Graduate School of Education,And aculty of Education,Kyoto University

At the Faculty of Education, students will develop an expert knowledge of people, the mind and society. They will develop this through learning academic approaches that deal with phenomena relating to education and human beings. Students also will obtain a broad perspective, a deeper understanding of the unfamiliar, and the ability to think comprehensively, multilaterally, and to judge critically. The Faculty of Education strives to develop individuals who uphold and promote humanity with a sense of responsibility and a high standard of ethics so that they can foster cooperation among people from diverse backgrounds and contribute to building a harmonious society on a global scale.

Based on this understanding, the Faculty of Education seeks students who have the ability to develop 1) comprehensive and fundamental academic skills 2) a deep interest and insight into people and society, and 3) flexible thinking and creativity. Through the pursuit of higher education, students will develop a deep interest in people, society, education, and psychology, and develop logical and critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.

The entrance examination is comprised of both the National Center for University Entrance Examinations and an individual scholastic ability test that assesses either the student’s humanities-based or science-based knowledge. The humanities-based tests cover four subjects, geography and history, mathematics, Japanese language, and foreign languages. These subjects form the basis of undergraduate studies after admissions. Particular emphasis is placed on Japanese language, which supports logical thinking, and foreign languages, which are required for specialized education. The science-based tests focus on scientific subjects that assess scientific mathematic skills instead of mathematics for the humanities, and science skills, instead of geography and history.

Furthermore, students who have already received specialized education in a different academic field or who are graduates of a different undergraduate faculty with real-world experiences and who seek to take specialized education in various fields of educational science, have the option to enter through Third Year Admission. This entrance route also assesses 1) to 3) above, allowing them to transfer to the third year of studies.

The Faculty also offers an AO Admissions that, in addition to the abovementioned 1) to 3), assesses whether the student has a) achieved outstanding academic ability through the pursuit of learning and research in the required subjects, or attained a level of maturity through curricular or extracurricular activities and by so doing developed a deep insight and b) the will to make significant contribution to society in the future. These aspects will be assessed based on submitted documents, written assignments, an oral examination, and the results of the National Center for University Entrance Examinations.

In order to achieve the objectives stated in the diploma policy, the Faculty of Education offers a balanced and diverse curriculum based on basic education, while providing specialized education to allow students to gain a broad perspective. The faculty consists of the Educational Sciences department, which is divided into three sub-departments: Studies in Educational Foundations, Educational Psychology, and Interdisciplinary Studies of Educational Systems. It organically integrates basic and specialized education, offering a high-quality and broad curriculum.

The main characteristics of the educational system at the Faculty of Education are that 1) first- and second-year students are encouraged, through their respective learning processes, to think about what the optimal path for their future is, as they select their specialty field in their third year, 2) a special focus is placed on practical training and fieldwork so that they are able to turn theory into practice, and 3) the graduation thesis is closely supervised by two faculty members.

For the educational curriculum, students take the core courses that are prerequisites for all undergraduate students at Kyoto University and gradually move on to more specialized studies. The course progression is structured from the foundational to the developmental level, and then on to the application of ideas. In their first and second years, students take basic and introductory courses that will equip them with the skills and knowledge, as well as with a better understanding of responsibility and ethics, to prepare them for undertaking more specialized studies. Specialized courses offered in the third and fourth years focus more on the development and application aspects. The curriculum is structured with the objective of producing high-level students capable of becoming leading contributors in their specialty field within and outside Japan or prepare them for further studies at the postgraduate level. Students use a course tree or numbering system to map out their registered courses in a systematic and structured manner. For each subject, they are assessed on their class performance based on regular examinations, term papers, classroom tests, and presentations. The assessment methodology and the course content are indicated clearly in each course syllabus.

• For the first and second years, students are required to take core courses such as general education and foreign language courses to build basic academic skills and develop an international perspective, understanding of diverse cultures, and communication skills. In particular, first-year students are required to take the faculty’s mandatory courses so that they get an overall idea of the education and research that they will be undertaking throughout their undergraduate studies, as well as the recommended courses that will equip them with the necessary techniques of academic writing.
• Furthermore, in addition to taking courses that cover all three areas of the sub-departments, first and second-year students are expected to take foundational courses that are designed to transition them smoothly to more specialized studies in their third year. In particular, the faculty offers courses that allow students to hone their communication and ICT skills in their field of studies, including foreign languages. Students are further encouraged to develop those skills through proactive learning including group work, debate, practical training, and fieldwork.
• When advancing to the third year, students must select their specialization from the three fields of Studies in Educational Foundations, Educational Psychology, and Interdisciplinary Studies of Educational Systems. Specialized lectures, seminars, reading and practical training courses are provided in the third and fourth year of studies to allow students to develop expert knowledge. Graduate school courses are also offered partially so that they can partake in higher quality studies that are beneficial for their future career.
• Fourth-year students are required to write a graduation thesis, which is supervised by two faculty members. Academic achievements are evaluated from multiple angles through an oral examination by the two faculty members, in addition to another outside faculty member who belongs to a different department within the Faculty of Education. In this way students are encouraged to cultivate the ability to autonomously pursue subjects in depth, acquire versatile and comprehensive thinking skills, and capacities to evaluate critically.

At the Faculty of Education, students will develop an expert knowledge of people, the mind and society. They will develop this through learning academic approaches that deal with phenomena relating to education and human beings. Students also will obtain a broad perspective, a deeper understanding of the unfamiliar, and the ability to think comprehensively, multilaterally, and to judge critically. The Faculty of Education strives to develop individuals who uphold and promote humanity with a sense of responsibility and a high standard of ethics so that they can foster cooperation among people from diverse backgrounds and contribute to building a harmonious society on a global scale.

1. Students must take the required courses, which are set in line with the educational objectives of the faculty, and acquire the necessary credits to pass the undergraduate examination and be awarded their degree. Credit courses include lectures, seminars, practical training, experiments, and fieldwork, and the graduation thesis is also worth credit points.
2. Students will be recognized as having finished the course based on whether, by fulfilling the criteria conveyed in 1, they have developed, as a result of their learning, an expert knowledge of people, the mind, and society, a broad perspective, a deeper understanding of the unfamiliar, and the ability to think comprehensively, multilaterally, and to judge critically. Such acknowledgement is also based on whether they have acquired an attitude to uphold and promote humanity—and so, whether they are capable of identifying the needs and issues of society, are active participants in various fields, and foster cooperation among people from diverse backgrounds to contribute to building a harmonious society on a global scale.