Master in Major in Innovation Management

The Major in Innovation Management is a two-year master's program at Hosei University in Tokyo, Japan, taught in English, with admission each September. Hosei University was founded in 1880 and is counted among Japan's historic universities; it now offers 15 undergraduate faculties and 38 departments alongside 15 graduate schools and 2 professional graduate schools, all accredited by the Japanese government. Since 2014, Hosei has been part of the Top Global University Project, a government initiative that funds 37 universities selected from around 800 across Japan, and the university provides financial support to its students. Innovation management as a field addresses how organizations generate, evaluate, and commercialize new ideas, spanning topics such as technology strategy, entrepreneurship, product development, and organizational change. Students in a master's program of this kind typically study how companies build innovation pipelines, manage research and development, and bring new products or services to market, combining business theory with case-based analysis of real companies. Coursework often includes strategic management, marketing for new ventures, and the organizational structures that support ongoing innovation. Graduates go on to roles in corporate strategy and innovation teams, consulting firms, startups, and technology-driven businesses, as well as further academic study. Based in Tokyo, a major center for Japanese business and technology, students have access to a market where established corporations and startups both operate, providing context for coursework centered on how innovation is managed in practice. Being taught in English, the program is designed for international students without prior Japanese study.