Curriculum
Curriculum Development Policy
"Our university aims to enhance the quality of education through reforms that address societal needs, while implementing education within a consistent quality assurance framework—from before enrollment through to graduation—by visualizing learning outcomes and promoting institutional research and evaluation (IR).Furthermore, we have established the following as our fundamental educational goals: “To foster individuals capable of contributing to the development of local and international communities by building an inclusive educational environment where diverse people can learn collaboratively and by enhancing students’ autonomous abilities to engage with the wider world.” To achieve these fundamental goals, we organize our curriculum by categorizing general education courses into introductory courses and liberal arts courses.
The introductory course cluster consists of three categories: “University Study Skills,” “International Communication,” and “Mathematics, Data Science, and AI.” These courses are designed to clarify the purpose and significance of university-level learning, equip students with the fundamental knowledge and techniques needed to progress in their studies, and help them develop the foundational abilities to think independently, express themselves, and identify and explore problems.
The General Education curriculum is designed to expose students to a wide range of academic disciplines while also addressing contemporary issues, fostering a well-rounded education that prepares students for life as individuals and members of society. It is organized into two categories—“Courses that Cultivate Life Skills (Daily Life, Healthcare/Health/Sports, Career Development, Arts)” and “Courses that Broaden Horizons (Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies)”—and offers a diverse array of courses.
Curriculum Overview
The main content and learning objectives of the general education courses are as follows.
Introductory Course Cluster
This course is required for all undergraduate students at this university (though it may be elective for some depending on their department).
Course on Study Skills at University
Introductionto University Studies: This course encourages students to reflect on what, why, and how they learn at the university level. The goal is for each student to arrive at their own satisfactory answers regarding the significance and purpose of university education, their aspirations for themselves upon graduation, the skills they should acquire, and the role of universities and academia in society.
Introduction to Academic Disciplines: This course provides an overview of the academic field in which students will specialize.The goal is to gain knowledge about the specialized fields and research themes available in each faculty and department, and to develop a vision for what you will learn in your specialized studies. In addition, you will acquire the basic intellectual skills necessary for specialized education, such as literature search methods, how to read academic papers, and report-writing techniques.
Practical Seminar on Issue Exploration: The goal is to cultivate communication skills and improve issue exploration and problem-solving abilities by tackling specific issues through group work.
International Communication Courses
Introduction to University English: This course is designed primarily to foster understanding and develop skills in the following areas.
(1) Understanding the level of English proficiency required for native Japanese speakers. (2) Developing the ability to read and comprehend English-language materials, including academic papers. (3) Understanding English syllables and the mechanisms of pronunciation using phonics for oral communication.
English Conversation: Through classes taught entirely by native-speaking instructors, the goal is to communicate by making the most of your existing English skills and to acquire the basic abilities needed for everyday English conversation.
In addition, we offer courses in six languages (English, German, French, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish) as part of our international communication curriculum, as well as Japanese language courses for international students and others.
Mathematics, Data Science, and AI Courses
Information and Data Literacy: Through lectures, practical sessions, and exercises using laptops, this course aims to help students acquire the foundational skills necessary to apply data science and AI in daily life and work settings. These skills include practical abilities in utilizing information and data, a scientific understanding of information, and an attitude conducive to active participation in the information society.
Introduction to Data Science: Aligned with literacy-level learning content on mathematics, data science, and AI, this course covers "the utilization of data and AI in society", topics related to "Data Literacy," and "Points to Consider in the Utilization of Data and AI." The goal is for students to understand and explain the importance of mathematics, data science, and AI, as well as the considerations for their application; to recognize situations where the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and mathematical data processing is effective or challenging; and to be able to make appropriate, human-centered judgments.
Liberal Arts Courses
To expose students to a wide range of academic disciplines while also focusing on contemporary topics, and to help them acquire a rich general education as individuals and members of society, we have organized a curriculum spanning two subject groups (“Courses Fostering Life Skills” and “Courses Broadening Horizons”) and seven subcategories (“Daily Life,” “Healthcare, Health, and Sports,” “Career Development,” “Arts,” “Humanities and Social Sciences,” “Natural Sciences,” and “Interdisciplinary Fields”).
The "Courses Fostering Life Skills " category offers courses related to sociology, integrated social sciences, medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy; health and sports sciences; career development support; education; cultural heritage science and museology; and arts.
In the "Broadening Horizons " category, we offer courses related to philosophy, literature, linguistics, history, human geography, psychology, law, political science, economics, business administration, sociology, education, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, information science, engineering, and agriculture.