ABOUT

Message from the Dean Faculty Introduction Educational Goal Policies History Facilities

Message from the Dean

KOYAMA Keiichi (Ph.D.)
Dean & Professor of Physics and Astronomy Program

Beyond Advanced Science

Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University is historic, having its origins in the “Department of Science in 7th higher school Zoshikan” founded in 1901. Dr. Isamu Akasaki, a Nobel Prize winner in physics in 2014, and a doctor emeritus at Kagoshima University, also graduated from the 7^th higher school. The passion for advanced science initiated from the 7^th higher school, continued through the Faculty of Arts and Science, and is progressing still in the today’s Department of Science, Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University. Students who learned advanced science at Faculty of Science have grown up to researchers, educators, and engineers, and have been involved actively at the forefront of their fields, both domestically and internationally.

In Faculty of Science, five educational programs in advanced science are offered for high school students who are interested in mathematics, informatics, and science to study advanced science. These educational programs consist of “Mathematics and Informatics Program” for students interested in mathematics and information mathematics, “Physics and Astronomy Program” to study theoretical and experimental physics and astronomy, “Chemistry Program” to learn functional molecular chemistry, organic biochemistry, and environmental analysis, “Biology Program” to understand life function and diversity, and “Earth Science Program” for students to understand geological processes and island arc-related volcanology. Faculty members who are conducting advanced research in each program will guide you directly toward the educational and research goals. Let us explore the undiscovered scientific fields beyond advanced science together at the Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University.

Faculty Introduction

Science is an academic field in which efforts are made to find the truth that lurks in natural phenomena.
The natural laws revealed by science have accumulated in the database of human wisdom, supported the development of science and technology, and enriched our lives. However, rapid scientific progress also has bad influence and created new issues regarding our environment and energy. To overcome those challenges, it is essential to pursue scientific truths and develop science further from its basics. The Faculty of Science is blessed with natural geographical characteristics of the southern Kyushu and conducts the latest education and research in the fields of natural sciences.

Educational Goal

The Faculty of Science aims to develop human resources and to equip them with the ability to grasp and solve various scientific problems.
For example:

To be able to build a professional career that can take a creative and leading role;
To have advanced research and technical capabilities that can tackle and take challenge to as-yet-unknowns.

Policies

Diploma Policy

Based on Kagoshima University’s policy of awarding degrees and the educational goals of the Faculty of Science, a bachelor’s degree will be granted to students who have acquired the following abilities and obtained the prescribed credits.

ability to work on various scientific issues in a multifaceted and holistic way with a high sense of ethics and from a global perspective;
ability to investigate, analyze and discover problems from a scientific viewpoint;
ability to think flexibly (thinking from the 'seeds'), using the knowledge, academic ability and expertise in their specialized field, and the ability to solve problems autonomously and practically;
ability to communicate effectively and work with others including those who are from fields other than their specialization.

Curriculum Policy

In order to develop human resources equipped with the abilities outlined in the diploma policy, the Faculty of Science will provide systematic curricula from the first year until graduation based on the following policy.

develop human resources who have a wide range of educational and international sense through General Educational Subjects;
provide the basic scientific knowledge in a multidisciplinary way through the Common Subjects;
provide advanced knowledge and experimental methods, and develop the ability to think, in their specialized fields through the Specialized Subjects offered by each Program;
develop the ability to explore problems, spirit of team work, sense of ethics, communication skills, and ability to make oneself understood properly through the Special Research, Special Exercise, and Reading of Academic Papers offered by each Program;
offer an opportunity to obtain teacher’s and curator’s license through the Subjects for Certification.

Admission Policy

have the basic knowledge and understanding about natural sciences and excellent academic ability in science;
work proactively on finding and solving problems, have intellectual curiosity, and a spirit of inquiry;
have a broad academic perspective and adaptability, and contribute to the development of science in harmony with nature.

History

March 1901	Foundation of the Seventh Higher School (Zoshikan).
June 1945	Burning of the school buildings due to a large-scale air raid, except some parts that survived.
January 1946	Relocated of the school to Takaono village in Izumi, and reopening of the teaching activities.
September 1947	Moving back to Kagoshima city.
May 1949	Birth of various departments, e.g, The Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Agriculture, and Faculty of Fisheries. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences comprised the Departments of Sociology, Literature, and Science.
April 1952	Burning of the building of the General Education Department due to a large-scale fire.
1955~ 1958	Moving to Korimoto Campus.
1964	Ministry of Education decided to reorganize the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in order to accommodate the first-generation baby boomers.
1965	The Faculty of Science was established comprising with four departments (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Geology).
1976	Department of Biology was added.
1977	Graduate School of Science (Master’s Course) was established.
1986	The enrollment capacity was temporarily expanded to respond the second-generation baby boom.
1997	With the abolition of the General Education Department, other departments were reorganized into four departments, i.e., Mathematics and Information Science, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry and Bioscience, and Earth and Environmental Sciences. The teaching staff of natural sciences of the General Education Department were affiliated with the Faculty of Science. Courses were taught by several professors for large number of attendants.
1998	Integration of the Graduate school of Science and Graduate school of Engineering into the Graduate School of Science and Engineering (to conduct Master’s and Doctoral courses).
2000	Establishment of the VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) observation station at Iriki town.
2001	Foundation of the graduate school in collaboration with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
2004	Reorganized as the National University Corporation Kagoshima University
2020	Reorganization as a Department of Science of the Faculty of Science into five Programs (Mathematics and Informatics, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science).

25 October 1901
Glimpse at the opening day of the Seventh Higher School (Zoshikan) at the front of the main building of the former Tsurumaru Castle.

Presently, the premise is used by the Kagoshima Prefectural Museum of Culture Reimeikan.

Facilities

HP of the Nansei-Toko Observatory for Earthquakes and Volcanoes

HP of the Amanogawa Galaxy Astronomy Research Center