Key Features of the Department of Foreign Languages and Liberal Arts
Three Key Features
Aiming to Cultivate Comprehensive English Communication Skills
Through the acquisition of academic English proficiency, students develop logical and critical thinking skills. In the required English courses in the first and second years, students are placed in classes grouped by proficiency level and receive intensive training in the reading and writing skills necessary for reading academic texts and writing papers. For the English electives (general education courses), students can freely enroll in skill-specific classes such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening throughout their four years of study.
Exposure to a Variety of Languages and Cultures, Gaining a Multifaceted Perspective
First-year students in the Faculty of Science and Technology are required to choose one of German, French, Russian, Chinese, or Korean as an elective required subject. A wide variety of classes are offered in the above foreign languages, organized by purpose and level, allowing students to pursue them in depth alongside English through their fourth year. Learning foreign languages helps us understand different ways of thinking and also cultivates a keen awareness of the Japanese language and society. It also sparks interest in the societies and cultures of various other countries. The Faculty of Science and Technology offers an extensive range of study abroad programs, supporting students who aspire to step out onto the world stage.
Providing Wide-ranging Access to Liberal Arts Education to Cultivate Broad Perspectives and Flexible Thinking
The Faculty of Science and Technology aims not only to train specialists in science and technology fields, but also to cultivate well-rounded leaders capable of proposing and realizing a better relationship between science and technology on one hand and human society on the other. In order to cultivate this kind of well-rounded education, the Department of Foreign Languages and Liberal Arts offers courses in various fields as general education subjects. These include the “General Education Seminar” (Hiyoshi Campus), “Global Leadership Seminar” (Hiyoshi Campus) and “Humanities and Social Sciences Seminar” (Yagami Campus).
Educational Content
English
For first-year students, a standardized English test is administered in April and at the end of the academic year. For the required English courses, students are placed into appropriate levels based on their scores, allowing them to take classes suited to their respective proficiency levels.
In the elective English courses (general education courses) program, a wide range of subjects with varied content and multiple levels are offered to accommodate students’ diverse interests.
Other Foreign Languages
We provide a curriculum designed to maintain and improve language skills throughout the four years up to graduation, along with intensive language instruction through small-class teaching.
For students who have completed their foundational studies, intensive and semi-intensive courses are offered, along with specialized courses focused on specific skills such as speaking, writing, and reading (available classes vary by language).
In addition to the elective required subjects, beginner classes in Italian, Spanish, and Arabic are offered, enabling students to master a third or fourth foreign language.
Each foreign language class encourages students to take proficiency certification exams, allowing them to prepare accordingly based on the certification level.
Using the foreign languages they have studied, students can take advantage of various study abroad programs while also interacting with the many international students enrolled in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
General Education Courses
A wide variety of general education courses are also available. Over the course of the four-year program, students can freely choose courses to match their growing knowledge and personal development.
In addition to various lecture-based courses, we also offer smaller-sized courses such as “General Education Seminar,” “Global Leadership Seminar,” and “Humanities and Social Sciences Seminar.”