Summary
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is an integrated management system that enables companies to centrally manage their various business resources and make the most effective use of them.By implementing an ERP system, companies can centrally manage their core business operations—including sales, purchasing, inventory management, accounting, human resources, and manufacturing processes—on a single platform.ERP enables real-time sharing of information generated by each department, helping improve efficiency across the entire organization.This enables companies to optimize business processes, improve information transparency, and make faster decisions, supporting more competitive business operations.
The ERP education program using SAP S/4HANA focuses on improving business process efficiency and effectively utilizing data.Through hands-on experience with the system and its application across business areas such as finance, logistics, and human resources, students learn how to optimize business operations and drive digital transformation.Students also learn decision-support techniques that leverage real-time information processing capabilities.This program provides a valuable learning opportunity for students aspiring to become future business leaders and professionals.
Target Career Paths
- ERP Implementation Consultant
- ERP Customization Engineer
- ERP Add-on development Engineer
Themes of past Master Projects
- A Study of Factors Influencing Consumer Purchase Intentions in e-Business Live Commerce
- Background and Success Factors Considerations for Implementing SAP for the Manufacturing Industry
- Research into ERP implementation and application in SMEs
Message from Project Instructor
Professor, Masaki Fujiwara
After completing the ERP education program using SAP S/4HANA, students undertake research in a variety of fields through their Master Projects.For example, students can work on practical, real-world topics such as business process optimization, improving supply chain management efficiency, and enhancing decision-making processes through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.Research is also expected to combine theory and practice, addressing topics such as analyzing the impact of ERP system implementation, developing new business models using ERP, and formulating strategies to support corporate digital transformation.These research projects not only contribute directly to improving corporate management efficiency but also play an important role in preparing students for future careers as business leaders and consultants.Students who have completed ERP education can pursue research that contributes to society from both technological and business perspectives.
Professor Yi Li
In an era of intensifying competition among companies, many businesses are implementing ERP packages to improve their operations.Students will learn management and accounting knowledge and basic IT skills such as programming, and then learn to customize ERP purchasing, inventory, production, sales logistics, accounting, and human resource management systems.Furthermore, we will study the introduction of ERP by industry in the project, aim to improve business processes, and propose solutions to management issues.With the progress of globalization, the needs of internationally active ERP consultants are increasing.At this school, we will train global ERP consultants to meet the current needs, and will provide ERP consultant education in both English and Japanese.The projects also include research on adapting ERP systems to IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards).
Many Students Pass SAP Certification Exams
German SAP's ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) package software is used by many global companies, and the SAP Certified Consultant Exam is known to be hard to pass.Passing this exam and obtaining a certification is a great strength for those who aspire to become ERP-related consultants or work as IT staff in companies.
To date, more than 300 KCGI students, including international students, have passed SAP certification exams.
Mr. Fukuyama
HIBIYA COMPUTER SYSTEM CO., LTD.
Completed the program in March 2017
Graduated from the Faculty of Sociology, Bukkyo University
Graduated from the Information Processing Department, Kyoto Computer Gakuin (KCG)
When I was a university student, I was studying social studies in Sociology Department, but when I tried to use a computer for statistical processing of the collected data, I realized that I had insufficient knowledge in this field.In graduate school, I went to KCGI to study IT and found the ERP class.I was surprised to find out that there are such systems to support corporate management, and became very interested.
In particular, the financial accounting system is the foundation that supports company management, and I thought that obtaining an ERP consultant qualification in this field would be advantageous for employment.At KCGI, there are many classes related to ERP, and with the support for test preparation from the teachers in charge, I decided to take the exam.
I solely focused on what I was taught in classes and intensive lectures, and did not look into other things much when I studied for the exam.In particular, I think that detailed explanations of past exam questions were helpful.By being able to pass while I was in school, I became confident in myself and worked hard on the master project.It opened the way to employment, and I received a job offer from a company specializing in ERP consulting in Tokyo.ERP is a field where new technologies come out one after another, so I want to absorb new knowledge flexibly and continue to play an active role.
Initiatives to become an ERP consultant
By taking the following lectures and practical training courses in the main ERP specialized fields, students can prepare for the SAP Certified Consultant certification exam and acquire know-how in implementing ERP projects in companies while still in school.These classes can be taken even if you have selected a specialized field other than ERP.
[Semester 1]
Learn the Fundamentals of Management Information Systems
Enterprise System
Learn about the purpose of corporate activities and the role of core operations to achieve them.We will study what kind of information is generated and how it is systemized for each core operation, and learn how to develop that information system.
Business Integration and e-Business
We will seek to understand the corporate structure and business mechanism, and learn how to integrate operations to gain competitive advantage by using the latest ICT through SAP ERP.
[Semesters 2–3]
Courses Designed to Prepare Students for SAP Certification Exams
Financial Accounting System Development I/II
We will develop financial accounting system used for ERP system.We will use the Financial Accounting (FI) module of the SAP system to handle basic design, slip processing, settlement processing, financial accounting reports, etc. of the financial accounting system.
Target Certification:
SAP Certified Application Associate – Financial Accounting
Development of Sales and Distribution System
Development of sales and distribution system used for ERP system.We will use the Sales and Distribution (SD) module of the SAP system to handle basic settings of the sales and distribution system and processing from order receipt to payment.
Target Certification:
SAP Certified Application Associate ‒ Sales and Distribution
Development of Production Control System
We develop production and process production systems used for ERP systems.The Production Planning (PP) module of SAP's ERP system is used to handle all data for the production system, planning required material and manufacturing instructions.
Target Certification:
SAP Certified Application Associate ‒ Production Planning and Manufacturing
[Semester 3 and Beyond]
Practical Study for ERP System Implementation and Development
Simulation project for ERP Implementation
After developing a simulated business model and business processes for a specific industry and company, students practice writing specifications, conducting implementation tests, and writing reports when introducing various modules of SAP's ERP system into the business model and processes.
Training ERP Consultants
Active SAP consultants serve as instructors, with the goal of developing ERP consultants who can succeed in real-world business environments.This program is designed for students who aspire to become ERP-focused IT consultants for businesses, providing them with the knowledge and skills required to work as ERP consultants.
Add-on development programming
We will develop additional programs using ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming), a dedicated language for adding functions (add-on) to various modules in the SAP system.
More Than 300 KCGI Students Have Passed SAP Certification Exams!
At The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI), the total number of students who have passed certification exams offered by Germany-based SAP SE has surpassed 300.Since producing its first successful candidate in 2005, KCGI has steadily built a strong track record, reaching 100 successful candidates in 2017, 200 in 2020, and 300 in 2025.To commemorate this milestone, a ceremony was held on November 13, 2025, at KCGI’s Hyakumanben Campus in Kyoto.The president and representatives from industry offered congratulatory remarks. Alumni who earned SAP certifications while studying at KCGI and are now active at the forefront of their fields also attended, delivering a powerful message to current students: “Qualifications are truly valuable when they are applied in professional practice.”
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a core business system that integrates and manages a company’s key resources—people, goods, and capital—to improve management efficiency.As global demand for SAP ERP professionals continues to grow, KCGI is the only university in Japan that offers a systematic SAP education program.From the beginning of the program, students follow a structured series of lectures and practical training designed to prepare them for SAP certification exams.The certifications provide a strong advantage in job hunting, and KCGI graduates are playing leading roles in the IT and ERP fields at companies in Japan and around the world.