Graduate School

  The demand for females who have training in research work and advanced knowledge in specialized fields of science has been increasing steadily and will continue to do so in the 21st century. In order to meet the demand, the master's program(the first stage of the doctoral program) of the Graduate School of Science was established in 1996 and the second stage of the doctoral program started in 1998. It was the first graduate school of science of private women's universities in Japan.

  The Graduate School of Science consists of two Divisions: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Material and Biological Sciences.

  The Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences offers not only mathematical science, physical science and molecular science but also bordering disciplines including information science. This Division is divided into three Subdivisions: Mathematical Structure, Mathematical and Physical Information, and Structural Physical Property. The above disciplines, however, are considered as integrated from the viewpoint of the structural nature of the disciplines and this is characteristic of this Division. Through training in programs of this Division, each student is expected to obtain her specific achievement together with a broad perspective on related sciences. In the fall of every year, students of the first and second grade of the first stage of the doctoral program are requested to present their learning and research plans to deepen their own understanding of their goals. In the second stage of the doctoral program the same kind of meeting will be held to improve students' research strategies for completing dissertations.

  In the Division of Material and Biological Sciences, students are expected to under-stand the functional nature of various material and biological systems, and focus their inquiry on a specialized problem in this broad field, including not only basic chemistry or biology, but also interdisciplinary studies, such as molecular biology, environmental science or physical chemistry. This Division consists of three Subdivisions: Material Function, Cellular and Molecular Function, and Physiological and Molecular Function, each providing several courses. Although each student is expected to concentrate her effort on her own
research, she is also encouraged to learn as many subjects from different disciplines as she wants, so that she can acquire the ability to see her research in its right perspective. In the fall of every year, students of the first grade of the first stage of the doctoral program are requested to present their research plans and strategies, and those of the second grade present interim reports on their master's theses. All faculty members and students attend both meetings and each presentation arouses animated discussion. This helps students to improve their research plans for completing dissertations and at the same time, to deepen their understanding and interests about various scientific problems. The same kind of meeting will be held in the second stage of the doctoral program.

  Thus, the aim of this Graduate School of Science is to train creative specialists with a broad scientific outlook, so that they can work actively in various professions after graduation.