(1) Four Features of Professional Training Colleges

　i) Professional Education in Diverse Fields to Respond to the Industrial Needs
　In contrast to universities and junior colleges which focus on the theoretic studies, professional training colleges aim to give useful education in practice. Responding to the needs of the industries, they have established wide-ranged courses. There are quite a few fields where human resource development largely depends on the professional training colleges. The line-up of their curriculums is centered on experiments and practical trainings, and the instructors are well-experienced in the real business world.

　ii) Education for Variety of Professional Qualifications is the Main Pillar
　Japanese society is based on “qualifications” and there are a large number of professional qualifications in Japan. Also, the number of various official examinations which have been established in order to upgrade each industry is uncountable. Since professional training colleges aim to respond to the industrial needs, obtaining these qualifications or passing the examinations are one of their main goals.

　iii) Awarding the titles of “Diploma” and “Advanced Diploma” and the Possibility to Enter or Transfer to Universities and Graduate Schools
　In recent years, professional training colleges have gained its position as part of the institutions of higher education, and students who have completed a course that requires two years or more of study or 1,700 hours or more of total school hours are awarded with the title of “diploma,” which started from the graduates in FY1994. This title is to certify that the student has finished the postsecondary education. Since FY1997, the awarded international students from professional training colleges have a new option of obtaining work visa after graduation, as well as entering universities and junior colleges. Furthermore, students who have graduated from a course that requires two years or more of study or 1,700 hours or more of total school hours have become able to transfer to an undergraduate course at university and such since FY 1999.
　Since 2006, students, who have completed 4-year programs that satisfy certain conditions, are being awarded the title of “advanced diploma,” which qualifies the students for admission to graduate schools.

　iv) Open Institutions of Higher Education Where Various People from Different Social Strata Study Together
　More than 90% of students who enter junior colleges are new graduates from upper secondary schools. As for universities, also, more than 90% of the freshmen are either new graduates or those who have graduated from upper secondary schools within one or two years before. On the other hand, the rate of new graduates from upper secondary schools among the enrollment in professional training schools is only about 70%. A quarter of them are business people or graduates from universities and junior colleges. The reasons why the characteristics of students consist of such various age groups and academic backgrounds could be that the term of study is only one or more years, that the students can obtain specialized knowledge and techniques, and that they can also obtain different kinds of professional qualifications. To acquire a more solid foundation in one’s chosen occupational skills, students may re-enroll in a professional training college after graduating from a university or junior college, and thus about 8% of annual enrollment in professional training colleges is comprised of graduates from universities, junior colleges, and colleges of technology.

(2) Educational Contents of Professional Training Colleges

(1)Three Features of Universities

　i) At the forefront of academic research, fostering talented leaders
　As centers of scholarship, Japanese universities aim to provide a high level of education and expertise. Contrary to professional training colleges which are focused on practical education for employment, universities are characterized by their emphasis on theory and research. The ultimate goal of universities is to contribute to the development of society by discovering and cultivating new theories and technologies and offering their results to the society. At the same time, universities are committed to developing well educated and insightful human resources by combining highly specialized education with general education, which covers a wide range of subjects.

　ii) Learning styles of in-depth study in specialized fields
　A four-year university is generally divided into two courses. For the first two years, a student can gain a broad range of knowledge in a general education course. Then, for the third and fourth years, a student engages in a closer investigation of one’s main subject in a specialty course. A student who has advanced to a specialty course decides on a research theme and enters a seminar group with a small number of students. A university professor who teaches a seminar has two faces: one of a researcher and another of an educator. Through numerous discussions with students at the seminar, a professor supports the students on their independent research studies.

　iii) An university degree as a wide window into the world
　Many Japanese corporations indicate “educational background” as one of their criteria for employment. Most companies have their doors open to “university graduates,” except for technical positions. Recently, Japanese corporations have started to place more importance on ability than records, and thus, their tendency to overemphasize educational background is decreasing. However, when it comes to employment, the tendency is still quite persistent. Especially in case of employing executive trainees, “university graduate” is usually the requirement.

(2) Educational Contents of Universities

　i) The humanities
　It is an academic discipline attempting to understand the essence of humanity by studying human mind and behavior from broad points of view. Included in the discipline are subjects such as: languages as means of expression and communication, history as a way of understanding the process of human development, philosophy and religion for pursuing the better life, and culture and civilization as products of humanity. Students go into various occupations including professorship and research.
　<Available subjects>
　Philosophy, religious studies, Japanese literature, foreign languages, history, archeology, geography, psychology, cultural studies, library information science, and others.

　ii) The social sciences
　It is an academic discipline attempting to realize a better society by studying social structures and mechanisms and examining various social phenomena. Many subjects deeply related to business such as economy and commerce are provided. Students can develop intellectual horizons useful for any kind of occupation, including specialized professions such as lawyers and management consultants.
　<Available subjects>
　Law, political science, economy, commercial science, business administration, social studies, social welfare, tourism, information studies, and etc.

　iii) The natural sciences
　It is an academic discipline attempting to contribute to the development of scientific technology by studying various phenomena in the natural world. Many subjects such as mathematics and science (biology) are being taught from elementary education. However, the level of contents taught at universities is very high at the forefront of each field.
　 <Available Subjects>
　Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and etc.

　iv) Engineering
　It is an academic discipline attempting to study the knowledge and technology of “making things,” such as systems, tools, and facilities, to enrich a society and make it function more conveniently. In addition to providing skills for “making things,” engineering programs at universities are involved with the latest research in scientific fields which evolve everyday. This is the major difference from engineering courses at professional training colleges. Many students go into research and development professions after graduation.
　 <Available subjects>
　Mechanical engineering, telecommunications engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, information engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, architecture, applied science, applied physics, applied chemistry, nuclear engineering, metallurgy, materials engineering, marine and aeronautical engineering, management engineering, biological engineering, natural recourse engineering, system and control engineering, emerging areas in chemistry, and etc.

　v) Agriculture
　As shown by the prosperity of biotechnology, the academic discipline of agriculture sets the trend of a new era. The central research is focused on ensuring stable supplies and efficient use of food resources, in addition to protecting ecosystems by recycling and preserving natural environment. There are big expectations from the society in this field.
　 <Available subjects>
　Agriculture, agricultural chemistry, agricultural engineering, agricultural economy, veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, fisheries science, forestry, applied biological science, biological resource science, and etc.

　vi) Medicine / public health
　Well known departments of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy are generally 6- year-programs. However, as community care and team medicine become more popular, there is an increasing number of other departments. These programs offer training for medical and public health professionals, such as occupational therapists and licensed nursing care workers. These 4-year-programs are geared for providing a high level of medical knowledge and a profound sense of humanity.
　 <Available subjects>
　Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing science, public health and hygiene, life science, health science, sports science, nursing and welfare, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and etc.

　vii) Home economics and domestic science
　It is an academic discipline that teaches theory and technology necessary for creating a healthy and comfortable living environment. It is a comprehensive study of our living environment starting from food, clothing, and shelter. It includes many themes with social interests, such as ecological problems and prevention of lifestyle-related illness by women. The areas of study are quite extensive.
　 <Available subjects>
　Domestic science, life science, food science, clothing science, residential science, nutritional science, and etc.

　viii) Education
　Departments of education provide programs for people who wish to obtain teaching licenses and become school teachers. In addition to preparing students for the license exam, university programs emphasize “pedagogy,” which investigates the goals and systems of education. The area of study is broad and includes various academic disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, sociology and biology.
　 <Available subjects>
　Education, teacher training, physical education, child science, preschool education, and etc.

　ix) Arts
　It is an academic discipline to pursue artistic creativity and technology of expression. It aims to nurture creators and artists in every possible field of arts, including visual art, design, and music. Students can not only gain practical skills but also learn theories to support their artistic expressions.
　 <Available subjects>
　Visual art, design, music, photography, film, broadcasting, theater, literature, beauty, and etc.

　x) Interdisciplinary study
　Many Japanese universities are going through educational reforms currently. As a result, traditional departments and programs are being renovated. The idea of “liberal arts” is starting to be infiltrated, encouraging cross-disciplinary studies across the borders of arts and science and giving birth to various new programs beyond the usual system of academic disciplines. There are many inventive approaches to teaching broad fields of study, such as exchanging school credits between different universities. This way, students can learn several disciplines systematically.
　 <Available subjects>
　General education, integrated science, human studies, international relations, media science, integrated political science, environmental information studies, social community studies, communication studies, and etc.

　Graduate schools offer two-year master’s degree programs and three-year doctoral degree programs, but graduate schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, and veterinary medicine typically offer only a four-year doctoral degree program (no master’s degree programs). Generally speaking, a student who has not earned a master’s degree may not continue on to a doctoral degree program, but if the student is deemed to have achieved a level of achievement equivalent to that of a master’s degree, the student may be admitted to a doctoral program without a master’s degree. Some graduate schools refer to the program for earning a master’s degree as the “first-stage doctoral degree program,” and the program for earning a doctoral degree as the “second-stage doctoral degree program.” This is because the master’s and doctoral degree programs are linked in such a way that students can follow a consistent program of study and research in their chosen field.
　A master’s degree will be awarded to those who complete a master’s degree program and a doctoral degree will be awarded to those who complete a doctoral degree program.

(1) Features of Graduate Schools

1. Graduate schools are typically divided up into fields of specialization.
   
   
2. Graduate schools are divided into programs aimed at cultivating researchers and programs aimed at cultivating highly skilled professionals (known as professional graduate schools, such as the law school and graduate school of accounting).
   
   
3. Most graduate schools are positioned above their respective undergraduate faculties of a university, but some independent graduate programs exist that do not have related undergraduate organizations beneath them. There are also some graduate school universities comprised solely of independent graduate schools.
   
   
4. Holding a master’s degree or doctoral degree may be established as a condition for employment by a particular company, or as a condition for working as a university professor or a research institute researcher.

(2) Educational Programs of Graduate Schools
　Many universities have a variety of different graduate school programs, but those can be divided into professional graduate schools and research-oriented graduate schools.

1. Professional Graduate Schools
   Programs in law, public administration, business, intellectual property, accounting, education, health and welfare, clinical psychology, IT content, etc.
   
   
2. Graduate Schools (Research-Oriented)
   Programs in science and engineering; literature, the humanities, and anthropology; foreign languages; sociology and the social sciences; law, economic and business administration, and commercial science; international relations; home economics, physical education, and art; biology and the natural sciences; and medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, agronomy, and veterinary medicine

*In addition to full-time students, universities and graduate schools have systems to accommodate non-matriculated students, auditing students, and research students. To obtain a “college student” visa as a non-matriculated or auditing student, the student must attend 10 or more hours of class per week.

Non-matriculated students: Can take specific classes and receive academic credit
Auditing students: Can audit specific classes but will not receive academic credit
Research students:
(1) Individuals who are in Japan to conduct short-term research activities, who are not trying to earn academic credits
(2) Individuals who are in Japan as short-term exchange students on an exchange program between universities
(3) Individuals participating in a program to prepare for admission into a full-time graduate school program
*Many universities will admit students based only on a document review.

　Because the entrance exam for research students often consists only of a document review and they can thus be admitted into an academic program before arriving in Japan, students may come to Japan, having obtained permission to be admitted to a university as a research student, and then later, may take the entrance exam for a master’s or doctoral degree program after studying Japanese and other subjects of specialization. Some graduate schools allow students to take the entrance exam directly, but others prefer that the student proceed through a program as a “research student” first. Be sure to ask your preferred school about their requirements.

　Japanese language schools offer general courses for students aiming only to study Japanese, as well as preparatory courses for students wishing to continue their education at a professional training college, junior college, university, or graduate school. Some preparatory courses also offer classes in subjects other than Japanese, such as math, general studies, and science.
　Students who graduate from a Japanese language school do not earn a degree. Japanese language schools often offer multiple courses and programs, so be sure to select the course that best suits your goals.

(1) The Number of Institutes for Japanese Language Education
　The number of institutes which are accredited by the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education as appropriate to provide Japanese language education under the good educational conditions is 448 as of March 2011.

(2) The Number of Students
　The number of students learning at institutes for Japanese language education (with "college student" visa) is 43,669 from 101 countries/regions as of July 1, 2010. China (29,271) sends the most, followed by South Korea (6,708) and Taiwan (1,924).

(3) After Graduating from Institutes for Japanese Language Education
　In the last few years, about 70 % of the graduates from institutes for Japanese language education proceeded to Japanese universities, graduate schools, or professional training colleges while about 30% of them either went home, got married, or found job.
　Among the students who proceeded to higher education in 2009, 9,631 went to professional training colleges, 7,803 to universities, 2,186 to graduate schools, and 290 to junior colleges. Generally, international students who go to universities and professional training colleges learn Japanese language at institutes for Japanese language education for one to two years before going to higher education.
　Out of privately financed international students at universities and professional training colleges, many of them have graduated from institutes for Japanese language education accredited by the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education.

(4) Courses at Japanese Language Education and University Preparatory Courses
　Most of the institutes of Japanese language educations offer university preparatory courses for those who wish to go on to higher education as well as general courses for international students who go back home without going to higher educations after graduating from institutes for Japanese language education.
　Currently, a little under 90% of the pre-college students belong to the university preparatory courses while a little more than 10 % to the general courses. Both courses include one-year, 1.5-year, and two-year courses depending on the curriculum, but most of the students in the university preparatory courses take 1.5-year or two-year courses, which make about 70% of the students in the university preparatory courses. In the general courses, most students, 8% of them, take two-year courses.

　Most institutes mainly provide one-year courses with 800 hours of requirement and in different levels from basic to advanced depending on each student’s level of Japanese education. For those who wish to go to universities or professional training colleges, each institute makes effort to provide preparation classes by developing teaching materials for “Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students” and so on.
　nstitutes for Japanese language education also offer some optional subjects other than Japanese language. The most popular subject is general studies, followed by mathematics, short paper writing, English, and Japanese affairs

(5) The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)
　The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students has been employed since FY2002. This examination is implemented by the Japan Student Services Organization in order to evaluate Japanese language skills and basic academic achievement of international students who wish to enter university etc. in Japan.
　The examination is held twice a year in June and November. The venues for the 1st test in FY2011 were in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Ishikawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Fukuoka, and Okinawa inside Japan as well as 17 Asian cities outside Japan. The tested subjects are, for liberal arts courses: Japanese as a Foreign Language (125 min.), general knowledge (80 min.), mathematics (80 min.); for natural sciences courses: Japanese as a Foreign Language (125 min.), science (choice of two from physics, chemistry and biology: 80 min.), mathematics (80 min.).

(6) Reservation Program for Honors Scholarship
　The reservation program has been implemented by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) to offer 48,000Yen per month of scholarship for honorable students in the institutes for Japanese language education, so that they can concentrate on their study after entering universities or junior colleges. The number of students to receive this scholarship has been greatly increased since FY1999, from 80 in FY1998 to a current 150 per year.

(7) Scholarship Program for Pre-college Students in Institutes for Japanese Language Education
　JASSO offers a scholarship program for students in institutes for Japanese language education. Self-supported foreign students who are studying to enter Japanese universities (including graduate schools), junior colleges, colleges of technology or specialized training colleges (postsecondary courses) with good academic grades and are expected to improve with financial support can receive 48,000Yen per month, which is equal to the amount university students receives.
Created in FY2000, the scholarship was awarded to 700 students in FY2010.

(8) Compensation System for Students in Institutes for Japanese Language Education
　The Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education is creating a compensation system with a low insurance premium in case students in institutes for Japanese language need emergency money when (1) they became injured or (2) sick, (3) broke other’s belongings by mistake or injured someone else, or (4) needed to bring their family over to Japan while hospitalized and so on.