Aoyama Gakuin University

Aoyama Gakuin University
青山学院大学
Motto The Salt of the Earth and Light of the World
Established 1874
Type Private
Chancellor Kenichi Semba
Academic staff
 1,653
Administrative staff
 1,983
Students 19,993
Undergraduates 18,527
Location Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Campus Urban
Website aoyama.ac.jp/en/
Robert Samuel Maclay(first president of Aoyama Gakuin)
John Wesley

Aoyama Gakuin University (青山学院大学 Aoyama gakuin daigaku), abbreviated AGU, is a Japanese Christian university in Shibuya near Omotesandō, Tokyo, Japan. Aoyama Gakuin University is part of a comprehensive educational institute called Aoyama Gakuin, which includes a kindergarten, an elementary school, junior and senior high schools, and a women's junior college. Aoyama Gakuin's history dates from October 1874, when missionaries (Dora E. Schoonmaker, Robert Samuel Maclay, Julius Soper) from the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States established three schools. John Franklin Goucher contributed to the establishment of the university. Canadian Methodist missionary Davidson MacDonald played a role in the establishment of Aoyama Gakuin, and his contribution to the improvement of Japan's educational system is considered an important episode in the early history of Japanese-Canadian relations.[1] The institution took its present form in 1949 when Aoyama Gakuin College was established as a comprehensive university. Aoyama Gakuin University is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan.

The university's undergraduate and graduate programs include "literature", "law", "economics", "business", "international politics, economics and communication", "science and engineering","cultural and creative studies". The university also has specialized graduate programs that are designed to train high level specialized professionals, including "international management", "law school", and "professional accounting".

Rankings

The university is ranked 15th of the number of alumni of congressperson.[2] The university is ranked 13th in Japan for the number of alumni holding the position of executive in the listed companies of Japan.[3] The university graduates have been ranked 8th in Japan in the number of successful national CPA exam applicants.[4] And the university is one of the 5th most popular university in Tokyo, and regarded as the most sophisticated.[5] The university is ranked 39th in 2009 and 57th in 2010 in the Truly Strong Japanese Universities Ranking by Tokyo Kezai[6] However, it has to be noted that Aoyama Gakuin University focuses on the Humanities education, especially for undergraduate students, more than other universities, therefore it has a tendency to be ranked weaker.

In the University Brand Image Survey in 2010 conducted by Nikkei BP Consulting, Aoyama Gakuin University was Ranked 7th in the Greater Tokyo Area and 4th out of the Private Universities after Keio University, Waseda University, and Sophia University.[7]

Majima Memorial Hall in Aoyama campus
Berry Hall in Aoyama campus
Sagamihara campus Bldg.B
Goucher Memorial Hall in Aoyama campus
Statue of Love in Majima Archives

Profile

The main campus, located in Aoyama in central Tokyo, is complemented by the Sagamihara Campus in Kanagawa Prefecture. The Sagamihara Campus is where freshmen and sophomores study, and also houses the College of Science and Engineering. For the Academic Year 2003 (as of May 1, 2003), the undergraduate student population at AGU is approximately 19,372. The university has graduated around 155,219 students in all and employs approximately 1,300 full-time and part-time faculty members who offer a wealth of educational and research opportunities. Aoyama Gakuin University is accredited by the Japanese University Association and is a member of the Japan Association of Private College and Universities.

The university maintains a number of active international exchange programs for students and faculty. Due to this, Aoyama Gakuin University is well known for its international ambiance: many of the students and faculty have attended universities and research institutes abroad, while numerous scholars and students from around the world have studied at the university.

Undergraduate programs

Graduate programs

Research institute

Campus

Chapel at the Sagamihara campus

In this campus, there are two registered tangible cultural property, "Majima Memorial Hall（間島記念館）" and "Berry Hall".

Professors

Notable graduates

Renhō(member of the house of councilors, consumer affairs minister)

Politicians

Writers

Film and television

Musicians

Sports

Business

Researchers

References

  1. ↑ Foreign Ministry of Japan: Episodes in Japan-Canada Relations.
  2. ↑ http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/honkawa/5217a.html
  3. ↑ http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/honkawa/5454.html
  4. ↑ http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/honkawa/3868.html
  5. ↑ http://shingakunet.com/rnet/column/brand_column/
  6. ↑ Truly Strong Japanese Universities Ranking
  7. ↑

External links

Coordinates: 35°39′40″N 139°42′38″E / 35.66111°N 139.71056°E