Educational Policy for the School of Science（Bachelor's Degree Courses）
Fundamental Educational Goals
The School of Science provides education based on cutting-edge research in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences. Through these courses of study, students will acquire specialized knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking in the natural sciences. They will develop specialized abilities and inquiry skills that enable them to actively participate in the “creation of knowledge and wisdom” The school also encourages students to enhance their communication skills through active discussion with their peers and faculty members, aiming to foster cultural skills, such as proactive learning, creative thinking, analytical skills, and a true sense of humanity. By leveraging these abilities, students will address problem-solving using scientific knowledge and thinking. We aim to develop individuals with comprehensive abilities and character, i.e., implementation ability, who can play a leading role in a wide range of fields both domestically and internationally.
Exemplary Students
Based on the fundamental educational goals, we aim to cultivate “pioneers who continue to change proactively,” equipped with implementation , inquiry , communication , specialized , and liberal arts abilities. These individuals will contribute to the creation of new values and world-wide innovation through scientific knowledge and thinking.
Practitioners leveraging the knowledge of natural sciences and scientific inquiry skills to learn and act on their own initiative
We will foster individuals to develop the following five abilities:
○ The implementation ability required to solve problems on their own initiative.
○ The inquiry ability required to ask questions and identify issues to be tackled.
○ The communication ability required to learn from differences through close interaction
○ Fundamental and systematic specialized abilities.
○ The ability to take an interest in nature and society while developing autonomous learning skills (Liberal Arts Ability).
The specific profiles of the individuals that each department aims to cultivate are as follows.
Department of Mathematics:
Individuals who acquire advanced thinking skills based on modern mathematics can contribute to academic progress by pursuing graduate studies, can become educators and convey mathematical concepts to students, or can excel in businesses or government agencies.
Department of Physics:
Individuals who, by mastering the fundamental concepts and methodologies of physics, can contribute to the advancement of science and benefit society.
Department of Chemistry:
Individuals who, through education in the experiments and theories related to the properties, structures, and reactions of various substances, acquire a broad perspective and high research capabilities, and by utilizing their specialized knowledge, can proactively challenge new fields as researchers, as well as excel in various fields in society, including education.
Department of Biology:
Individuals who acquire the foundational knowledge of modern biology and the ability to analyze life phenomena from various perspectives, and then utilize this knowledge and ability to contribute to the advancement of society and science.
Department of Earth Sciences:
Individuals who acquire the ability to research phenomena in geoscience based on knowledge from various fields of natural science and can then contribute to solving issues related to Earth sciences.
Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy)
The School of Science awards degrees to students who have studied for the prescribed period of time, acquired the following competences, and earned the credits required for graduation in order to develop exemplary students.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Specialized Ability, Liberal Arts Ability
【Implementation Ability】- required to solve problems on their own initiative
This ability confronts issues and takes action towards solutions on an international stage using scientific knowledge and thinking.
【Inquiry Ability】- required to ask questions and identify issues to be tackled
This ability understands subjects from multiple perspectives and clarifies issues through logical thinking.
【Communication Ability】- required to learn from differences through close interaction
This ability provides ways to express logical explanations using scientific thinking, understand issues and improve oneself through discussions with others.
【Specialized Ability】- Basic and systematic specialized abilities
By studying the specialized fields of each department, individuals can understand the universal laws and principles behind various natural phenomena, systematically organize the knowledge and skills they have acquired, identify various problems, and actively engage in solving them.
【Liberal Arts Ability】- to take an interest in nature and society while developing autonomous learning skills
This ability maintains curiosity about various natural and social phenomena while learning proactively.
Policy for Curriculum Planning and Implementation (Curriculum Policy)
In order to develop individuals who have mastered the abilities set out in the Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy), the School of Science will organize and implement curricula based on the following educational policies and principles.
Education Implementation Policy
To provide education that helps students develop the ability to continue to learn independently to create sustainable societies
Education Principles
The following educational content is provided, from the perspective of proactive and interactive deep learning, with emphasis on what students have become able to do, rather than what has been taught.
【General Education】
General education aims to develop general knowledge and skills, and to provide practical activities for learning with other students, while maturing and creating together.
The curriculum provides the knowledge and skills necessary to enable interaction and collaboration with people whose ideas differ from their own.
【Specialized Education】
Specialized education provides students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of specialization by offering systematically designed curricula and helping students to integrate and create knowledge from different fields of expertise.
This curriculum provides a systematic acquisition of knowledge and skills in specialized fields from the student’s first year. Furthermore, students engage in exercises, experiments, and theme-based studies to apply and verify this specialized knowledge, leading to a deeper understanding. This helps them develop practical abilities in identifying and solving problems in the natural sciences that meet societal demands. Additionally, in foundational courses and common courses within the School of Science, students are provided with opportunities to acquire integrated and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that span different fields.
【Language Education】
Language education is provided to enhance the multifaceted language abilities required in a global society.
This curriculum provides students with opportunities to study English and develop the integrated language skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as learn a second foreign language (international students have opportunities to learn Japanese) through subjects designed to promote cross-cultural understanding.
The curriculum also provides opportunities to practice learning and conducting research in specialized fields using English.
Educational Methods
The aforementioned educational content is provided in the following ways.
(1) The School of Science offers a four-year integrated educational course for each department to systematically study specialized fields. In addition to the 'Specialized Ability Program,' which focuses on completing courses offered by each department to acquire high-level expertise, there are two additional programs: the 'Frontier Program' (including the Frontier Course and the Special Frontier Scientist Course) aimed at cultivating researchers, engineers, and educators who can excel at the forefront of science, and the 'Interdisciplinary Program' (including the Mathematical and Data Science Course and the Interdisciplinary Science Course) aimed at learning broadly across interdisciplinary fields and excelling in new research areas. Students engage in proactive learning tailored to their individual aspirations to acquire the competencies outlined in the Degree Policy.
(2) To meet the graduation requirements specified in the curriculum programs of each department, students will take required courses, elective required courses, and elective courses from the first year to the fourth year, acquiring knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking in their respective specialized fields. In addition to lectures, the education in specialized fields includes numerous practical classes that leverage the advantages of small group education, such as exercises, experiments, practicums, and seminars. This curriculum allows students to apply and verify the knowledge they acquired in specialized courses, leading to deeper understanding.
(3) At the culmination of undergraduate education, the 'Theme-based Study' course taken in the fourth year involves conducting advanced research in assigned laboratories and participating in intensive specialized education centered on individual research projects and seminars. This allows students to acquire specialized knowledge in the natural sciences and practical abilities in identifying and solving problems to meet societal demands. In addition to the credits required for graduation, the School of Science sets a specific number of credits earned as a requirement to enroll in the 'Theme-based Study Course.' The ability to challenge unknown issues in specialized fields relies on having a well-rounded and systematic understanding of specialized and logical knowledge.
Academic Performance Evaluation Policy
Students’ learning outcomes and performance are evaluated based on clearly specified criteria and methods for each class subject.
Extracurricular Education Policy
We encourage extracurricular activities that allow students to experience personal growth beyond classroom learning.