Models for Undergraduate Programs in an Era of Universal Access

Abstract

　 What should undergraduate programs look like so that “anybody can study anything anytime?” This question is the starting point for this article which presents models for increasing access to higher education based upon an analysis of a leading university in Hokkaido. Comparative historical perspectives on the creation and standardization of undergraduate education in the U.S. and Japan first provide a context for the challenges in the current system. Following this, Hokkaido University’s liberal arts curriculum, science preparatory courses, and specialized subjects are presented as potential models for increasing student access to higher education. Finally, articulation problems among the 36 universities and colleges, 26 junior colleges, and 5 technical institutes in this region are discussed. It is recommended that undergraduate programs should promote the easy and systematic transfer of students among various institutions in the region. These institutions should be more fully integrated with one another.