“Education Purpose and Research” and “Three Policies”

"Education Purpose and Research" and "Three Policies" of the Department of Automotive Science

Education Purposes

 This department strives to train highly skilled personnel who can solve cutting-edge, complex issues, such as those on automobiles and cutting-edge technology, automobiles and human beings and society, and automobiles and the environment/energy, from the perspective of automotive science, by integrating knowledge extending over areas from engineering to social sciences, to create a new automotive society.

Diploma Policy

Master’s program:
 Students who complete this program will have the following skills and knowledge: firstly, the ability and expertise to play a central role in automobile-related fields in industry and at research institutes, governmental agencies and other organizations; secondly, the skills necessary to apply their expertise in one or more subjects they majored in, such as applied chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, psychology and economics, to automobile research & development and policymaking.
 Specifically, the above skills and knowledge comprise the following:
(1) Knowledge and understanding:
- To illustrate the relationship between subjects they majored in, such as applied chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, psychology and economics, and automobile research & development and business management;
- Of the process and methods to embody the demand for next-generation automobiles in real-life automobiles and automobile-related policies.
(2) Skills:
(2-i) Expertise:
- To embark on an effort to specifically solve problems by using technical knowledge obtained in studying their main major, if a policy toward solution is provided;
- To explain the roles and limitations of their field of expertise to other experts in adjacent areas of expertise when working in a team with experts in different fields.
(2-ii) General aptitude:
- To manage the process of assigned tasks;
- To correctly understand the meaning of requests or demands from other experts in different fields when working in collaboration with experts in different fields to solve problems;
- To use their ingenuity to facilitate the progress of the tasks assigned to them in a situation where they need to manage a project.
(3) Attitude and orientation:
- Toward identifying people’s needs for next-generation automobiles with an interest in social situations and cultures both within Japan and overseas;
- Toward interest in trends in different areas, regardless of their expertise, to obtain necessary skills and information.

Doctoral program
 Students who complete this program will have the following skills and knowledge: firstly, the ability and expertise to play a leading role in creating new value in automobile-related fields in industry and at research institutes, governmental agencies and other organizations; secondly, the skills to develop a new methodology in automobile research & development and policymaking, based on their expertise in one or more subjects they majored in, such as applied chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, psychology and economics.
 Specifically, the above skills and knowledge comprise the following:
(1) Knowledge and understanding:
- To make knowledge of their major subjects, such as applied chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, psychology and economics, work as core competency and to propose new method or approach in automobile research & development and business management;
- To offer a new direction for embodying the demand for next-generation automobiles in real-life automobiles and automobile-related policies.
(2) Skills:
(2-i) Expertise:
- To analyze automobile-related issues from the standpoints of experts in their major and to propose solutions to such problems.
- To discuss solutions with experts in different fields and propose cross-cutting approach to the problems.
(2-ii) General aptitude:
- To discover automobile-related social issues and needs, organize and resolve them into individual academic fields, and design project plans.
- To run an organization from the standpoint of an expert.
(3) Attitude and orientation:
- To earn credibility as an expert in the field, develop a network of connections both within Japan and overseas, and identify people’s needs for and information of next-generation automobiles.
- Toward working on issues in different areas, regardless of their expertise, as necessary. 

Curriculum Policy

Master’s program
 Focusing on the goal of advancing education and research in automotive science, our curriculum is designed for students to understand the global and multiple challenges faced by the automotive industry, to develop a high level of expertise for problem solving, and to improve their ability to practically work on solving problems from multifaceted aspects and through an interdisciplinary approach. Specifically, we will design our curriculum based on the following policy:
- The curriculum will be designed for students to learn from basics to advanced level, keeping the end goal (automotive science) in mind. We will prepare a wide range of curriculum models, in response to individual student’s needs, to provide detailed academic advice and research training.
- The curriculum will be designed for students to gain a better understanding of automotive-related, sophisticated and complicated challenges and to develop a high level of expertise as the basis for solving such problems. To this end, we will provide professional education in the following five areas:
(1) Advanced Material Science: The curriculum will be designed to train personnel who can develop fuel cells, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, or power devices, as well as search for various high-tech materials required for next-generation automobiles.
(2) Dynamics: The curriculum will be designed to train personnel who can clarify and develop the dynamic properties of next-generation engines and search for reliable car body structures with excellent aerodynamic and dynamic characteristics.
(3) Information and Control Engineering: The curriculum will be designed to train personnel who can conduct development of car-mounted control systems and embedded hardware and software and research and development of automobile information measurement control.
(4) Human Science: The curriculum will be designed to train personnel who can explore traffic psychology and safety culture and who can mechanically explain traffic streams and traffic information.
(5) Social Science: The curriculum will be designed to train personnel who solve macro issues such as industry policy and regulations and traffic and ecology economics as well as technology management issues such as strategic management and management of innovation or production.
- The curriculum will be designed for students to develop their skills to work on automotive-related issues from a variety of aspects and through an interdisciplinary approach. To this end, we will introduce the major and minor system, aiming to develop students’ knowledge, cogitation and sense of intuition in the adjacent areas of their expertise.
- Practice-oriented new education will be provided. To this end, we will establish an education system with instructors from companies and other universities, in addition to Kyushu University faculty members, and provide opportunities for students to increase awareness of the actual field of the automobile industry through long-term internships and foster an attitude toward learning and research featuring practical approach.
- The curriculum will be designed for students to develop communication skills in response to the globalization age. To this end, we will provide opportunities for students to develop their skills to make research presentation and ask and answer questions in English through “International Communication Exercises.”
- Grade evaluation will be performed in a comprehensive manner based on examinations, reports and presentations in accordance with the characteristics of each subject.

Doctoral program
 Focusing on the goal of advancing education and research in automotive science, our curriculum is designed for students to improve their skills to work on sophisticated and complicated challenges, by developing a high level of expertise and methodology, as an independent researcher or expert. Specifically, we will design our curriculum based on the following policy:
- The curriculum will be designed for students to acquire a high level of expertise and methodology, keeping the end goal (automotive science) in mind.
- We will put a system in place to provide research training for students to develop their skills as an independent researcher or expert in a closely supervised setting.
- We will establish a research guidance system for students to develop their skills to work on automotive-related issues from a variety of aspects and through an interdisciplinary approach.
- The curriculum will be designed for students to develop their skills to present research results to the world, in response to the globalization age. To this end, we will provide opportunities for students to develop their skills to make research presentation and ask and answer questions in English through “Advanced International Communication Exercises.”
- Grade evaluation will be performed in a comprehensive manner based on the assessment of their cogitation, originality and communication skills through presentations or discussions.

Admission Policy

 Selection of graduate students will be conducted at each department from people who have the following qualifications and problem awareness:
(1) students who are motivated to solve a variety of issues in the field of their expertise in an interdisciplinary way and to distribute their findings for the benefit of society;
(2) students who are eager to play a leading role in society;
(3) students who demonstrate flexible thinking, have good communication skills, and a broad range of general knowledge
(4) in the case of mature students, those who have working experience in companies or local communities and are motivated to develop and systematize their problem awareness at the University

copyright© The Department of Automotive Science