Educational and Research Purposes
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences upholds 'interdisciplinarity' and 'internationality' as its two pillars of education and research. We aim to foster the generation of cross-disciplinary research based on an in-depth understanding of specialist fields - and accordingly, of future international leaders, with the capacity and education to make comprehensive judgements when faced with the problems of contemporary society and technology, not only in academia but also in wider society.
Educational and Research Purposes of Each Department
Language and Information Sciences
In Language and Information Sciences, our central aim is the multifaceted study of linguistic activity, which can be said to form the core of human intellectual activity. From the approaches of the humanities and social sciences that treat language as a human activity embedded in culture and society, to that of the natural sciences and engineering that investigates its relationship with the human brain or computers, our scope spans multiple viewpoints and range of languages. In this way, we seek to realise the mission of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences - that of internationality and interdisciplinarity - in the context of 'language', with the goal to develop future international leaders not only in academia but also in wider socie
Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies
In Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, specialist staff across Cultural Representation, Cultural Anthropology, and Comparative Literature and Culture share their experiences and knowledge of their respective fields, in order to propose effective approaches for analysing the increasingly globalising cultural phenomena that transcend states and societies, and the cultural activities that intersect genres. A vast range of subjects are studied, such as traditional rites and folk art, global art and its pluralistic expression, the interaction between media and technology with art, the forms and structures of semiotics, and the movement and exchange between cultures, Methods of analysis also vary widely, including literary criticism, fieldwork, and descriptive analysis of of online networks, and we are continually striving to develop new theoretical frameworks. Through such educational approaches, our goal is to form a cultural vessel that is open to and responsive to the dynamically changing paradigms of contemporary society, as well as to equip future generations with the internationality and interdisciplinarity to play leading roles in various fields in education, academia and in wider society.
In Area Studies, our goal in research is to deepen our inquiry into the various regions and specialist disciplines of our staff, as well as develop an approach that intersects regions and disciplines in pursuit of the universal that lies beyond the particular. Our goal in education is to foster future generations with not only a rich knowledge and understanding of individual cultures but also the perceptive ability to place their own research in a global context. In doing so, we seek to find a path of multicultural coexistence that transcends differences in language, religion, thought and customs.
Advanced Social and International Studies
In Advanced Social and International Studies, which consists of the two programs of International Relations and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, our goal is to unravel various phenomena associated with globalisation from a social sciences perspective. In the International Relations program, we frame the study of international relations that integrates international politics, international economics, international relations and law, and the history of international relations. In the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences program, we aim to elucidate contemporary social phenomena with a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary approach that studies the foundational domains of social sciences - namely, law, politics, economics, and society. Based on this philosophy, our goal is to foster specialist researchers ready for the new age in order to return the fruits of our research to wider society. At the same time, we also aim to produce future international leaders in spheres as diverse as international organizations, public service, NGOs, and private think tanks.
Multi-Disciplinary Sciences: Life Sciences
In Life Sciences, we aim to investigate biological phenomena at various levels, ranging from genes to organisms, from the comprehensive and integrated view of 'life dynamics'. Transcending the traditional arts-sciences barrier, the interdisciplinary nature of our research and education lies at the forefront of current research on areas of the life sciences, and includes .the disciplines of cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, sports science, neuroscience, psychology, and pedagogy. The focus of our research ranges from the microscopic building blocks of life such as DNA, proteins and cells, to the structures, growth, and functions of tissues, organs and the entire human body, including its psychology. As well as deepening insights into their own specialist fields, our researchers also aim to further their cross-disciplinary perspectives by mutual exchange and inspiration, in order to establish a new form of the life sciences. In terms of education, we also aim to equip students with the thorough knowledge and methodological tools needed for contributing to their individual fields, such that they can understand the human body both as a culmination of its molecules, cells and tissues, but also from the macroscopic perspective of the whole field of the life sciences.
Multi-Disciplinary Sciences: General Systems Studies
In General Systems Studies, we recognise the importance of having an integrated approach in understanding and tackling the complex problems of the modern world - an approach that focuses not only on the separate analysis of individual constituents, but also on their interrelationships and how they make up the whole. Such a perspective forms the crux of system theory, which we seek to utilise in our education and research in order to lead an analysis of complex phenomena at all levels. The range of topics we consider is extensive, and includes natural systems such as space, the earth, ecology, and biological systems; man-made systems such as information or engineering systems; and combined complex systems such as urban or regional systems. In this program, we aim to develop graduates with an interdisciplinary and comprehensive perspective, who can think in terms of systems thinking, to contribute to all fields across education, research, and wider society.
Multi-Disciplinary Sciences: Basic Science
In Basic Sciences, those who specialise in the natural sciences aim to study the hierarchy of material structures, from elementary particles, atomic nuclei, atoms and molecules to various higher-order structures, in a longitudinal approach that herald 'from quarks to intelligent materials' as its slogan. At the same time, those who specialise in the history and philosophy of science aim to investigate the role of science in contemporary society. The goal of the program as a whole is to create a system for mutual stimulation and inspiration. With such research purposes as the background, our educational aim is the development of future leaders and problem-solvers, who have an awareness of the role of science in society and the coexistence of humans and life with the environment, so as to contribute to the advancement of our current frontiers in science and technology.