Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU) will offer a full undergraduate course in Biological Sciences (School of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Urban Liberal Arts) taught entirely in English starting from the students who will be admitted in April 2015. All the credits necessary for completing the course can be obtained by taking lectures and seminars provided in both English and Japanese. Students can choose to combine lectures given in both languages.  

This program is unique in that it will provide an English-language option for a full undergraduate curriculum already provided in Japanese, a challenge unprecedented throughout Japan. It will make a huge contribution to the development of human resources combining highly specialized knowledge with proficiency in English communication.

1.Background and features

-With the increasing globalization of economic society, more and more universities in Japan are offering full programs in English. Most of these programs given in English, however, are intended for exchange students from overseas as the main target or programs in faculties and schools that were originally established with the aim of internationalization.

-This new attempt by TMU Biological Sciences Department is to provide an English-language option for a full undergraduate curriculum already provided in Japanese. The English option will be provided in parallel with the original Japanese program, allowing students to choose lectures from the two languages. This is a new attempt with hardly any other example found in Japan. We believe it will provide a new model for globalizing highly specialized education.

2.Features of the curriculum

-Since the program is an English-language option for an existing Japanese program in Biological Sciences, the contents of the curriculum is the same as the original Japanese program, encompassing all levels of biology from molecular and cellular levels to individual organisms, ecology and taxonomy. The subject of these studies will include organisms ranging from microorganisms, plants and animals.

-Lectures will be provided parallel in both English and Japanese using different time slots. Experiments, practical training and research programs will also be provided in English but sharing the same laboratory with students taking their classes in Japanese. A variety of liberal arts programs will also be provided in English.

-It is up to the students whether they will take all the classes in English or take some of the classes in English and the rest in Japanese. The credit for a certain class can only be earned in either language, but there are cases where students can attend the same class in both English and Japanese taught by the same lecturer.

-The admission system and entrance examination will also remain the same. However, applicants who do not understand Japanese or who are more fluent in English than Japanese may apply for special examinations in English depending on their educational background (returnees, privately funded exchange students, general applicants with recommendations).

* For more details please refer to the attached leaflet or visit our website below

(Search by "Biological Sciences" "English curriculum")

  Website : http://www.biol.se.tmu.ac.jp/global/index.html