MBA Online

Graduate School of Economics and Business Administration at Hokkaido University

Curriculum

Subjects common to All Faculties
In their first year after enrollment, students study “Subjects common to All Faculties” in which they master the fundamentals of economics and business administration before studying more specialized content. Here, a wide variety of academic disciplines are available; Students are exposed to not only the social sciences but the natural sciences and humanities as well.
The first year is crucial in that students acquire the “perspectives and ideas” needed to comprehend social phenomena in a realistic manner. Students are encouraged to learn foreign languages, which are essential for success in a global environment
Specialized Subjects
The study of specialized subjects begins in the second year. For example, second-year students study macroeconomics and microeconomics, and third- and fourth-year students study more advanced content in macroeconomics and microeconomics. The curriculum is designed to facilitate students in acquiring knowledge and ideas in specialized fields in incremental stages.
Intensive and Special Lectures
As economics and business administration rapidly becomes more specialized and diversified, it is more difficult for one university to conduct leading-edge research in all fields.
For this reason, we invite leading researchers, in fields that have not been designated by the curriculums, from other colleges and research institutions to give lectures on an intensive basis. These lectures last about one week and are scheduled for the end of the first half of the academic year.
We also invite policy-making professionals (from various government agencies) and professionals in finance and management (corporate entrepreneurs, financial experts, accountants) to give special lectures several times during the year. This provides students with an opportunity to learn about the realities at the forefront of economics and business administration.
Seminars
The greatest aspect of the curriculum is that seminars are designated as required subjects. All students in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration belong to one set of seminars in their third and fourth years.
As seminars are scheduled at the end of the day, it is possible to extend discussion hours if necessary. The gathering of third- and fourth-year students together in one arena for discussion is rarely seen in other universities; based on their own experiences, senior students offer juniors sage advice on the “graduation thesis” and “job-hunting activities”.
Because the number of seminar students is small, only five to ten per college year, the instructors can offer students firsthand research guidance.
The relationships students cultivate in the seminar — between instructors and students, fellow students, and juniors and seniors —are a valuable asset for every student.
As the summation of research activity during the two-year seminar, as well as confirmation of four years of college life, all students write a graduation thesis. The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration has established the “Graduate Thesis Scholarship Program” in order to reward students who have penned exceptional graduation theses.

The Origin of Seminars

One major characteristic of the educational program at our faculty is the old tradition of small-group education with the seminar as its core. The founder of the seminar system, a system distinguished from lectures, in Japan is believed to be Inazo Nitobe.
Nitobe, the well-known author of “Bushido: The Soul of Japan,” was a graduate of Hokkaido University (formerly the Sapporo Agricultural Institute). Nitobe’s portrait was featured on the 5,000-yen banknote from 1984 to 2004.
In 1895 when Nitobe was the head of the Instruction Department at the Sapporo Agricultural Institute, he adopted the ’seminar’ as something equivalent to the ‘experiment’ in the natural sciences, and incorporated it into liberal arts education as a part of curriculum reform. This was the first time the seminar was adopted in education.

Advanced Seminar I, II and III (E-Business Thesis Work)
The E-Biz program at IUJ gives lots of flexibility to the students in completing their thesis work, which is a requirement for graduation in the E-Biz program. Once students get familiar with the program, they will be asked to elect a thesis supervisor. Selecting the thesis topic is one of the most important things in the thesis project. It is expected that students will keep their career objectives in mind when electing a thesis topic, and supervising professor. Though students normally elect professors of E-Biz program as their supervisors, depending upon the career objective, technically they can elect any professor in GSIM as a supervisor.

Thesis work extending over the three terms, including summer time, allows students to do a project that would use their learning at E-Biz and get close cooperation from the supervising professor. A thesis project can produce, for example, a new business plan, a new business idea, a completely new technology, a strategic plan involving technologies, or a comprehensive industry analysis, or competitive strategy. The facilities available to the students, including unlimited access to E-Lab, and the close association with professors at both EBM and MBA program, including the industry experts, give a unique opportunity to produce a truly remarkable piece of work that would help in securing a very successful career after graduation. The three term thesis work accounts for 6 credit hours.

The DBA Program

The Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (ICS), Hitotsubashi University, began offering a doctoral degree program for business executives in October 2002. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program, which is conducted in English and designed to provide business executives with doctoral-level education, is available at the university’s campus in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

Hitotsubashi ICS offers a DBA degree rather than a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree, because a DBA program places more emphasis on business problem-solving and its practical implications, while a PhD degree is intended to provide the necessary theoretical and scientific foundation for an academic career.

The three-year DBA program accepts two categories of students. The first category includes individuals who are graduates of the MBA program at Hitotsubashi ICS. These students are required to spend three years of the program under the supervision of their faculty advisor as full-time students, devoting the second year mostly to doing research and developing their thesis proposals, and the third year to writing their theses.

The second category consists of business practitioners, who have received an MBA degree from other business schools, a Master’s degree other than an MBA, or those deemed qualified by the Admissions Committee for exceptional cases. These students will spend the three years of the program under the supervision of their faculty advisor as part-time students, devoting weekends and winter/spring/summer breaks to doing research and developing their thesis proposals, and writing their theses. DBA candidates in this category may work full-time, but they must maintain residency in Japan while they are enrolled in the DBA program. DBA students in this category may audit MBA courses in the ICS International Business Strategy Program, subject to approval by their advisor and the faculty member teaching the course.

Professor Christina Ahmadjian is Director of the DBA Program. Students may select any member of the ICS faculty as their thesis advisor, contingent on approval by the DBA Program Committee and the faculty member.

For detailed information on admission procedures to the DBA Program at Hitotsubashi ICS, including all submission deadlines, please download the Application Package by clicking the link below (PDF format):

The University of Hong Kong

Programme Details

The research postgraduate programme of the Faculty of Business and Economics is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the key aspects of business and economics. Students are introduced to basic research tools in their field and are expected to be able to conduct independent research relevant to their specialty. Through regular interactions with faculty, students also acquire a broader perspective on management and economic issues of the region and beyond.

Both the School of Business and the School of Economics and Finance offer three-year and four-year PhD. A successful PhD thesis should be an original contribution to knowledge and be worthy of publication.

Candidates will conduct research work under the supervision of at least one member of the University’s teaching staff. Candidates without a research master’s degrees shall be considered for admission to a four-year PhD programme, and those who hold research master’s degrees shall be considered for admission to a three-year PhD programme. Candidates pursuing PhD

studies are first required to register provisionally for the degree. Their registration is subject to a probationary period specified below. At the end of the probationary period and after submission of a detailed scheme of research, the candidature shall be confirmed or terminated.

University of Guam

The Master of Public Administration program has 3 sequential stages: 1) the Core Courses, 2) Elective Courses, and 3) Practicum or Special Project or Thesis. All students are recommended to complete the core requirements before taking the qualifying examination or courses in the elective category. All pre-service students must take PA598 as an elective.

University of Guam

Students on non-degree status may take any graduate level public ../administration course; however, no more than twelve credits may apply towards the degree program. Students with a non-degree status may not enroll for PA690, Special Project or PA695, Thesis.

Huazhong University of Science & Technology

Educational Objectives
This master program aims to train the students to:
1 build up solid theoretical foundations and have systematic professional knowledge, to master a foreign language and be able to read professional materials and write in this language fluently.
2 have a scientific attitude and style in pursuit of precise and truth, to have aspirations after the truth and innovations and good ethics for scientific research, and also to qualify the students with the ability to do the research independently;
3 be skillful in the application of the computer and information technology to resolve the problems in one’s own subject and have new ideas.
4 be qualified to teaching, research and relative management and research work in one’s own subject and closely-related subjects.II. Research Fields
1. Theory and Methodology of Modern Management 2. Network Optimization Decision
3. Logistics Management 4. Production and Operation Management
5. Information Management System 6. Management System Simulations
7. Information Management and E-commerce 8. Project Management
9. Logistics Engineering

III. Length of Schooling and Credits
Two or three years’ study is usually required for full time master candidates. Excellent students are encouraged to finish their studies earlier.
Total credits ≥ 43, covering course credits ≥ 28 and research credits ≥ 15

IV. Additional Requirements for Thesis
1 The candidates must publish research papers closely related to the content of the thesis in designated journals before the thesis defending.
2 For those who apply for defending thesis earlier, they must hand in two published research papers, with one in the important journals and the other in core journals. Approved by supervisor and dean who takes charge of such matters, the candidate can defend his/her thesis.