The basic philosophy of the Faculty of Science Division II is the "advancement of science," which has been the spirit of the university ever since its foundation, and meritocracy, which is an educational policy for enabling only students who have acquired true merit to graduate. The university has a history of over 130 years, going back to education based on evening classes at the time of its establishment as the Tokyo Butsurigaku Koshujo (Tokyo Academy of Physics). This represents the history itself of the Faculty of Science Division II, and this mentality is still carried on today. In Japan, which has adopted the slogan of being a "science and technology-oriented country" and orients the development of the country and global contribution as its targets, science which is the foundation of science and technology, is taking an increasingly important position. The meaning of the spirit behind the "advancement of science" still stands today. What makes the Faculty of Science Division II different from Division I is simply the fact that classes are held in mainly in the evenings. Accordingly, the educational goal of this faculty is the same as that of Division I, which is "cultivation of human resources who have acquired advanced specialized knowledge on top of sufficient fundamental scholastic ability, and who possess a strong sense of ethics and abundant human qualities that are backed by an enriched education."
Faculty of Science Division II
Dean, Takeo SASAKI
The Faculty of Science Division II is built upon two key principles: the
The Faculty of Science Division II differs from Division I only in the fact that its courses are held in the evening. The actual curriculum is virtually identical to that of Division I, providing a normal four year undergraduate degree. The general makeup of the students in the Faculty of Science Division II is about 20% working adults and 80% regular students. Because the percentage of working adults is high compared with a faculty whose classes are held during the day, the intensity of the classes is different. For example, because some students attending classes are working in development-related areas of their companies, this has the effect of elevating the sophistication and focus of the questions asked in class. This is not something one encounters often in daytime classes, and it is extremely stimulating for both the instructors and the students. Further, because the aim of many of the students in the Faculty of Science Division II is to become junior and senior high-level educators, a great deal of information sharing and exchange goes on related to obtaining teaching licenses and taking employment tests. The fact that the Faculty of Science Division II attracts such a diverse group of people is a key source of its strength.
Instruction within the Faculty of Science Division II is centered on full-time Division II educational faculty who are also active on the cutting edge of research. In addition, all of the instructors within the Faculty of Science Division II have a great deal of experience with the needs and operation of evening course education. Many of the electives, teacher training courses and other course offerings are also made available to be taken as daytime classes as well.
It is my hope that those students who are preparing for their university entrance examinations, their parents or guardians, as well as their educators, will replace the existing image they may have of the Faculty of Science Division II as a night school with an image of it as a new, effective and flexible educational option for all lifestyles.
