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History of Hokusei Gakuen University

Sarah C. Smith

Sarah C. Smith

Hokusei Gakuen University was founded as one of the schools established by the Hokusei Gakuen that are dedicated to the spirit and tradition of Christian education.

The history of Hokusei Gakuen dates back to the time of Sarah C. Smith, an American missionary, who established a school for girls in 1887.

Smith Girls' School continued to flourish thanks to the energy and dedication of S.C. Smith and the cooperation of the young scholars who had studied with Dr. Clark of Sapporo Agricultural School.

It was these Japanese elder students who later renamed the school Hokusei Girls' School. Hokusei Gakuen has dedicated itself to the education of women in Hokkaido over a long period of time, establishing the history and tradition of the school. In 1951, Hokusei Gakuen Women's Junior College was founded, and a four-year coeducational university was established in 1962 to meet the needs of society. In 2002, the junior college was made coeducational.

1887 Girl's school and kindergarten opened at Kita 1-jo Nishi 6-chome in Sapporo.
1951 Hokusei Gakuen accredited as an incorporated educational institution.
Hokusei Gakuen Women's Junior College founded (English Department).
1954 Home Economics Department established in the Women's Junior College.
1958 Advanced Course established in the English Department of the Women's Junior College.
1962 Hokusei Gakuen University founded (School of Humanities/Department of English, Department of Social Welfare).
1965 School of Economics/Department of Economics established.
Sister-school affiliation established with Lewis & Clark College (USA).
Construction of the Webster Groves Hall (chapel) completed.
1968 Social welfare summer seminar commenced.
1975 English Department and Home Economics Department renamed the Department of English and Department of Home Economics.
1980 Advanced Courses established
(Advanced Course of Humanities in English, Advanced Course of Humanities in Social Welfare, Advanced Course of Economics in Economics).
1987 School of Economics/Department of Management Information established.
100th anniversary of the establishment of Hokusei Gakuen.
1988 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with Buena Vista University (USA), B.C.A. (USA) and Dalian University of Foreign Languages (China).
1989 Home Economics Department of the Women's Junior College renamed the Department of Life Sciences.
1992 Graduate schools established (Graduate School of Literature/ Graduate School of Social Welfare (Master's Program).
1996 School of Social Welfare established (Department of Social Policy/ Department of Social Work/Department of Psychology for Well-being).
1999 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with Liverpool John Moores University (UK).
2000 Additional graduate school programs
(Graduate School of Social Welfare/Master's and Doctoral Programs in Social Welfare, Master's Program in Psychology) established.
International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with St.Thomas University (Canada).
2001 Additional graduate school programs
(Graduate School of Literature/Master's Program in Linguistic Culture and Communication, Graduate School of Economics/Master's Program in Economics) established.
International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with the Catholic University (Republic of Korea).
50th anniversary of the establishment of the Women's Junior College.
2002 Additional departments
(School of Humanities/Department of Psychology and Applied Communication, School of Economics/Department of Law and Economics) established.
Hokusei Gakuen Women's Junior College renamed Hokusei Gakuen University Junior College (coeducational) and relocated to Ohyach.
Department of Life Sciences of the Junior College renamed the Department of Life and Creative Sciences.
2004 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with Tunghai University (Taiwan).
2006 Master's Program in Psychology renamed Master's Program in Clinical Psychology.
2011 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with Algoma University (Canada).
2012 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with University of Central Lancashire (UK) and Regent's University (UK).
125th anniversary of the establishment of Hokusei Gakuen and 50th anniversary of the establishment of the University.
2013 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with San Pablo University (Spain), Nebrija University (Spain), Geneve School of Business (Switzerland), and Maranatha Christian University (Republic of Indonesia).
2014 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with Juniata College (USA) and Manchester University (USA).
International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with St.Olaf College (USA).
2015 50th Anniversary of International Exchange Program of the University.
2019 International Students Exchange Agreement concluded with University of Hawai'i Maui College(USA) and University of Wisconsin-with Milwaukee(USA)
2021 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Junior College
2022 60th anniversary of the establishment of the University
2023 School of Social Welfare/Department of Social Welfare established.
School of Social Welfare/Department of Psychology for Well-being renamed
Department of Psychology.

 

 

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