TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Course description and aims

Research in science and technology at the top level of the world requires several key abilities: (1) extensive
knowledge beyond his/her own discipline, (2) transferring skills and creativity to utilize other fields’ research, (3)
interdisciplinary ability and spirit to build his/her own network with diverse fields of specialists.
Students of this course will manage “Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses” for themselves to acquire these abilities.
More concretely, manage a corresponding course (lectures, small-group work, poster presentation), and conduct
PR activities of the course results.
The purpose of this course is to create a forum which facilitates knowledge exchange among doctoral students
through designing “Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses” for themselves. Students will learn the trends of advanced
and interdisciplinary research and how to collaborate with diverse fields of scholars.
This course is offered in English. Students need to communicate in English with other students from a variety of
specialties and with different background.
This course will develop students’ ability to:
(1) Address social issues with their expertise;
(2) Collaborate with members from diverse background;
(3) Understand research ethics and codes of conducts for researchers;
(4) Create intellectual exchange opportunities;
Then, this course hopes to create and expand human network, centered on doctoral students, in Tokyo Tech.

Student learning outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) address social issues with their expertise;
2) collaborate with members from diverse background;
3) understand research ethics and codes of conducts for researchers;
4) create intellectual exchange opportunities;
5) contribute to create and expand human network, centered on doctoral students, in Tokyo Tech.
6) manage lectures of specialists who conduct advanced and interdisciplinary studies.
7) manage the poster presentation conference and summarize the results of their group-work.
Then, students will develop leadership, abilities to conduct interdisciplinary research, and communication skills.

Keywords

advanced and interdisciplinary research, Group Work, Leadership, Collaboration, Researchers ethics, Social issues

Competencies that will be developed

Class flow

Up to 210 students in total can register for “Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses” offered in the same quarter. In
case over 300 students apply for the courses, registration will be restricted (See "Prerequisites" and "Note" below).
Two successive sessions will take place on every other Saturday basically（Scheduled on 2020 October17, 31, November14, 28).The first session starts at 9:00am.
The first class starts at 9:00am by using the Zoom application.

Course schedule/Required learning

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

None required.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

“Code of Conduct for Researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology” (Tokyo Institute of Technology
Committee on Measures to Prevent Research Misconduct, Established November 21, 2008 / Revised August 23,
2013), https://www.titech.ac.jp/about/policies/efforts/activities/pdf/koudou_pamphlet_201605.pdf [Retrieved
January 4, 2020]

Assessment criteria and methods

Students will be assessed by participation and reports.

Related courses

• LAH.C601 ： Independent Studies Courses1
• LAH.C602 ： Independent Studies Courses2
• LAH.C603 ： Independent Studies Courses3
• LAH.C604 ： Independent Studies Courses4
• LAH.C611 ： Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses1
• LAH.C612 ： Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses2
• LAH.C614 ： Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses4
• LAH.C615 ： Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses5
• LAH.C616 ： Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses6

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR 3Q: October 9 12:00 PM
The result of the restriction of registration will be announced on 14 October at 17:00
Please check information on the temporary WEB site of Institution for Liberal Arts. [http://bunkei.ila.titech.ac.jp/600PG_guide.html]
Students are expected to commit themselves to the course, and to do the group work inside as well as outside the classroom.
【important notice】
Path-breaking Liberal Arts Courses are offered on Saturday mornings. They consist of four classes, each of which includes two 100-minute sessions. After creating groups in the first and the second classes, students will engage in group work in the second and the third classes. Students will give poster presentations and participate in a mini symposium in the fourth class.

Since presentation and group work are focused in this course, please examine class schedules for each quarter on course syllabi, and take a course all four classes of which you will be able to attend.
(Scheduled on 2020 October17, 31, November14, 28).


Please attend all four classes. You may miss (a part of) one class out of the four classes due to unforeseen circumstances that have taken place after the relevant quarter began. If you miss two or more classes, you will not get credit for the course.

If you have to miss one of the first three classes, contact your instructor in advance (if not, do so as soon as possible after the class), and explain the reason of your absence. Then contact your group members and contribute to the group work outside the classroom. Study the material covered by the lecture for yourself, and submit a report to the instructor, following his/her instructions; for the contents and the form of the report, see below. The report must be written in English, and must be submitted within two weeks from the class you have missed. If you fail to do so, you will not get credit for the course.
If you have to miss the fourth class, contact your instructor in advance (if not, do so as soon as possible after the class), and explain the reason for your absence. Then submit a report to him/her, following his/her instructions; for the contents and the form of the report, see below. The report must be written in English, and must be submitted within two weeks from the fourth class. If you fail to do so, you will not get credit for the course.

Contact information (e-mail and phone)    Notice : Please replace from "[at]" to "@"(half-width character).

the office of Institute for Liberal Arts.
600gp3q[at]ila.titech.ac.jp
When you need to contact by e-mail, please add the heading "#600P" to the title of the e-mail message.

Other

NB The above syllabus was written in March, when the course was going to be held in normal classrooms. As the course is to be offered online this academic year, however, some of the contents may be modified.
PhD. course students have to take any two class of Independent Studies Courses (from 1A/1B to 4A/4B) or Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses (from 1A/1Bto 4A/4B) for two credits. Scheduled on .
NOTICE: We strongly recommend to register an Independent Studies Courses and a Path Breaking Liberal Arts Courses at first academic year.
REASON: Independent Studies Courses 5,6,7,8 and Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses 4,5,6 will be listed enabling for the students who had registered an Independent Studies Courses or Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses at the same Q, to register another Courses in the Next Year. (It may be a rare case.) Independent Studies Courses at the same Q (1A/B～4A/B) are the same program, not independently open.(It is applicable to Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses.)
The restricting registration will be taken based on the number of students by total number without distinction of academic year.

This course is scheduled on 2020 October17, 31, November14, 28.

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR 3Q: October9 12:00 PM
The result of the restriction of registration will be announced on 14 October at 17:00