Special Issue
Professionalization and University
Some Thought Concerning the Concept of ‘Professional School’
2004 Volume 7 Pages 7-21
Details
2004 Volume 7 Pages 7-21
The first part of this article explains the meaning of the theme : “Professionalization and University”. The knowledge-driven society compels universities to develop new types of professional education.
In the following parts I will examine the change of the legal rules of Japanese graduate schools and the impact of Houka Daigakuin (Japanese law school) system to the formation of Senmonshoku Daigakuin (Japanese professional graduate school) system. Then I discuss the differences between Senmonshoku Daigakuin and American professional school system. The latter should be the model of the former. But the founders of Senmonshoku Daigakuin system do not understand what is ‘profession’ and what is ‘professional’.
Finally I find that one but fundamental reason of the said misunderstanding comes from the Japanese language. We use vocabulary imported from China as academic language. There are, however, no words suited for ‘profession’ and professional in it.
