 1997 – Doctoral program established in Graduate School of Law.
- 2000 – Department of Law and Policy established in Faculty of Law; Faculty of Informatics and Faculty of Corporate Intelligence founded.
- 2001 – Division of Correspondence Study renamed Division of Correspondence Study, Faculty of Distribution and Communication Sciences, Department of Distribution and Communication Sciences.
- 2004 – Graduate School of Legal Profession established.
- 2005 – Graduate School of Computer Science founded.
- 2006 – Faculty of Law reorganized as Faculty of Law.
Founding Principles
Academics
Majors
- Distribution and Communication Sciences: Students study the mechanism of distribution economics, in addition to marketing principles and practices, using as materials case studies of corporate activities. Studies also extend to such related areas as accounting, finance, psychology, trade and information systems.
- Business Administration: Students acquire related background knowledge and specialized theories, and cultivate their practical ability to apply it to the resolution of complex and diverse problems that may be encountered in actual administrative activities.
- Economics: Students learn how to analyze, and form firm views regarding, society, and to effectively express their ideas and analyses.
- Law: Courses cover principle laws, including constitutional, civil, criminal and commercial laws, as well as laws attracting growing social interest, such as those related to foreign, environmental, consumer and social security affairs. Students also learn basic research skills, including how to collect and consult documented reference materials, advancing from discussions of daily legal problems to understanding and interpreting more specialized legal subject matter.
- Foreign Languages: The students are expected to master the four basic language skills, obtain a good understanding of the culture of the languages they learn, and solidify their own cultural identity.
- International Studies: The curriculum is designed to deepen students' understanding of each zone's culture, history, politics, economics, religion, customs etc., so that they may acquire knowledge and skills necessary for active work in the 21st-century multicultural global community.
- Informatics: Informatics Course is concerned with exploring innovative IT applications in natural and human sciences. Students concentrate either on life sciences dealing with earth and living organisms or on information processing and transmission in human and social sciences such as psychology and linguistics.
- Corporate Intelligence: Corporate Intelligence is a new interdisciplinary field whose central pillars of study and research are accounting and information science, complemented by commerce, business administration, economics, law, philosophy, ethics etc., in which information is studied systematically and comprehensively as a network of intelligence in a business context.
Campus
- MELOP: MELOP is a members' multimedia facility that opened on the basement floor of Building No. 12 in October 1997 and extended to the third and fourth floors of Building No. 3 in October 1998. MELOP is well equipped with hardware and software that cover a wide range of fields and functions, from widely used Microsoft Office to more sophisticated devices and software for computer graphics, video and sound editing. MELOP organizes, and can be used for, seminars, group and independent activities and the like, so that its members, including beginner computer users, can acquire and improve multimedia skills useful for their future academic activities and career development. In October 2004, MELOP reopened, renovated in line with its new concept "Technology as a Tool. Acquire Useful IT Skills." In this new environment, MELOP provides solid support through new seminars and updated equipment to help members fulfill their needs and achieve individual goals.
- I-Chat Lounge: The International Chat Lounge provides students with a welcoming place where they can strengthen their communication skills in international languages and broaden their awareness of cultures around the world. At the I-Chat Lounge, students can have interactions with native English speakers and foreign exchange students, play skill-building language games and attend fun events that encourage friendship and cultural awareness.
- Library: The Library is the center of university education and research. Today's advanced computerization has largely transformed the Library from a conventional facility with the simple functions of storing and lending books and references. At Osaka Gakuin University, the Library is positioned as an information center featuring the latest computer equipment that encourages independent learning.
- Book Store
- Student Cafeteria
Student life
Events
- OGU Workshops: OGU Workshops are designated to "university and other open seminars," which the Board of Education of Osaka Prefecture organizes in collaboration with universities and other educational institutions, so as to provide school teachers with a variety of training opportunities and support their voluntary training, with the objective of improving the quality of their teaching.
- Digital Storytelling Festival: The Digital Storytelling Festival is an open competition for original stories composed using presentation software such as PowerPoint.
- Sports Workshop: Since academic year 2001, Osaka Gakuin University has been holding Sports Workshops for junior and senior high school students. The Rugby Workshop features rugby coaches and players invited from prestigious university teams of Great Britain, the birthplace of rugby. The Golf Workshop features professional golfers as instructors, from whom the participants learn techniques, rules and manners for improving their golfing, as well as golfing and social manners.
- Phoenix Festival: Each year Osaka Gakuin University organizes a series of events in diverse fields, within the framework of the "Phoenix Festival." The primary objective is to fulfill the University's Founding Principle of "developing individuals who have both practical ability and broad vision," while making this Founding Principle known to many people by contributing to the general public's enjoyment and cultural development.
- Cultural Lectures: Osaka Gakuin University organizes Cultural Lectures by a variety of personalities and specialists active in their respective fields, to further enhance University student life. The lectures help expand students' horizons and stimulate their studies and future plans.
- Kishibe Festivals: Kishibe Festival is held for four days in late October each year, mainly organized by the Kishibe Festival Executive Committee, composed of University students. During the Festival, student clubs and circles give performances and presentations, hold talks and exhibitions, run shops and stands, and welcome fellow students, faculty, alumni, and the general public to have fun together.
Student Organizations
- Sports-track clubs:American Football, Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Fencing, Fishing, Golf, Handball, Ice Hockey, Kyūdō, Judo, Karate, Kendo, Lacrosse, Nippon Kenpo, Rubber Baseball, Rugby, Shorinji Kenpo, Skiing, Soccer, Softball Tennis, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Youth Hosteling
- Culture-track clubs: Accounting, American Folksongs, Archaeology, Calligraphy, Comic Narration, Company Studies, Fine Arts, Free Arts, Light Music, Literature, Management, Photography, Science of Divination, Tax Studies, Tea Ceremony
- Independent clubs: Brass Band, Broadcasting Station, Choir, Cheerleading, Newspaper, Pep Squad
Graduate School
- Commerce: The Graduate School of Commerce is intended for business-related research, mainly for students having completed undergraduate studies in the Faculties of Distribution and Communication Sciences, Administrative Sciences and Corporate Intelligence.
- Economics: The Graduate School of Economics conducts education and research in a wide range of specialized fields, from theoretical and applied economics to finance, tax law and economic history. Special educational consideration is also given to students wishing to become tax accountants, and advanced education in economics is offered to those who wish to work in research institutions.
- International Studies: The Graduate School of International Studies pursues education and research by specialists in international relations and international cultures. In the former domain of specialization, the issues of contemporary society regarding law, economics, business, development, environment and so on are examined in an interdisciplinary manner. In the latter domain, international comparative studies are pursued in terms of culture, folk customs, language, religion and so forth.
- Law: The Graduate School of Law conducts education and research to train students toward becoming legal affairs experts capable of working effectively even amid such changes. On the two tracks of specialization.
- Computer Science: The School of Computer Science offers instruction to support students' research on themes relating to highly dependable system design, system CAD, information interface, software development, intelligent information media, information security, network application etc. in the main fields of multimedia, network, VLSI system.
- Law School: The students are expected to become legal professionals who play the important role since the rule of law covers even the smallest aspects of people's lives. As legal problems and conflicts are expected to become increasingly diverse and complex, a large number of highly qualified legal professionals are needed.
International Exchange
OGU Global Network
- United Kingdom
- *Queens' College, University of Cambridge
- United States
- *University of Alaska Fairbanks
- *University of St. Thomas
- *University of California Los Angeles
- *California State University Long Beach
- *Dowling College
- *Marywood University
- *University of Mississippi
- *Hawaii Pacific University
- *University of Hawaii Manoa
- *Kapiolani Community College
- Mexico
- *Cetys University
- Finland
- *HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
- *Laurea University of Applied Sciences
- *Satakunta University of Applied Sciences
- Iceland
- *University of Iceland
- France
- *University of Paris IX (Paris-Dauphine)
- *University of Orléans
- Germany
- *University of Bayreuth
- *University of Trier
- *Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
- Austria
- *FH Kufstein University of Applied Sciences
- Netherlands
- *HZ University of Applied Sciences
- *Fontys University of Applied Sciences
- Sweden
- *University of Gävle
- *Växjö University
- Lithuania
- *Vilnius University
- South Africa
- *Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Australia
- *University of the Sunshine Coast
- New Zealand
- *University of Waikato
- China
- *Fudan University
- *Southwest University of Political Science & Law
- *Dalian Polytechnic University
- *Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
- Taiwan
- *Southern Taiwan University
- *Providence University
- South Korea
- *Soonchunhyang University
- *Baekche University
- Thailand
- *Bangkok University
- Philippines
- *University of San Carlos
Graduates
- :ja:木下素典|Kinoshita Motonori – Congressional deputy of Okayama Prefecture, Democratic Party.
- :ja:文野直樹|Humino Naoki – President of Eat & Co.
- :ja:少路和伸|Shoji Kazunobu – Artist
Musicians:
- :ja:岡野昭仁|Okano Akihito – Musician, Porno Graffitti
- :ja:すいかずら|Suikazura – Folk singer
- :ja:Clearance|Clearance – A cappella Vocal group
- :ja:すろーらいだーず|Slow Riders – Rock band
- :ja:打越元久|Uchikoshi Motohisa – Musician, Radio DJ
- :ja:中林大樹|Nakabayashi Taiki – Actor
- :ja:山田雅人|Yamada Masato – Actor
- :ja:井阪祐子|Isaka Yuuko – Model, actress
- :ja:三浦剛|Miura Tsuyoshi – Actor
- :ja:石田弘志|Ishida Hiroshi – Actor
- :ja:有田洋之|Arita Hiroyuki – Voice actor
- :ja:福田充徳|Hukuda Mitsunori – Comedian, Tutorial
- :ja:鳥肌実|Torihada Minoru – Comedian
- :ja:けーすけ|Keisuke – Comedian
- :ja:笑福亭仁福|Shouhukutei Jinpuku – Rakugo Storyteller
- :ja:立川文都|Tatekawa Bunto – Rakugo Storyteller
- :ja:桂文也|Katsura Bunya – Rakugo Storyteller
- :ja:高橋尚子|Takahashi Naoko – Former National Marathon runner
- :ja:下村英士|Shimomura Eiji – Former National Volleyball player
- :ja:吉田国昭|Yoshida Kuniaki – Former National Volleyball player
- :ja:佐々木勇人|Sasaki Hayato – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:石櫃洋祐|Ishibitsu Yousuke – Professional Soccer player, National team
- :ja:笹垣亮介|Sasagaki Ryousuke – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:橋垣戸光一|Hashigaito Kouichi – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:稲田康志|Inada Kouji – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:妹尾隆佑|Senoo Ryousuke – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:馬場悠|Baba Yutaka – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:岡村和哉|Okamura Kazuya – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:加藤健太|Katou Kenta – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:吉井直人|Yoshii Naoto – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:丸谷祐一|Marutani Yuuichi – Professional Soccer player
- :ja:男色ディーノ|Danshoku Diino – Professional Wrestler
- :ja:今野翔太|Konno Shouta – Professional Basketball player
- :ja:西川雅人|Nishikawa Masato – Professional Baseball player
- :ja:藤井優志|Hujii Masashi – Former Professional Baseball player
- :ja:小林寛 |Kobayashi Hiroshi – Amateur Baseball player
- :ja:上ノ薗公秀|Uenosono Kimihide – Writer, director
- :ja:山田さつき|Yamada Satsuki – Former News Anchor
- :ja:神田敏晶|Kanda Toshiaki – IT Journalist