2010 Applicant Guidelines for Doctoral Programs(First Stage) of Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University
Importan t N o tice: The Japanese version of Applicant Guidelines for Doctoral Programs of Graduate Schoolof Information Science, Nagoya University serves as the official guidebook. This English translation is provided
only for applicants’ convenience. All notions should be understood as Japanese time, currency, regulations,organizations and so on, unless otherwise specified.
The Graduate School of Information Science invites applicants for admission to the first stage of doctoral
programs (equivalent to a master’s course) for the academic year 2010, in accordance with the following
guidelines.

1 . Qualifica tions f or Application
Applicants must meet one of the following conditions:(1) University graduates, or will graduate from university by March 31, 2010
(2) Persons who have obtained or will obtain, by March 31 2010, a bachelor’s degree from the National
Institution for Academic Degrees, which as specified by the School Education Law, Article 104, Section 4,
No.1(3) Persons who have completed, or will complete by March 31, 2010, 16 years of academic education in aforeign country(4) Persons who have completed, or will complete by March 31, 2010, 16 years of academic education in Japanthrough correspondence courses run by foreign educational institutes.
(5) Applicants who have completed an undergraduate course of a foreign university in Japan, which is an
educational establishment approved in that particular foreign country (the applicants must have completed
16 years of school education in their education system) and have qualifications approved by the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan(6) Applicants who have completed (or will complete by March 31, 2010) an advanced professional course of aprofessional training college. The course must fulfill the requirements set by the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (e.g., offering a minimum of four years of education) and berecognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as such. Applicants musthave graduated from the course after the date of approval by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science, and Technology.
(7) Persons who have qualifications approved by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology, Japan. (Notification No.5 of the Ministry of Education, 1953)(8) Persons who have completed or will complete more than 3 years at university by March 31, 2010 or those
who have completed 15 years of education in an education system in a foreign country or enrolled in aforeign university in Japan, which is approved by that foreign country’s school education system (theapplicants must be recognized to have completed 15 years in an the education system), and those who havequalifications approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan andwho have been recognized by our Graduate School as having excellent results of the required credits.
Note: Those who submit application forms on the basis of Qualifications for Application (8) above mustrefer to “Candidates Applying under the Qualifications for Application (8)” in page 9.
(9) Persons who will be 22 years of age or over as of March 31, 2010, and have been recognized by our Graduate
School, based on the results of individual examinations of the applicant’s qualifications, as having academic
abilities equivalent or superior to university graduates.
Note: Those who submit application forms on the basis of the Qualifications for Application (9) above must
contact the Graduate School by June 11, 2009

2. Numbers of S tudents to Be Admitted
Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics

19

Dept. of Information Engineering

26

Dept. of Media Science

24

Dept. of Complex Systems Science36

Dept. of Systems and Social Informatics

21

The numbers include the students enrolled in the IT Specialist Course, which is a common course in the-1-graduate school. The number of students in the IT Specialist Course is about 10 from the Dept. ofInformation Engineering and up to two from each of the other departments. For details of the IT Specialist
Course, refer to page 12.

3 . Application Period
Applications will be accepted between July 8(Wed.) and July 14 (Tue.), 2009 (except for Saturday and Sunday).
For applicants to the Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics who wish to take an oral
examination, applications will be accepted between June 11 (Wed.) and June 16 (Tue.), 2009.
Reception time is from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

4. Application Documents
Documents required for all applicants(1) Application Form (Complete form prescribed by our Graduate School)(2) Examination Card and Photograph Card (Complete cards prescribed by our Graduate School)(3) Objectives and study plan (Complete form prescribed by our Graduate School)(4) Personal History (Complete form prescribed by our Graduate School)(5) Receipt of Payment, Record of Receipt (Enter only your name in forms prescribed by our Graduate
School)(6) 2 self-addressed envelopes (one for sending Examination Card, the other for correspondence)
You must submit 2 self-addressed envelopes prescribed by our Graduate School with the address at which
you will receive the envelopes, prefecture code, and name. A 350-yen stamp should be attached to theenvelope for correspondence. (For oversea applicants who have difficulties to gain a 350-yen stamp, pleasecontact us.)(7) Address label (Write necessary items on label prescribed by our Graduate School)(8) Certificate for (prospective) graduation or a document certifying qualification for application(9) Official transcript of academic records (issued by your last university)(10) Examination fee (30,000 yen by postal money order, on which name and address of designated payee
should not be written) (For oversea applicants who have difficulties to gain postal money order, pleasecontact us.)Documents to be submitted preferably f or reference(1) If the applicant has a dissertation or other material that indicates his/her research abilities, it is desirable
to submit a copy of such material and, if necessary, an abstract.
(2) If a foreign applicant studying in Japan has taken the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, it is desirable
to submit a certificate or a score report. When submitting a copy, write “This document is identical to theoriginal” on the copy, which should then be signed and/or stamped with your seal.
(3) If the applicant has taken an English proficiency test (STEP, TOEIC, TOEFL etc.), it is desirable tosubmit a certificate or score report. When submitting a copy, write “This document is identical to theoriginal” on the copy, which should then be signed and/or stamped with your seal. The date of theexamination covered by the certificate or score report must be no earlier than April 1,2006.
Documents to be submitted in special cases(1) Applicants for Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics who wish to take the oral
examination should submit a form for the oral examination (written in the form prescribed by our
Graduate School), student handbook, a document which proves (prospective) graduation and the number ofcredits required for graduation (a copy is accepted). (Those who take the examination directly after
graduating from Nagoya University need not submit it.)
(2) Foreign applicants residing in Japan must submit an alien registration certificate issued by theirmunicipality office. However, those with permanent residency need not submit this document.
Overseas residents must submit a document certifying nationality and resident’s eligibility (for example, acopy of your passport showing nationality and resident status).
(3) Applicants serving in government and other public offices, companies and other organizations, and who
will remain in service even after enrollment, must submit the organization’s written consent regarding
application for admission (no prescribed form).

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5. Application Procedures
Applicants must put all documents required for application in the envelope prescribed by our Graduate
School for sending application documents, and submit to the Academic & Students Affairs Section, Graduate
School of Information Science or send it by registered mail.
Points of note
(1) In case submitting by hand, it is recommended that the applicant him/herself brings the documents(2) When sending by mail, it must reach the Office no later than 4:00 p.m., July 15 (Tue.), 2008 (June 17(Tue.) for applicants to the Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics who wish to take anoral examination) by registered mail.
(3) Admission tickets will be sent to the applicants by mail. (If the ticket does not arrive until two days before
the examination, please confirm it with the Academic and Students Affairs Section of the Graduate
School of Information Science.)(4) Be careful not to submit incomplete application documents since they will not be accepted.
(5) After an application has been filed, we will not allow any changes to application documents, nor refund
examination fees.

6. Selection
6.1 Outline of Selection Me thod
The method used for selection differs according to the department as shown below. Applicants for the IT
Specialist Course must take “written examination”.
A. Dept. of Information Engineering, Dept. of Media Science and Dept. of Systems, Dept. of Complex
Systems Science and Social Informatics
Successful applicants for admission to our departments will be selected on the basis of overall evaluation of
the result of “written and oral examinations” and application documents.
B. For Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics
Successful applicants will be selected on the basis of overall evaluation of the result of “oral examination”
or “Written and oral examinations” and application documents.
Among the applicants, those who are “in the 4th year of university and have obtained three quarters of
the credits necessary for graduation (except for optional and pedagogical subjects), and have received
Excellent or A in more than 50 percent of their credits can request to take the “oral examination.” Should
you wish to take the “oral examination,” you must submit the oral examination request form at the time of
application. From among those who wish to take the oral examination, applicants (who qualify) will beselected and take the “oral examination.” Successful applicants of the “oral examination” do not have totake “written and oral examinations.” However, unsuccessful applicants of the “oral examination” will haveto take “written and oral examinations.”
The “oral examination” will take place as long as it does not exceed the preset maximum number ofapplicants to undertake “oral examinations” and by respective departments. The result of selection will be
communicated to all the applicants who submitted the request form when sending the Examination Card.
In addition, the number of successful applicants for “oral examination,” though it differs from department
to department, is very low.

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Application
A

Information Engineering

B

Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics

Media Science
Complex Systems Science
Wish to take oral examination?

Systems and Social Informatics

No
Yes

Qualified to take oral examination?

No
Yes

Oral Examination

Successful in oral examination?
Unsuccessful
Successful

Written and Oral Examinations

Announcement of Admissions

Fig. Outline of Selection

6.2 Acceptance o f the Results o f External English Examinations
Those applicants who submitted results of external English examinations such as TOEIC (limited to open
examinations), TOEFL-PBT (Written examination of TOEFL), TOEFL-CBT (TOEFL examination bycomputer), and TOEFL-iBT (TOEFL examination by internet), the results will be converted to suit the levelof our Graduate School and will be compared with the result of the English examination of the entrance
examinations and the better result will be taken as the final result. However, for applicants who submit a
result of external examinations, it is optional to take the English examination of our Graduate School,provided that the result of external English examination will be taken as the final result.
The conversion table below was made by referring to the website of The Educational Testing Network
Service.
TOEIC

TOEFL-PBT

TOEFL-CBT

TOEFL-iBT

Converted score

395

433

120

40

40

495

468

147

51

50

590

501

173

61

60

690

536

203

74

70

790

570

230

88

80

890

605

250

100

90

990

640

273

111

100

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6. 3 Details of Selection Me thods(1) The schedules of ”Oral examination” and “Written and oral examination” are shown below.
(2) Announcement of the examination venues will be posted on the examination day at the entrance to the
Graduate School of Information Science building (see attached map).
(3) Applicants must arrive at the entrance to the Graduate School of Information Science building at least 30
minutes before the starting time of the examination and follow the instruction of the clerk in charge.
(4) Applicants can take “written examination” within 30 minutes late for starting time.
(5) On general principle, applicants cannot take “oral examination”, if being late for starting time.

A. Oral examination
July 11 (Sat.)The oral examination will comprise questions and answers about the subjects specified below for
approximately 30 minutes per person. The result will be communicated to the applicants by mail after
about one week.

Department

Time

Subject

Computer Science andMathematical Informatics

12:00 -

Basics about Mathematics or Computer Science, and the
major academic field of the professor with whom thecandidate wishes to work

B. Written examination
August 10 (Mon.)(1) English
10:00 - 11:00 for all candidates
One dictionary (English-Japanese or English to mother tongue) can be used. However, anelectronic dictionary or any dictionary that has more functions than permitted above, such
as Japanese-English dictionary, will not be allowed.
(2) Academic field
Note: Applicants wishing to take the IT Specialist Course must choose and answer “Programming”.
Examination subjects(Items in parentheses are topics to be covered.)

Department

Time

Computer Science andMathematical
Informatics

12:30 - 15:30

There will be 10-12 questions on the subjects below and you should
select three questions to be answered: Linear algebra, Calculus,
Discrete mathematics, Theory of computation, Mathematical logic,
Probability theory, Numerical analysis, Differential equation,
Quantum mechanics, Algorithm design method, Automata theory,
Programming (see Note in the margin)

Information
Engineering

12:30 - 15:30

Choose 3 subjects out of the following 6 subjects and give answers(see Note in the margin).
(1) Calculus/Linear algebra(2) Probability/Statistics(3) Programming(4) Fundamentals of computer science (Automata theory,
Mathematical logic, Discrete mathematics)(5) Computer hardware (Logic circuit, Computer hardware,
Computer architecture, Information network)(6) Computer software (Algorithm, Operating system, Compiler,
Nonprocedural language, Software design)-5-Department

Time

Subjects Question range is shown within brackets.

Media Science

12:30 - 15:30

Choose three subjects out of the following eight subjects and give
answers (see Note in the margin).
Calculus/Linear algebra
Probability/Statistics
Programming
Digital signal processing
Sensation/Perception (Questions on basic knowledge ofsensation/perception)
Learning/Memory (Questions on basic knowledge oflearning/memory)
Thinking/Problem solving (Questions on basic knowledge ofthinking/problem-solving)
Cognitive synthesis (Questions on sensation/perception,
learning/memory, thinking/problem-solving to test logical thinking
ability. Out of three essay tests, choose one to answer.)Complex Systems
Science

12:30 - 15:30

Out of about 20 questions from the following fields, choose 3questions to answer (see Note in the margin).
Basics of Mathematics: Linear algebra, Calculus
Basics of Physics: Dynamics, Electromagnetics, Quantum
mechanics, Statistical thermodynamics
Basics of Chemistry: Organic chemistry, Biochemistry, Physicalchemistry, Quantum chemistry
Basics of Biology: Molecular biology, Molecular genetics
Basics of Geoscience: Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry,
Geography
Basic of Information Science: Algorithm, Programming, Basics on
computer, Basics of complex system
Basics of Anthropology: Environmental archeology, Ecoanthropology, Scientific study of cultural property
Basics of Engineering: Strength of materials, Thermohydrodynamics, Measuring and control
Critical Thinking

Systems and Social
Informatics

12:30 - 15:30

Short essay (Requisite)
Choose 2 subjects out of the following 11 subjects to answer (seeNote in the margin).
Probability/Statistics
Programming
Data engineering (Database, Information management system)
Knowledge engineering (Knowledge processing, Patternized
information processing)
Digital signal conditioning
System software (Operating system, Information network)
Electronic sociology system (Electronic government and regional
informatization, Web system and CG, Information technology andeducation/museum)
Information design (Information and design, Visual literacy,
Media and art)
Basics of philosophy (History of philosophy, Philosophy of Science,
Ethics, Social philosophy, Aesthetics)
Logical thinking (Logic, Critical thinking)Informatics and society (Information and editing, Information andethics, Information and art)
For further details about content of the examinations, please referto the following website.
http://www.ss.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp/exam.html

Note: Programming is mandatory to those who apply for the IT Specialist Course.

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C. Oral Examination

August 11 (Tue.)
Department

Time

Dept. of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics

9:30 -

Dept. of Information Engineering

9:30 -

Dept. of Media Science

9:30 -

Department of Complex Systems Science

9:30 -

Department of Systems and Social Informatics

9:30 -

7. Announcement o f Admissions
Announcement of admissions will be posted at noon, August 17 (Mon.), 2009, at the entrance of the
Graduate School of Information Science building. The results will also be notified to each applicant by mail.

8. Registration Procedures
Registration procedures will be communicated to the prospective students in early March 2010. The
procedures should be carried out toward the end of March 2010.

9. Registration and Tui tion Fees
(1) Registration fee: 282,000 yen(2) Tuition fee: 267,900 yen for spring semester (535,800 yen for full year)
Note1: Registration fee should be paid at the time of enrollment. Tuition fee should be paid for Springsemester in April and for Fall semester in October.
Note2: Tuition shall be directly charged from the account specified by the “executing tuition payment”
that should be submitted during the registration procedure.
Note3: If tuition and other fees are revised at time of enrollment or while you are enrolled in our
graduate school, the revised payment amount will apply from the time of revision.

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10 . F or Overseas Applicants(1) Objectives and Study Plan may be written in English.
(2) Convenience for Written Examinations
English (Written
Examination)

Department (Written Examination)

Dept. of Computer Scienceand Mathematical Informatics

May answer in English(Use of one dictionary allowed)

Dept. of Information
Engineering

May answer in English
You may bring one dictionary such as aJapanese-English dictionary.( For specificTerminologies, hiragana and English
translation will be printed.)

Dept. of Media Science

Dept. of Complex Systems
Science

When translating Japanese
into English, hiragana will
be printed beside each kanji.
English-English dictionary
may be used instead ofEnglish to your mothertongue.

Dept. of Systems and Social
Informatics

May answer in English.
You may bring one dictionary such as aJapanese-English dictionary.( For specificTerminologies, hiragana and English
translation will be printed.)
May answer in English(Use of one dictionary allowed)
May answer in English.
You may bring one dictionary such as aJapanese-English dictionary.( For specificTerminologies, hiragana and English
translation will be printed.)

Note: Electronic dictionaries are not allowed.

1 1 . Other Points of N o te(1) If you have any questions about admissions to our Graduate School, such as application qualifications or
documents and selection process, please inquire in advance at the office below.
(2) For details of research activities of professors, visit our website below.
http://www.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp(3) Since Nagoya University restricts vehicle entry on to the campus, use public transportation when visiting
the University. for examinations.
(4) For information (Q & A) regarding admission, you may refer to: http://www.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp/exam-q-anda.html(5) Among unsuccessful applicants, those who desire so may learn the results of the examinations by subject.
Request should be made between : August 27 (Thu.) and September 4 (Fri.), 2009, from 10:00 to 16:00
hours. (Except for Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays)
Applications: Use the form for “Request for Entrance Examination Results”
prescribed by our Graduate School(6) We will use personal information such as address, name, birth date, etc. only for admission selection,
announcement of admissions, entrance procedures and related matters. We will strictly control personal
information and will not use it for any purpose without prior written permission.
Academic & Students Affairs Section
Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University
Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture464-8601
Tel. +81-52-789-4721/4722
Fax: +81-52-789-4800
http://www.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp/
E-mail: admission@is.nagoya-u.ac.up-8-

Candi dates A p p ly in g un der the Qu alifications for A p p l i cation (8)1 . Candidates Applying under the Qualifica tions f or Applica tion (8)Persons who have completed or will complete more than 3 years of university by March 31, 2009 or those
who have completed 15 years of education in an educational system in a foreign country or enrolled in aforeign university in Japan, which is approved by that foreign country’s school education system (theapplicants must be recognized to have completed 15 years in the education system), and those who havequalifications approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan and who
have also been recognized by our Graduate School as having excellent results in the required credits.

2. Application for Certificate o f Approval as Eligible Applicant
2.1 Application documents
Applicants under the Qualifications for Application (8) must either submit or mail the following documents
by or at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2008 to the Office of Student Affairs, Graduate School ofInformation Science, Nagoya University. The set of documents, if mailed, should have "Application for
Certificate of Approval as Eligible Applicant." written in red ink on the envelope, and be sent by registeredmail.
(1) Application Form for the application under Requirement (8)Note: Applicants must receive, fill out and sign the form prescribed by the Graduate School(2) Bibliography
Note: Applicants must receive, fill out and sign the form prescribed by the Graduate School(3) Official transcript of academic records (issued by applicant’s most recently enrolled university, until thefirst term of the third grade)(4) Document of recommendation by the applicant's academic advisor at his/her most recently enrolled
university (form not specified, written in Japanese or English)
2.2 Notification of the results
Applicants will be notified of the results by three days before the beginning date of the Application Period.

3 . Examinations and Application documents
3.1 First examination
Application documents: Persons who have been certified as eligible applicants in the examination ofqualifications above must submit the documents specified in 4. Application Documents for the application,
except (4) Personal History, (8) Certificate for graduation and (9) Official transcript of academic records.
Passing conditions: Acquisition of truly excellent score in the ordinary entrance examination for thegraduate school using the same problems and procedure as ordinary students in the written and oral
examinations.
3.2 Second examination
Application documents: Persons who have passed the first examination should submit the official transcriptof academic records for the third grade by March 5, 2010.
Passing conditions: The following two conditions must be satisfied. Entrance will not be approved if persons
who passed the first examination do not satisfy the following conditions.
(1) Having earned a minimum of three-fourths of the required credits for a bachelor's degree by
the end of his/her third year.
(2) Highest ranked grades (i.e. having earned 80 points or more out of 100) in a minimum of 70 percent ofsubjects listed on his/her grade transcript (excluding elective subjects and subjects graded only by pass or failfrom the denominator).

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Nagoy a University Gr adu at e S chool of Information Science Basic Ph ilo sophy
Along with the spread of the information society, “Information” has itself become a vital partof our current lives ranking alongside materialistic things and energy as important elementsthat make up our human society. Th e Graduate School of Information Science will treat“Information” as a study approached from the diverse perspectives of engineering, naturalscience, computer science, human science, social science, cognitive science and life science withthe aim of creating an entirely new field that integrates existing studies. The Graduate School
has the educational goal of training researchers, high-level specialist engineering
professionals and instructors needed in our information society. A yet further and deeper
educational goal is the fostering of individuals having a deep core of academic knowledge andtop-ranking capabilities needed for holding their own in an occupation requiring a
sophisticated level of expertise acquired by education and research into both the theoreticaland applied aspects of our information society, as well as able to contribute to a richer culture.
The basic policy of the Graduate School is not only developing human talent capable ofcarrying out cutting edge research on the frontiers of information science, while having a
sense of societal ethics through an understanding the interaction of society and culture; but
also to engage in systematic instructional and research efforts that incorporate diverse new
efforts and approaches.

 Educ ation
It is expected that “information” studies will continue to develop in parallel with various otheracademic fields it concerns. For this reason, we accept students from many majors andbackgrounds. This is because the goal is to include a wide range of students in the work teamfrom basic to applied information sciences. Our educational program takes place according to
the following policy.
1. Systematic education to broadly learn about information.
2. Education to acquire skills to identify and clarify the effects of information invarious sciences.
3. Education on technological, engineering and information ethics, withconsideration to how it applies within the scope of social life.
4. Education to acquire skills to understand and analyze social demands.
5. Education to develop human resources with the potential of good communicationand expression skills.
6. Education to acquire practical knowledge on how to actually operate an
information system.
As it is apparent, this program not only focuses on advanced studies and research on
information science. Instead, it also incorporates social and cultural aspects of life, to develop
human talent capable of understanding sociocultural needs with insight on social ethics. The
curriculum is original and reflects these policies. An example would be the multi-supervisorysystem for each student, so students can acquire a wide perspective of their needs. It is also
mandatory for students to take courses from other departments to earn credits for this course.
Students also have access to special lectures on the most advanced, recent topics by part-time
lecturers. There are also research internship programs with enterprises for students toexperience the entire flow of research and development. The Graduate School of Information
Science is also promoting new educational styles such as “OJL Centered Education for
Leading Information Technology Professionals”.
OJL: On the Job Learning- 10 -

 A dm ission Policy
We welcome students who have a strong will and the necessary academic abilities to understand theinfluence of information science on science and society, to investigate their theories and technicalfoundations and to try to apply them in practice DegreeIn the first stage of the doctorate course in our Graduate School, those who have completed requisite studies
will be awarded the degree Master of Information Science. However, under certain circumstances, Master ofEngineering or Master of Arts could also be awarded.

 Ou t line of Departments
Our Graduate School comprises the Department of Computer Science and Mathematical Informatics,
Department of Information Engineering, Department of Media Science, Department of Complex Systems
Science and Department of Systems and Social Informatics. In regard to the names and contacts ofprofessors and researchers in respective departments, please refer to http://www.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp/

1) Department of Comp uter Science and Mathematical Informatics
Our Department conducts study and research in the basic domain of Computer Science including design,
analysis and efficiency in information processing, as well as in the domain of Mathematical Informatics,
which aims to apply information-related domains through construction and analysis of mathematical models
of various phenomena.
The nucleus of our Department consists of the basic domain of Computer Science including Algorithm
Theory, Computation Theory, Logical representation of Knowledge, Mathematical Science related toInformation Science especially applications to study of algebra and its application to coding theory andcryptography, mathematical logic and computation theory, quantum computing theory, construction ofmathematical models and research of numerical analysis, and the domain of probability analysis and its
application to information theory.
In brief, in our Department, selected scholars are nurtured as highly specialized engineers and researchers
in Basic Information Science.

2) Department of Information En gi neering
In this department, we study and research optimal hardware and software for user-friendly and secure
information systems by using information engineering methodology. We concern ourselves with the designand development of such information engineering systems.
Furthermore, based upon the experience of study and research in our Department of Information
Engineering, formerly in the Faculty of Engineering, which accommodating the remarkable development ofsemiconductor integrated circuit technology and information communication technology, we aim to create
further developments in information engineering.
Through the development of semiconductor integrated circuit technology, compact size information systems
and integrated systems are embedded in machinery such as home electrical appliances and automobiles.
Such information processing machinery is, in turn, connected to a mega-sized information system, and canbe used in the mobile environment. As a result the software architecture which underpins the information
system being constructed becomes larger and more complex.
In this department, by providing education and study of principles and technology, which can be applied tothe design and construction of information systems for the next generation, we hope to nurture specialists
who will be able to take leading roles as highly advanced information engineers and scientists.

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3) Department of Media Science
Information plays a major role in various human activities in industry, economy, society, education, art,
medicine/social welfare, and the home. In such an information-based society, information needs to be
produced and expressed swiftly with precision.
In this Department, our purpose is to study and research the basics of media science, the creation of
intelligent machinery which process and express media, and to study ways to clarify the recognition functionof human beings that are indispensable in developing a functional information society, and eventually hopeto nurture competent media scientists and media engineers.

4) Comp lex Systems Science
Complex systems in nature and society comprise the network of many and varied elements such as molecules,
neurons, agents which can communicate, convert and accumulate information, and which can therefore beunderstood as a distributive information system. A main feature of such complex systems is to generate
dynamically and autonomously an order structure and function, which cannot be expected from the basic
component’s features.
Complex systems science, by deeming self-organization process of such order and function as information
processing, aims to acquire a universal viewpoint. The objective is to investigate various natural and artificial
systems and through synthesizing theories, experiments and computation methods, we will attempt to clarify
the principle of universal information processing, which is hidden in varied objects.
In this course, we will study the development of innovative computation methodologies to analyze complex
systems without using established reductionist methodology, but we will develop constructive method by“understanding by creating” model systems. By opening up distributive methodology which designs
information systems based on self-organization of distributed elements, we hope to nurture engineers andscientists who are able to initiate new ideas through using organization theory thinking and distributive
thinking.

5) Department of Systems and Social Informatics
In this Department, the social environment in which development of information technology enhances aninformation-intensive society, our research takes the viewpoint of physical matter/phenomena of the realworld and fusion of logical objectives/processes. The study will be focused on environment, organization, andfunction which are cooperatively and complementarily fusion-capable and which are organized by the realworld and virtual world that is superior for human society. Paradigm or model that fosters, creates andeducates humans as well as that which is related to the construction of activity space supported by human
wisdom and creative action is already established. Therefore, we would like to explore construction andarchitecture of a social system that is knowledge-dependent through the use of information technology, andfor another, we would like to evaluate and consider the various problems that are generated in the social
environment and social organization through the development of information technology. This will lead toresearch into the human role and organization of human society in an integrated space between the realworld and virtual world.
In this course, from the standpoint of nurturing human resources that can meet the needs of the informationage, we would like to raise for the awareness of the importance of information processing education,
information technology development/application, functional design/development of social information systems,
databases for social information environment, and development/construction of a user interface. Thus, we
aim to educate competent personnel who can actively support and develop the information society.

 IT Specialist Course
1) Education of the course
IT (Information Technology) Specialist Course provides an advanced curriculum to educate
high level IT engineers. Lectures in the course are for studying deep knowledge about
concepts, theories and methods behind the technology of information andcommunications. One of the most characteristic subjects of the course is OJL (On the Job
Learning). Beside being advised by the faculty of the graduate school, students also
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participate in software development projects which are conducted by project managers fromenterprises, and are advised by the faculty of the graduate school. OJL can be seen as
amalgamation of PBL (Project Based Learning) and OJT (On the Job Training). OJL
enhances the abilities to apply the knowledge obtained from the lectures to real softwaredevelopment and to evolve the technology. Students thus can cultivate the meta knowledge
and technology for software development through OJL. Certificates of IT Specialists areconferred to students who achieve the credits designated by the course.
2) Establishment and continuation of the course
The Graduate School of Information Science is pursuing the educational project called On the
Job Learning Centered Education for Advanced Engineers (OCEAN, for short), which was
adopted as part of the Advanced IT Specialist Promotion Program initiated by the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for three and half years from October
2006 to March 2010. For details of OCEAN, please refer to web page of OCEAN;
http://www.ocean.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
The IT Specialist Course was established through the project OCEAN as a common course of
five different majors in the graduate school. After the project OCEAN ends
in 2010, thecourse will still exist but with modification and extension in its curriculum.
3) Relationship with the major
Those who show interest in the course at the entrance exam of Doctoral Programs (First
Stage) of Graduate School of Information Science, and have passed the exam, are eligible totake the subjects of the curriculum of the course. The students of the course are to belong to
the major that they have passed and can graduate from the doctoral program (first stage) on
the condition they get the credits of the course and the ones specified by their respective
majors, and pass the master degree defense.
4) Declination of the course
The students can decline the course if they take the declination procedure before the end of
the first semester of the first year.
5) Contact details
For contact details, see the website of the Graduate School of Information Science;
http://www.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp.

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