Higher Education Qualifications

The Japanese Education System

List of Qualifications

Academic Degrees

Academic degrees are awarded to those who graduate from universities (including Professional and Vocational universities, junior colleges, and Professional and Vocational Junior Colleges) and those who successfully complete postgraduate programs.

　　▼ Bachelor's degree　　　▼ Bachelor's degree (Professional)　　▼ Associate degree
　　▼ Associate degree (Professional)　　▼ Master's degree　　▼ Doctoral degree
　　▼ Professional degrees [Master of xxx (Professional), J.D. (Juris Doctor), Master of Education (Professional)]

Academic Titles

Academic titles are awarded to those who graduate from Colleges of Technology (KOSEN) and those who successfully complete Post-secondary Courses of Specialized Training Colleges that fulfill certain requirements stipulated by law and are approved by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

　　▼ Associate　　　▼ Diploma　　　▼ Advanced Diploma

Bachelor's degree

Requirements: Graduation from university (undergraduate program), application to NIAD-QE and pass designated examination, or completion of a program of educational institution operated by government ministries and agencies approved by NIAD-QE and pass designated examination

Awarding institution: University, NIAD-QE

Program length
4 years 6 years for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical), and Veterinary Medical Science

Number of credits required
124 188 for Medicine and Dentistry 186 for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical) 182 for Veterinary Medical Science

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
665⁽²⁾ 766 for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical), and Veterinary Medical Science

Further studies: Admission to graduate school or Professional Graduate School

Further accessible qualifications: Master's degree, Doctoral degree, Professional degree

Bachelor's degree (Professional)

Requirements: Graduation from Professional and Vocational University

Awarding institution: Professional and Vocational University

Program length: 4 years

Number of credits required: 124

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: N/A

Further studies: Admission to graduate school or Professional Graduate School

Further accessible qualifications: Master's degree, Doctoral degree, Professional degree

Associate degree

Requirements: Graduation from junior college　_{*Awarded to graduates of junior college since 2006.}

Awarding institution: Junior college

Program length
2 years or 3 years

Number of credits required
62 for 2-year program 93 for 3-year program

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: 544

Further studies: Transfer to university, transfer to Professional and Vocational University

Further accessible qualifications: Bachelor's degree, Bachelor's degree (Professional)

From July 1991 to September 2005, junior college graduates were awarded the title of "Associate." Effective October 2005, Associate Degrees have been awarded to junior college graduates, and the title of Associate previously awarded to junior college graduates is considered an Associate Degree since then.

Associate degree (Professional)

Requirements: Graduation from Professional and Vocational Junior College or completion of the first half (zenki) of a program at Professional and Vocational University

Awarding institution: Professional and Vocational Junior College, Professional and Vocational University that divides its program into two levels

Program length
2 years or 3 years

Number of credits required
62 for 2-year program 93 for 3-year program

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: N/A

Further studies: Transfer to university or Professional and Vocational University, Second half (koki) of the program at Professional and Vocational University (applies only to those who have completed the first half (zenki) of the same program)

Further accessible qualifications: Bachelor's degree, Bachelor's degree (Professional)

Master's degree

Requirements: Completion of a Master’s program or first half (zenki) of a Doctoral program at graduate school,
fulfillment of requirements for completion of a Master's program or first half (zenki) of a Doctoral program at graduate school that does not divide the program into two (first and second half)*, or
completion of a program of educational institution operated by government ministries and agencies recognized by NIAD-QE and pass designated examination

Awarding institution
University which has graduate school, NIAD-QE

Standard program length
2 years

Number of credits required
30

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
767

Further studies: Admission to graduate school (second half (koki) of Doctoral program)

Further accessible qualifications: Doctoral degree

* The legal provisions regarding dividing, or not dividing Doctoral programs into first and second half do not apply to Doctoral programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences (clinical), or veterinary medical science (Article 44 of the Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools). Therefore, this requirement does not apply to Doctoral programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences (clinical), or veterinary medical science.

Doctoral degree

Requirements: Completion of a Doctoral program or second half (koki) of a Doctoral program at graduate school, or
completion of a program of educational institution operated by government ministries and agencies certified by NIAD-QE and pass designated examination

Awarding institution
University which has graduate school, NIAD-QE

Standard program length
5 years (3 years for those with a Master's degree or Professional degree and enrolled in the second half (koki) of a Doctoral program (2 years for those with a J.D. (Juris Doctor) among Professional degrees)) 4 years for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical), and Veterinary Medical Science

Number of credits required
30 (not required for persons who hold a Master's or Professional degree and enrolled in the second half (koki) of a Doctoral program)

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
864

Further studies: -

Further accessible qualifications: -

Professional degrees

Master of xxx (Professional)

Requirements: Completion of a program at Professional Graduate School (except law school and Professional Graduate School for Teacher Education)

Awarding institution
University which has Professional Graduate School

Standard program length
2 years or a period of more than 1 year but less than 2 years (only when a particular necessity is recognized due to the characteristics of the major field of study)

Number of credits required
30

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
767

Further studies: Admission to graduate school (second half (koki) of Doctoral program)

Further accessible qualifications: Doctoral degree

J.D. (Juris Doctor)

Requirements: Completion of a program at law school

Awarding institution
University which has Professional Graduate School

Standard program length
3 years

Number of credits required
93

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
767

Further studies: Admission to graduate school (second half (koki) of Doctoral program)

Further accessible qualifications: Doctoral degree

Master of Education (Professional)

Requirements: Completion of a program at Professional Graduate School for Teacher Education

Awarding institution
University which has Professional Graduate School

Standard program length
2 years

Number of credits required
45

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾
767

Further studies: Admission to graduate school (second half (koki) of Doctoral program)

Further accessible qualifications: Doctoral degree

Associate

Requirements: Graduation from College of Technology (KOSEN)

Awarding institution: College of Technology (KOSEN)

Program length
5 years 5.5 years for Mercantile Shipping

Number of credits required
167 147 for Mercantile Shipping

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: 554

Further studies: Admission to advanced course of College of Technology (KOSEN), transfer to university, transfer to Professional and Vocational University

Further accessible qualifications: Bachelor's degree, Bachelor's degree (Professional)

From July 1991 to September 2005, the title of Associate was also awarded to junior college graduates. Effective October 2005, the title of Associate is granted only to graduates of College of Technology (KOSEN), and Associate Degrees are awarded to junior college graduates. The title of Associate previously awarded to junior college graduates is considered an Associate Degree.

Diploma

Requirements

Completion of a Post-secondary course that meets the requirements below and is certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Program length is 2 years or more
The total number of instruction hours required for completion of the program is 1700 credit hours or 62 credits or more
Completion of the program is certified based on the assessment of academic achievement by examination etc.
The program is not approved to award Advanced Diploma

[Public notice of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture No. 84 of 1994]

Awarding institution: Professional Training College

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: 554

Further studies: Transfer to university, transfer to PVU, advanced course of junior college, advanced course of College of Technology (KOSEN)

Note: Requirements for a program to be approved to make its graduates eligible for transfer to or admission to the above institutions [Article 132 of the School Education Act; Article 155, paragraph (2), item (iv) of the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Act; Article 177, item (iv) of the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Act; Article 186 of the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Act; Public notice of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture No. 125 of 1998] are the same as 1. and 2. of the requirements for awarding Diploma. Therefore, although it is not required to be approved to award Diploma to make its graduates eligible for transfer to or admission to the above institutions, persons who have completed a program which has been approved to award a Diploma are always eligible for transfer to or admission to the above institutions.

Further accessible qualifications: Bachelor's degree, Bachelor's degree (Professional)

Advanced Diploma

Requirements

Completion of a Post-secondary course that meets the requirements below and is certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Program length is 4 years or more
The total number of instruction hours required for completion of the program is 3400 credit hours (124 credits) or more
Systematic organization of the education program
Completion of the program is certified based on the assessment of academic achievement by examination etc.

[Public notice of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture No. 84 of 1994]

Awarding institution: Professional Training College

ISCED 2011⁽¹⁾: 554

Further studies: Note: Only persons who have completed a program designated by the Minister of MEXT regarding the eligibility for admission to a graduate school etc. after the designated date are eligible for admission to advanced course of university, advanced course of Professional and Vocational University, graduate school, and professional graduate school, regardless of whether the program awards an Advanced Diploma or not.

[Article 155, paragraph (1), item (v) of the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Act,; Public notice of MEXT No. 138 of 2005]

Further accessible qualifications: Note: Persons who have completed a program designated by the Minister of MEXT regarding the eligibility for admission to a graduate school etc. are able to access to Master's degree, Doctoral degree, and Professional degrees

⁽¹⁾ ISCED 2011: ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) is a framework developed by UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) to enable comparison of education systems around the world. It is one of the United Nations International Family of Economic and Social Classifications. It was first approved at the UNESCO general assembly in 1976, and the current version was revised in 2011. ISCED 2011 categorizes educational programs into 9 levels (from 0 to 8) based on the qualifications received, and tertiary level is from 5 to 8. Subcategories are set based on the characteristics of the academic program, and the three digits express levels, categories, and subcategories.

⁽²⁾ ISCED classification applies only to the second type of NIAD-QE degrees (awarding degrees upon completion of a study at a NIAD-QE approved program).

Degrees Awarded by NIAD-QE

NIAD-QE evaluates various learning outcomes at the higher education level and awards degrees to persons recognized as having academic ability equivalent to or greater than those who have graduated from a university undergraduate program or completed graduate school.

NIAD-QE awards degrees in two schemes: (1) for graduates of junior colleges and Colleges of Technology, who have accumulated credit hours to a certain level of learning (such as a Bachelor’s degree); and (2) for those who have completed courses at educational institutions operated by government ministries and agencies recognized as equivalent to university undergraduate programs or graduate programs (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees).

(1) Awarding Degrees to Learners Who Have Completed Study at a Junior College or College of Technology（Bachelor’s Degree）

NIAD-QE awards Bachelor's degrees to learners who have attained certain level of studies at a HEI, acquired certain academic credits on top of that from a university as a non-degree student or from an advanced course recognized by NIAD-QE, and then recognized, as a result of NIAD-QE examination, as having academic ability equivalent to or greater than the graduates of university undergraduate program.

　　▶ See NIAD-QE website for details.

(2) Awarding Degrees Upon Completion of Study at a NIAD-QE-Approved Program (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Degrees)

NIAD-QE examines academic programs offered by educational institutions operated by government ministries and agencies in light of the School Education Act, Standards for the Establishment of Universities, and Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools, and recognizes programs offering education equivalent to a university undergraduate program or a graduate school Master’s or Doctoral program. Those who completed these academic programs, applied to NIAD-QE, and passed the examination are awarded corresponding degree. As a rule, NIAD-QE confirms that the above-mentioned level is being maintained by conducting a review of education conditions every five years for each program.

　　▶ See NIAD-QE website for details.