ES Junior Division

Curriculum Overview

In the University of Tokyo curriculum, the academic year is composed of two semesters (spring (S) and autumn (A)) each divided into 2 terms (1 and 2). Below you can find an overview of the PEAK ES Junior Division timetable along with a list of course descriptions.

This table can be used to obtain course descriptions from the University of Tokyo online course catalog, which can be accessed using the following link (https://catalog.he.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index).
(Please note that the information is subject to change.)


Courses Course Content
Foundation
Courses
Foreign
Languages
English
(Optional Courses)
The course aims to help students improve their overall English language skills, to enable them to express their thoughts freely and appropriately in a diverse range of situations, both orally and in writing.
Japanese Mandatory Japanese courses provide a solid foundation of language proficiency and further enhance the four academic skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Students are assigned to designated courses based on their placement test.
Information This course provides a crosscutting and integrated overview of information systems, as well as the role of information and information systems in society. Students learn about the representation, transmission, and communication of information, problem solving methods, and the role of information in society through lectures and exercises.
Physical Education and Health Sciences Students learn the scientific basics of physical movement and health through practical work and lectures, and at the same time seek to improve their own athletic skills, physical conditioning, strength and health.
First-Year Seminar This course introduces PEAK students to academic life at the University of Tokyo and covers a variety of relevant skills and methods including library usage, research skills, critical thinking, writing, debating and fundamental principles of science and social science.
Social Sciences Law and
Political Science
Covers the basic principles of modern laws including the underlying modes of legal reasoning and the overall framework of today’s legal system, and includes lectures on the major concepts and theories of political science that are necessary for understanding contemporary political phenomena.

Economics and
Statistics

Covers the basic economic concepts and approaches necessary for understanding the system and function of today’s economy, and provides fundamental knowledge of statistics and statistical techniques that are indispensable for academic analysis in the social sciences.
Sociology and
Social Thought
Covers the basic concepts and approaches of sociology that are necessary for an analytical understanding of current and modern societies, and includes lectures on how the structure of, and changes in, society may be understood from philosophical viewpoints.
International Relations Covers the basic concepts and approaches necessary for understanding today’s international relations, and provides specific studies of important issues in the field of international relations.
Humanities Philosophy and Ethics Students learn about the central problems in philosophy and ethics, including what exists and how that can be known, what value is and how we ought to act, from a historical and contemporary perspectives.
History Students will learn an overview of world history from ancient times to the present, with a particular emphasis on Japan's role.
Language and
Literature
A general survey of Japanese Language and Japanese literature as a fundamental feature of Japanese culture ―from ancient to modern times.
Psychology We review mechanisms, functions, and the development, and evolution of mind and behavior. Topics include perception and cognition, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, personality and society. The aim of the lectures is to promote a scientific understanding of human behavior.
Mathematical
Sciences
Mathematics I ①Introductory course in calculus. Aided by examples, students will study fundamental concepts such as limits, and functions and their differentiation and integration.
②A more advanced course in calculus, offering students the chance to acquire basic skills that are essential in any field of science. Topics include functions of multiple variables, differentiation and integration of such functions.
Mathematics II ①Introductory course in linear algebra. Aided by examples, students will study fundamental concepts such as matrices and their application to systems of linear equations.
②A more advanced course in linear algebra, offering students the chance to acquire basic skills that are essential in any field of science. Topics include linear transformations and eigenvalues and the diagonalization of matrices.
Material and
Life Sciences
Introductory Physics This calculus-based introductory Mechanics course provides the basic principle and concepts required to understand nature.
Introductory Chemistry In this course, students learn the fundamental principles of chemistry beginning with the structure of atoms and molecules and their interactions. By considering the motion of atoms and molecules and the ways in which energy is stored and distributed, students progress to study chemical reactions from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives.
Earth Science This lecture aims to understand how the Earth evolved to its present state and how the Earth system currently operates. Special attention is directed to the solid earth, including earthquakes and volcanoes, the atmosphere and ocean and their interactions, with an emphasis on global scales
Life Science What are the crucial features of living systems? How do genes influence observable characteristics of organisms? Why is cancer so hard to cure? The answers can be found in this course, which provides an integrated introduction to fundamental issues in the field of life science. Topics include the chemistry of life, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, human physiology and ecology. The goal of this course is to present students with essential knowledge and the human aspects of life science and to promote an understanding of life science based on its relationship with society.

Course Group Courses Course Content
Integrated Course
Outlines
L.
Languages and
Communication
Applied Japanese Applied Japanese courses help students improve their four language skills (speaking, reading, writing, and listening) and deepen their knowledge of the Japanese language, especially Kanji, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. The courses also broaden the focus to other domains, such as everyday life, social issues or culture. These furnish students with critical and creative thinking skills and develop their powers of expression.
A.
Ideas and Arts
Ideas and Arts I Students learn various approaches to ideas and arts, and their applications to specific topics.
Ideas and Arts II Students learn various approaches to ideas and arts, and their applications to specific topics.
Ideas and Arts III Students learn various approaches to ideas and arts, and their applications to specific topics.
Ideas and Arts IV Students learn various approaches to ideas and arts, and their applications to specific topics.
B.
International and
Area Studies
International and
Area Studies I
Students learn various approaches to International and Area Studies, and their applications to specific topics.
International and
Area Studies I
Students learn various approaches to International and Area Studies, and their applications to specific topics.
C.
Society and
Institutions
Society and Institution I Students learn various approaches to society and institutions, and their applications to specific topics.
Society and Institutions II Students learn various approaches to society and institutions, and their applications to specific topics.
D.
Human Beings and
the Environment
Sports and Fitness Exercise I Through a variety of sports and training the scientific basics of bodily movement and coordination are studied, and an attempt to improve physical health is made. (One class period per week for one credit)
Sports and Fitness Exercise II Through a variety of sports and training the scientific basics of bodily movement and coordination are studied, and an attempt to improve physical health is made. (For 2nd year students. One class period per week for one credit)
Science and
Technology Studies
The lecture on the history of science and technology. It covers the historical evolution of ideas of science and/or technology from the pre-modern times to the present.
Science of Human Movement and Fitness The adaptive mechanisms relating to the human body’s functions and movements are studied from a broad perspective, including life sciences, cognitive behavioral science and sports science.
Basic Energy Engineering Students learn the basics of energy engineering as seen from the view point of human beings and environment.
E.
Material and
Life Sciences
Basic Electromagnetics Basic phenomena and principles of electricity and magnetism are explained based on the notion of electro-magnetic fields, leading to the fundamental theory of Maxwell. (For 2nd year students)
Analytical Chemistry Students learn the basics of spectroscopy, electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, chromatography, volumetric and gravimetric methods. (For 2nd year students)
Introduction to Ecology Basic principles in ecology and evolutionary biology that are necessary for understanding how the natural ecosystems and biodiversity have been formed and are functioning on the earth will be explained. Lectures and discussion sessions would be combined depending on the progress.
F.
Mathematical and Information
Sciences
Information Science Students learn the foundations of computer science through lectures and computer programming. (For 2nd year students)
Basic Statistics Introduction to probability theories (normal distribution, t-distribution, law of large numbers, central limit theorem), Concept of statistical test: null and alternative hypotheses, Concept of significance (α-level), t-test, 95% confidential limit, ANOVA, Regression (linear model), Correlation, Generalized linear model (GLM), and Non-parametric tests(χ2-independent test).
Decision Sciences Students learn quantitative methods for decision making. Topics include mathematical programming and optimization, decision analysis, and managerial economics.

Courses Course Content
Thematic Courses Academic Frontier Lecture Series Various instructors will conduct a course and provide easy-to-understand explanations on cutting-edge research trends in an academic field and on cross-disciplinary topics (themes).
Specialized Seminar Seminar-style classes held in small groups (up to about 40 students) with themes set according to the interests of various faculty members from throughout the university.
Fieldwork Classes where faculty members from throughout the university provide hands-on learning opportunities in various fields.
Global Praxis This course provides a venue for studies with a primary focus on international exchange and fostering global perspective. Various types of classes will be held; joint programs with overseas universities, short-term overseas training courses (including joint field visits/practical courses with local students, etc.), language study abroad programs, and domestic training courses with international students, etc.