Interviews with Working Graduate Students: Real Stories from Working Graduate Students

Based on my experience working in medical research, I came up with some ideas that could help improve the accuracy of medical tests and aid in diagnosis, and I began to think about how to make them a reality.As I looked into it further, I realized that ICT, such as machine learning, is indeed necessary for development.I felt that KCGI had a low barrier to entry—for example, it accepts students from other fields and offers on-demand courses.With the support of my employer, I decided to take on this challenge.

I had planned to take three years to complete my studies under the extended study program, but since my progress went more smoothly than expected, I was able to shorten the program and graduate in two years.I feel that taking courses on demand offers significant benefits because it allows me to rewatch sections that are difficult to understand as many times as I need.Because I had a clear goal, I was able to enthusiastically learn what I needed to know to conduct the research I wanted to do.

I worked on my master's thesis, which focused on topics directly relevant to my work, and with the guidance of my project sponsor (advisor), I was able to achieve positive results.We hope to apply the findings of this research to future product development.

If you're considering going to graduate school, I think that if you're interested, you should go ahead and take that first step without hesitation—you're sure to gain some new insights.

The information provided is current as of May 2026.

I Want to Apply IT to Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment (Why I Decided to Study at KCGI)

The field of acupuncture and moxibustion has been slow to adopt electronic medical records, and there is a shortage of personnel with IT expertise, so treatment inevitably tends to rely on intuition.I thought that if I could use IT to make the most of data, it would not only be helpful for my own work but might also contribute in some way to the acupuncture and moxibustion industry.I found KCGI through an online search, and I was drawn to it not only because it offers a comprehensive curriculum in data science—a field I wanted to study—but also because it attracts working professionals from a wide range of fields.Since the classes are almost 100% online, I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule, which is a huge help for me since it takes two hours to commute to downtown Kyoto.The “Future IT Talent Development Scholarship Program” helped support my education.

Programming has been a real struggle; I’m balancing work and study time to stay focused (On studying at KCGI)

As a beginner in IT, it took me some time to get used to mathematical thinking, and since this was my first time programming, I struggled quite a bit, but I managed to get through it thanks to the instructors’ guidance.Since my acupuncture clinic operates on an appointment-only basis, I adjusted my study schedule—for example, by scheduling appointments around the times I had to take online classes—and because I had decided from the start to complete the program in two years, I was able to focus fully on my studies.Programming is still difficult for me, but the statistical concepts I learned in the data science course were interesting and very helpful.The Master Project is the highest-ranked “MP6.”With the support of my advisor and permission to use corporate data, I was able to complete my study titled “The Relationship Between Weather Conditions and Chief Complaints of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Patients in Contemporary Japan.”

The freedom of perspective I’ve gained through IT; I want to continue my research even after graduation (My vision for the future)

Studying at KCGI broadened my previously narrow perspective.Many acupuncture and moxibustion clinics are run by sole proprietors, and since they can handle everything on their own, they may end up being “out of touch with the real world.”Thanks to IT, I’ve gained new knowledge, and my perspective has become more flexible.Since I was able to analyze medical record data as part of my master's thesis, I would like to continue this research in the future if I can secure corporate support.For working professionals considering studying at KCGI, I recommend that you clarify what you hope to gain and what you want to do before enrolling.I wanted to apply this to my work, and I was able to achieve my goal.

The information provided is current as of May 2026.

There are limits to self-study; I want to learn more about AI algorithms and other topics in detail.

I work as a systems engineer responsible for implementing and setting up design systems used within the Panasonic Group.My involvement in business competitions and the launch of new ventures inspired me to systematically study the process of starting a business, including financial matters and corporate management.Knowledge of AI is essential for the future of business, but there are limits to what one can learn on one’s own, so I decided to enroll at KCGI because I believed it would allow me to study AI algorithms and other topics in depth.

When it came to pursuing further education, the challenge was figuring out how to manage my time and finances. As for time, since they offer on-demand support tailored to working professionals, I felt I could make it work.As far as tuition goes, being accepted into the “Future IT Talent Development Scholarship Program” made a big difference.

Balance work and school while studying intensively for two years

I wanted to study with full concentration, so I decided not to take advantage of the extended study program and aimed to complete the program in two years.I managed to balance work and school by following a routine where I watched lecture videos from the time I got off work until late at night on weekdays and tackled more demanding assignments on the weekends.Since there are many courses that have some kind of assignment almost every time, it was hard to keep up.Although they were willing to discuss assignment deadlines with working students, I did my best not to put things off as much as possible.As I prepared for my master’s project and attended classes, the scope of what I wanted to learn kept expanding, so I feel like I was studying constantly for two years, even during long breaks.

The most interesting course was “Mathematics for Artificial Intelligence.”I was able to learn neural network algorithms from the basics.Thanks to this course, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of other courses and can now read related research papers without any difficulty.

I want to take on new challenges and apply what I learn to my work.

Although the knowledge I’ve gained isn’t directly applicable to my current work, I’m hoping to be transferred to a department that handles AI solutions so that I can put it to use in the future.As part of the Master’s Project, I was given the opportunity to give a guest presentation at the “KCG AWARDS 2025” hosted by our affiliated schools, and I was very pleased that my research findings were recognized.I’ve been working on word-level sign language recognition using transfer learning, and I’d like to build on that to take on challenges like competitions in conversation-level sign language recognition.

To working professionals who are planning to pursue graduate school, I want to tell them: don’t do it half-heartedly—if you’re going to do it, commit fully and be prepared to go all the way.I think it’s important to constantly think about how to apply what you’ve learned and put it into practice right away.

The information provided is current as of March 2026.

After graduating from Kyoto Computer Gakuin, I joined an office equipment sales company and worked in maintenance and other roles for about four years. When I transitioned to a position as a systems engineer (SE), I realized I hadn’t written any code in quite a while.I wanted to study again and deepen my knowledge as a systems engineer, so I decided to enroll in school to create an environment where I would have no choice but to study, rather than relying on self-study.I looked for schools where working adults could study and considered several options, including The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI), which is part of my alma mater’s group. While KCGI offered almost entirely online classes, the other schools required students to attend in person quite frequently.Due to work commitments, it’s really helpful that all the courses I’ve chosen are available online.After hearing from students who had taken advantage of the extended study program—which allows them to extend their course of study to three or four years while paying only two years’ worth of tuition—I decided to attend KCGI.After enrolling, I attend classes online in real time from home, and in some cases, I take courses on demand.Six months after enrolling, I changed jobs to work at Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. Since my work environment changed significantly and my working hours increased, I applied for the long-term enrollment program.I now have more flexibility in how I use my time, and this system has been a huge help.Currently, as a systems engineer, I am working on developing systems that monitor whether automotive developers are able to perform their duties safely.Since we're an auto company, if the opportunity arises in the future, I'd like to try developing a system that directly involves cars—one that detects people and automatically stops the vehicle.I've always been a car enthusiast.At KCGI, I truly feel that I’m able to learn all the things I want to.In addition to courses related to my work, I’ve also taken many classes on topics that interest me, such as “Tourism and the IT Business,” and I hope to apply the knowledge I’ve gained from them to my work in some way.I imagine that working professionals might feel quite anxious about taking classes while juggling their jobs, but KCGI has a well-established learning environment, including online courses, so you’ll be just fine.I think working students really appreciate the fact that there is a comprehensive scholarship program.

The information provided is current as of July 2024.

After starting my career, I studied data science to analyze sales figures, but found it difficult to learn on my own, so I decided to pursue graduate studies to further my education and advance my career.However, the retail industry where I work has virtually no concept of fixed working hours; since it operates on a shift system and my work hours change unpredictably, it was actually difficult for me to attend graduate school.Given these circumstances, I decided to enroll at KCGI because I realized it was a professional graduate school where even working adults could easily pursue their studies—thanks to its extensive selection of online courses—and where even liberal arts graduates with no prior IT experience could focus on practical, hands-on learning.

Since both my workplace and home are in Osaka Prefecture, I often took the courses online; however, when I couldn’t participate in real-time online sessions due to work commitments, they were kind enough to switch me to on-demand sessions.The course includes assignments designed for working students who are unable to attend classes in real time, and separate course materials are also provided.They’re flexible enough to accommodate sudden work commitments, which is really helpful for working students.

I feel there is great value in gaining work experience and identifying various challenges before entering graduate school.It’s important to have a sense of purpose when studying, but it’s hard to develop a strong sense of purpose until you start working.When studying at a professional graduate school, having work experience is a major advantage.I think KCGI offers opportunities to learn how to solve work-related problems.

The information provided is current as of March 2024.