GLAP has been designed as a four-year undergraduate program, in which the students may earn a bachelor's degree taught entirely in English. GLAP allows students to put themselves in the environments where they may experience the world, while physically staying in Japan and studying liberal arts in English. As the students learn multiple academic subjects via interdisciplinary approaches, without being confined to any particular major field, they learn to understand diverse and multi-faceted perspectives of global issues. These may be deemed as the most critical skills in today's society, and will lead student to develop the ability to work with people from all over the world, and better understand each other.

As the admission into GLAP is highly selective and limited to only thirty students per year, the program offer an ideal educational environment where students can be in very close contact with their instructors to receive personalized guidance. During the first year, a small-group class “Tutorial” is offered with a maximum size of five students. Each student acquires basic competencies for logical and critical thinking, through a variety of activities such as text reading, essay writing, discussion, and presentation.

All GLAP students are required to study abroad, for one academic year, at a partner institution, beginning from the Fall semester of their second year to the end of Spring semester of their third year. GLAP’s partner institutions are carefully selected for this program because of their strong focus on liberal arts education. Through encounters with diverse cultures and customs, as well as learning experiences in a foreign environment out of Japan, students discover their potential, enhance their ability to communicate in English, and build a wide range of networks with people from all over the world.

After returning from their study abroad experience, students build on their prior learning and international experience by choosing one field of particular interest from among three areas: “Humanities,” “Citizenship,” or “Business.” In each area, students engage in specialized studies to deepen their understanding. In the final year, as the capstone project of the four-year undergraduate program, students are required to take “Final Year Seminar” class and complete the Graduation Paper.

Through Rikkyo University’s unique leadership education, which cultivates leadership skills through group work and project-based learning, students not only learn from one another but also develop a sense of ownership in addressing global issues. Through working on their assignments with their cohort and international students, every student becomes motivated to continue their self-improvement, and grow to be global leaders who can live alongside others with diverse backgrounds.