Contemporary Trends of Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Japan

Abstract

　 It is very important to take the integrated curriculum and common core into consideration in formulating an educational program with a view to awarding a bachelor’s degree. The purpose of this paper is to examine from the above two perspectives the structure of undergraduate curriculum, that is, the connection between liberal or general education and specialized education in Japan.

　 The re-analysis of existing investigation data collected in 1994 and 2001 on national universities and the result of an investigation conducted in 2003 lead to the following findings :

　 1. Curriculum requirements for liberal or general education vary from one discipline to another.

　 2. Elementary courses for specialized education and learning of study skills constitute the greater part of liberal or general education.

　 3. Organically integrating liberal or general education with specialized education means that the contents of liberal or general education are largely dominated by specialized education.

　 4. The concept and contents of liberal or general education have been interpreted in various ways since 1991 when the Standards for the Establishment of Universities were broadened. Accordingly, these trends have been intensified.　 Consequently, a demand for integrated curriculum based on specialized education is doing great harm to the commonality of undergraduate curriculum that should be intended to provide students with common learning.