2-1　Education

2-1-1　Student enrollment

In the Sophia University Junior College Division, the quota of the Department of English Language is 250 for entrance, and the full quota is 500. The ratio of students to the full quota was below 100% from AY2012 to AY2015 owing to the influence of the social situation. Under these circumstances, the Department has carried out public relations for entrance examinations to make learning at our college visible since AY2016 in such a way as offering a class tour to give an opportunity for applicants to observe a usual class. Then, the number of new students has increased, and the quota for entrance has been fulfilled since AY2017. In AY2019, the number of new students was the largest of the past ten years. In AY2021 and AY2022, owing to the spread of COVID-19, the number of applicants decreased sharply and the ratio of students to the full quota remained significantly low. Because the number of applicants in AY2023 remained the same from previous year, the Division announced in April 2023 that the Sophia University Junior College Division will cease recruiting new students after the last recruitment in AY2024.
The number of registered students is decreasing with the decrease in enrollees, resulting in 196registered students in AY2024.

(calculations conducted as of May 1 of each academic year)

2-1-2　Graduates

The number of graduates is changing according to the numbers of new students and dropouts and other factors every year.

2-1-3　Admissions trends

The number of students enrolled in AY2022 was 174, which was lower than the previous year, and the number enrolled in AY2023 further decreased to 115, significantly below the entrance quota of 250. Changes in social conditions in recent years, such as women’s preference for coeducation and four-year universities, have had a significant impact, and particularly during the three years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of applicants decreased sharply, resulting in a continued significant shortfall in enrollment. Within Sophia School Corporation, various discussions were held on the future direction of the Junior College Division, and efforts to fill the quota continued. However, at the board meeting held on March 22, 2023, Sophia School Corporation ultimately decided that the Sophia University Junior College Division would stop recruiting new students from AY2025 onward, after the final recruitment in AY2024 (entrance examination for students entering in April 2024). The final recruitment for AY2024 resulted in 64 enrolled students.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-1-4　Students on leave of absence and withdrawals

The number of students taking a leave of absence or withdrawing from school has fluctuated from year to year, but overall it has remained around 40. In AY2023, the number decreased to 23 due to a decline in total enrollment, and further decreased to 16 in AY2024.
Since AY2013, IR activities have been conducted to identify various issues related to leaves of absence and withdrawals, and efforts have been strengthened to reduce such cases through improvements in curriculum, classes, and support systems. In addition, to prevent mismatches after enrollment, the university carefully explains its learning environment at open campus events and similar occasions. From AY2024, in addition to the existing advisor system, two sub-advisor faculty members have been assigned to each student. A thorough support system has also been established, including three-way meetings among the advisor, the guarantor, and the student for those with poor academic performance.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-1-5　Number of courses offered

The semester system was introduced in AY2005, and the number of courses offered has not largely changed since. In AY2012, the Sophia University Non-matriculated Student Program was introduced, allowing Junior College Division students to enroll in some courses offered at Sophia University, in addition to those offered at the Division, and students therefore enjoy increasingly wider options in their course selection now.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-1-6　Sophia Community College : number of courses offered and student enrollment

The Community College of Sophia University Junior College Division utilizes the University’s language education know-how to provide English and Spanish language courses, as well as courses related to children’s English education, which is one of the characteristics of the University, and other courses. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, all courses have been offered online since AY2021. When courses were only offered face-to-face, the participants were mainly residents of the City of Hadano and nearby areas, but after going online, participants joined from all over Japan and even from overseas. As student admissions will be suspended from AY2025, the Community College is scheduled to close at the end of AY2024, and only language courses were offered in AY2024.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-2　Global Features

2-2-1　Study abroad programs

Participants in study abroad programs decreased in AY2011 and have remained at around 40 people, as a consequence of the Great East Japan Earthquake which occurred in March 2011. In AY2012 the Junior College Division changed its study abroad agent to a new agent with a strong overseas network and enhanced its study abroad support program. In AY2014, the destination of overseas short-term language courses was limited to the University of Gloucestershire and Bond University, which have established educational programs that ensure high quality teaching. In AY2015, the Division launched new overseas study tours, including the Federated States of Micronesia Inter-cultural Study Tour, jointly developed with Sophia University. In AY2020, owing to the spread of COVID-19, short-term overseas language programs and study tours were canceled. In AY2021, in light of the COVID-19 infection situation, overseas study tours were not conducted and instead changed to a program to allow students to attend an online language course held by the University of Auckland in New Zealand. In AY2022, a summer session of the short-term overseas language program and study tours were canceled, but a spring session of the short-term overseas language program (New Zealand) was held as travel restrictions have been eased in Japan and other countries. In AY2023, the summer session of the short-term overseas language program recruitment was resumed along with the spring session; however, both sessions were cancelled as the number of applicants did not reach the minimum number of participants. In AY2024, by organizing the programs jointly with Sophia University, it became possible to implement them, and students were able to participate in the summer and spring short-term overseas language programs (New Zealand) as well as the study tour to Korea.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-3　Campus Life

2-3-1　Scholarships

The selection process for Tuition Support Scholarships was reviewed in AY2013, setting stricter criteria to define the level of financial difficulty so that scholarships can be delivered to students most in need of support.
In AY2016, more students applied for New Student Scholarships, resulting in an increase in recipients. In AY2017, recipients of Tuition Support Scholarships increased. However, as students on the scholarship awarded by the Japan Student Services Organization have increased since AY2018, both applicants for and recipients of Tuition Support Scholarship have decreased.
The student support system has been further enhanced by the establishment of Sophia Campus Support Scholarship for Single-parent Students in AY2019.
From AY2020, the national higher education study support system has been put into full operation, and the tuition and admission fees are exempted along with the Japan Student Services Organization scholarship. From AY2023 onwards, due to the decrease in the number of students, the number of recipients of the national higher education study support system has also decreased.
In AY2024, due to the decrease in the number of current students, the recruitment for the Alumni Association Scholarship and the Sophia Campus Support Scholarship for Single-parent Students was suspended.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-3-2　Percentage of students registered in an extracurricular student organization

Despite the increasing trend in the number of new enrollees, the number of students joining extracurricular student organizations has decreased, in line with the drop in the number of organizations. A large number of new organizations were established every year, but failed to continue to exist, because many of them could not find successors to manage the organization, resulting in a decreasing number of organizations. Long-established organizations are also being dissolved because of shrinking membership. The number of students joining organizations has also been decreasing since AY2017, but it seems that there are students who belong to organizations outside of the Division and students who are active mainly in volunteer activities.
In AY2020, owing to the spread of COVID-19, all classes in the spring semester were held online, all organizations struggled to secure new members, and their activities faced extremely difficult conditions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Under such circumstances, organizations that could continue their activities online were active and were able to secure 44% enrollment of new students in AY2020. In AY2021, as classes were held in a high-flex format, the rate of students joining organizations dropped to 35%, probably because students were divided into those who came to the campus and those who took online classes at home. In AY2022, although the number of students decreased, the participation rate slightly increased to 38%. In AY2023, all classes became face-to-face, and the number of extracurricular activity groups decreased along with the decline in the number of students.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-3-3　Service Learning

Service Learning is an attempt to effectively connect what is learned from community engagement, through volunteer social service, with what is learned in the classroom. Participating students take a course on each activity and carry out the activity using the knowledge gained in the course. The College Friend and Community Friend were incorporated as practical training of curricular subjects from AY2019. Starting in AY2023, English Friend is offering English activities to the 6th grade students of public elementary schools (total of 13 schools) in the City of Hadano that visit the Hadano Campus.
The percentage of students participating in Service Learning was 10 to 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, in AY2024, the percentage returned to 30%, the level before the pandemic.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

• Community Friend: Giving support for Japanese language learning and subjects study for children and citizens related to foreign countries at local public facilities.
• College Friend: Giving support for Japanese language learning and subjects study for children related to foreign countries at public elementary and junior high schools in the City of Hadano.
• English Friend: Offering English activities to the students of public elementary schools in the City of Hadano that visit the Hadano Campus.
• Kids English Friend: Reading English picture books to infants at the Hadano City Library or other places.

2-4　Career Options

2-4-1　Employment trends

Given high expectations for the English proficiency of Junior College Division students, they receive many job offers. Their performance has been highly evaluated in various industries, ranging from the manufacturing industry (clerical work) to the service industry. The Junior College Division offers more than 30 “Job Guidance” sessions a year, based on various themes such as “Self-analysis” and other basic matters, “SPI exercise,” “How to prepare a resume and entry sheet,” “Working experience report” by graduates, and “Company research seminar” by HR personnel, as well as comprehensive personal consultations and support.

(calculations conducted as of May 1 of each academic year)

2-4-2　University transfer trends

An average of 80 students transfer to four-year universities after graduating from the Junior College Division. It should be noted that nearly 90% (on average in the last five years) of students who seek to pursue further studies at a university are successful. In AY2024, along with the decrease in registered students, there were only 42student transfers; however, this number is 89.4% of students who apply for university transfer.
The Junior College Division offers guidance on university transfers multiple times a year, providing advice on how to select faculties and departments, the contents and schedule of transfer examinations, how to prepare for transfers, how to complete applications, etc. A majority of students transfer to Sophia University after passing the special transfer admissions examination for Junior College Division students (Types A & B) or the general transfer admissions examination. The number of students transferring to other universities varies from year to year, but there were transfers to University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo for more than 20 years from AY2004through AY2024.

(calculations conducted as of May 1 of each academic year)

2-5　Library

2-5-1　Library collection trends

Gathering statistics on the number of books in the library collection was started from AY2012, in which computerization was completed. The computerization has allowed searching, sending for, receiving and returning of books in the Central Library of Sophia University and other libraries. Books that form the basis of academic research and technical books on humanities are mainly selected.
Since AY2024, due to the decrease in the number of students, book purchases have also declined, resulting in a more gradual increase in the total number of books.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-5-2　Library use trends

Considering differences in the number of the Library’s opening days from year to year, the numbers of both library users and borrowed books are relatively stable. The Department of English Language made efforts to increase the borrowing of Western books by holding exhibitions of Western books and other such events. Consequently, since AY2018, the number of borrowed Western books has continued to rise.
In AY2020, the number of borrowed books decreased because of the closure of the Library from April to June owing to the spread of COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions on admissions to the campus. However, a new postal lending service was implemented as a service to users, and flexible services were provided for users even when the Library was closed. The number of users also decreased in AY2020, possibly due to the temporary closure of the Library amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, but in AY2021, the number of students coming to the campus to attend high-flex classes increased, and accordingly the number of users recovered. In AY2022, full face-to-face classes were restored as before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of users accordingly increased from the previous year; however, since AY2023, the number of users has decreased in line with the decline in the number of students.

* The English text is a machine translation provided for reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall be regarded as the official text.

2-6　Faculty Members

2-6-1　Number of regular faculty members and Student-Teacher ratio

*Regular faculty members = full-time faculty members, specially contracted professors, specially appointed faculty members, and nonregular full-time faculty members

2-6-2　Faculty members by nationality

In the period shown above, an average of 21.4% of regular faculty members and 31.0% of part-time faculty members are foreign nationals. Some foreign national faculty members teach liberal arts courses and specialized courses in addition to language courses. By taking non-language courses taught in English, students can expand on their practical English skills and at the same time acquire expertise.

(calculations conducted as of May 1 of each academic year)

Countries and regions included in each region

2-6-3　Foreign faculty members and faculty members with a foreign degree

2-6-4　Percentage of female faculty members