Today, the shrinking size of the 18-year-old cohort in Japan reduces the functional importance of university entrance examinations and correspondingly increases the functional importance of undergraduate students’ learning outcomes at graduation.　　

Within this context, the purpose of this study is to review the research literature on undergraduate student learning outcomes. First of all, this study identified as a future possibility the use of entrance examinations to select students who will achieve the occupationally relevant outcomes at graduation. Secondly, this paper suggested that each year, the university should assess the value-added to students’ occupationally relevant capabilities and identify which year contributes most to the value-added. Thirdly, this research identified the relationship between students’ learning time and out of learning time which faculty assume are both influential in gaining occupationally relevant abilities. Fourthly, this study reported that effective teaching strategies differ among universities and future papers should focus especially on lower ranked universities. Finally, this research reinforced the need to focus in the future on the analysis of how student preparation for careers is designed to achieve the occupationally relevant abilities.