Educational Objectives of Each Major

Mathematics

Mathematics is a logic- and universality-based discipline that represents human culture. With recent advancements in our computer-based information society, mathematics has been playing an increasingly important role in a diverse and advanced range of areas. With this situation in mind, the graduate program provided by the Department of Mathematics aims to pursue specialized research in various fields and play a leading role in international academic research activities.

 

Through active involvement in highly specialized research activities, moreover, at the Department of Mathematics we are committed to producing researchers who have the ability to play an active part in the future development of mathematics. At the same time, we are also aiming to nurture educators who fully understand the essence of modern mathematics and the roles played by the discipline in academic and social terms, and at developing creative human resources who have a superior ability to think mathematically and can respond to the needs of information society.

 

The following efforts are being made toward these ends:

-     Design a curriculum that enables students to develop a systematic understanding of specialized areas and that provides a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge research in a wide range of research areas of mathematics.

-     Arouse students’ intellectual curiosity in other related areas, such as numerical study and logical study, and provide an in-depth understanding of the effectiveness and usefulness of information-processing equipment.

-     Develop/improve education and research environments, including the mathematics library, computer rooms, rooms for graduate students, and seminar rooms.

-     Encourage students to voluntarily engage in research activities and provide opportunities for students to present their research results, including at seminars and conferences both at domestic and international levels.

-     Offer a broad range of interdisciplinary education by promoting cooperation with other majors and graduate schools at the University as well as other academic institutions.

-     Encourage students to write a dissertation for their Master’s or doctoral degree that can contribute to the development of the ability to develop a plan and implement it.

Physical Science

The Department of Physical Science has established educational objectives based on individual students’ career paths.

 

<<Students aspiring to a high level in their professional career after obtaining a Master’s degree>>

Basic scholastic ability: First-year graduate education

To provide a higher level of basic academic skills required to pursue specialized education and research, with the fundamental knowledge of physics provided in the undergraduate program as a basis. Students are also expected to acquire the specialized knowledge necessary for their own research activities and have the ability to read specialized books and papers written in English.

Specialist ability: Second-year graduate education

Students are expected to acquire specialized knowledge of physical science, physical research approaches, practical and applicable skills, and how to present their research results appropriately, by pursuing specialized research for their dissertations for a Master’s degree as well as through the process of implementing a research project, collecting the research results and reporting the results.

 

<<Students aspiring to a career in research or a high level in their professional career after obtaining a doctoral degree >>

Basic scholastic ability: Students are expected to acquire knowledge of cutting-edge physical science by reading specialized books and papers in seminars, and obtain a deeper understanding through discussions with instructors and research peers. In the process, students will develop the ability to identify and tackle a research theme to work with.

 

Specialized/applied abilities: Students will learn the skills to design and observe an experiment closely and reasoning skills in the process of carrying out research for their doctoral dissertations. They are also expected to develop the ability to identify a problem solution approach with deep insight, organize the results obtained accurately and quantitatively in a paper, and present the paper in English. These processes will serve as the first step toward pursuing a career as a researcher or a highly skilled professional.

Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry accepts students who have a systematic understanding of chemistry at the undergraduate level as well as those who have a solid educational foundation in other fields. Its graduate program is designed to foster human resources as researchers and other highly skilled professionals who can shape the frontiers of chemistry—a field that plays a central role in materials science—and related areas. Given today’s rapidly-changing environment in modern science, including multi-disciplinary cooperation, internationalization and informatization, the Department of Chemistry has set the following educational objectives:

 

-     We will systematically provide highly technical knowledge in the field of chemistry, with consideration for students with educational backgrounds in other fields.

-     In response to a rapidly expanding cross-disciplinary research environment in chemistry, we will offer education that exposes students to cutting-edge research activities by providing opportunities to interact with researchers in other fields.

-     To meet the demands of society, we will develop highly skilled professionals in chemistry and related areas.

-     To respond to increasing globalization and informatization, we will actively promote chemistry education combined with English and information education.

Biological Science

The Department of Biological Science is committed to developing highly creative human resources who can comprehensively understand a variety of biological phenomena from the molecular level to the mass level and can therefore contribute to basic science. To this end, we have established the following concrete objectives:

 

-     Provide education and research that covers a broad range of areas in biological science, so that students can deepen the understanding of the universal law on the diversity of life.

-     Keep track of progress in education and research, and provide students with opportunities to make research presentations.

-     Develop students’ international perspective in education and research by promoting international exchange, including inter-university cooperation.

 

Earth and Planetary Systems Science

The Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science offers education and research in a wide range of fields in Earth and planetary science, with the aim of promoting a better understanding of the history and present state of the Earth and predicting its future. In line with the following policy, the graduate program is designed to provide systematic education and research on the development of the Solar System, the birth of the Earth and its revolution, inquiry into the Earth’s interior, changes in the Earth’s environment, underground resources, natural disasters, and the natural environment.

 

Education and research in a wide range of fields

Earth and Planetary Systems Science covers a broad range of education and research areas. The graduate program aims to have students develop a deeper understanding for various different academic disciplines and approach a research issue from a broad perspective.

Research presentation training and development of an international perspective

We provide various opportunities for students to learn how to prepare a research paper and how to give a research presentation, and to develop an international perspective by exposing Japanese students to research presentations given in English by international students and foreign researchers.

Development of a high level of specialized knowledge and skills in Earth and planetary science

The graduate program is also designed to develop human resources who have specialized knowledge and skills as well as a profound insight in Earth and planetary science.

Mathematical and Life Sciences

The Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences was established in April 1999 with the aim of providing a new paradigm by creating a branch of science in which life science and mathematical science are integrated to uncover the essence of biological phenomena.

The graduate program of the Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences features a combination of a biological and chemical experimental approach to biological and chemical systems and a mathematical-theoretical approach. Students are expected to discover the basic laws of nature that govern biological phenomena by conducting experimental research at the molecular, cellular and individual levels, running computer simulations, and pursuing theoretical research.

 

The Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences requires a cross-disciplinary approach and has thus set the following policy and educational objectives:

-     From a wide range of fields in the natural sciences, we will accept students who are enthusiastic in developing new research areas.

-     We will provide a systematic curriculum, including the provision of introductory courses shared by biological and mathematical science that enable students to learn the foundations of specialized areas and recognize the importance of conducting cross-disciplinary research. Seminar-style lectures are also provided to introduce students to advanced research results in various specialized fields, thereby arousing their intellectual curiosity.

-     We will provide research and educational guidance tailored to students’ individual needs in order to develop researchers rich in creativity and with a multidimensional perspective.


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