General Education Courses
ICU General Education Courses are not simply introductory courses. They represent the opportunity to learn about various academic fields and gain exposure to the quintessence of Liberal-Arts. Therefore, General Education Courses are made available throughout all four years of undergraduate study, depending on individual interests or learning progress. By taking these courses alongside Specialized Courses, it is possible to view one's major field of study from a different perspective, and understand it in relation to other fields of study.
Key Points of General Education
Students can take General Education Courses throughout all four years.
ICU General Education Courses can be taken throughout all four years of undergraduate study, depending on students' interests. The courses are characterized by their flexibility. They can be selected in accordance with one's interests, to learn the essence and applicability of a field before pursuing the field as one's major or to connect one's major field of study to a different field.
Faculty teaching Specialized Courses also teach General Education Courses.
At ICU, faculty members who teach Specialized Courses also teach General Education Courses. They share the essence of research and knowledge that expands from their fields of expertise even with first-year students and students taking different majors. Faculty members respond to students' desire to learn through their scholarship and ways of living.
Students can learn broadly and deeply.
No field of academic specialization exists independently of other fields. By going beyond the boundaries of specialized fields and looking at a bigger picture, it becomes possible to learn even more deeply.
Students learn to consider issues from multiple perspectives.
The first step in learning is to realize that there are always other viewpoints and ways of thinking. Through General Education Courses, students become aware of issues and consider methods for approaching them from multiple perspectives.
Taking General Education Courses
General Education Courses must be selected from multiple areas. In principle, one course is worth three credits. In addition to the mandatory course Introduction to Christianity, students choose courses from the following categories: humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and Liberal Arts Seminar - a small-class seminar course - in order to earn a total of 15 credits (ELA students must earn at least 21 credits.)
Introduction to Christianity
Introduction to Christianity is the only course for which completion is mandatory for all ICU students. It is offered in Japanese and English. Course content differs depending on faculty members, but the common objective of the course is to have students understand the basics of Christianity, consider its ideological significance and issues, and perceive Christianity in relation to other religions and cultures. An attractive feature of this course is the opportunity to deepen understanding of other ideologies and religions.
Traditional Areas of Study: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences
Each general education course is interdisciplinary, but each area has its own characteristics; "Humanities" deals with human nature and representation, "Social Sciences" deals with social systems, culture and history, and "Natural Sciences" deals with mathematical ideas and science. By taking these three areas, students will be able to gain an even more interdisciplinary perspective.