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History of the Graduate School of Engineering
1963: Establishment of a Faculty of Engineering Offering a Master’s Degree
In 1963, Yokohama National University became the first university in the new national school system to establish a Faculty of Engineering (enrollment capacity of 58 students). Offering a master’s degree, the Yokohama National University Faculty of Engineering consisted of seven departments: the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Department of Applied Chemistry, the Department of Electrochemistry, the Department of Architecture and Building Science, the Department of Naval Architecture (renamed the “Department of Systems Design for Ocean-Space” in 1983), the Department of Electrical Engineering, and the Department of Metallurgical Engineering. A Department of Chemical Engineering was added in 1966, a Department of Safety Engineering in 1971, a Department of Energy Materials in 1977, a Department of Computer Engineering in 1978, and a Department of Civil Engineering in 1982.
1985: Introduction of Doctoral Studies
In 1985, the Faculty of Engineering’s 12 departments were reorganized into four divisions: the Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, the Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, the Division of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Marine Technology, and the Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In addition, a doctoral program was established in the Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and in the Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering. In 1986, a doctoral program was also instituted in the Division of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Marine Technology and the Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
1996: Expansion into 5 Divisions Offering Both a Master’s Program and Doctoral Program
In 1996, the Faculty of Engineering added a new division, the Division of Artificial Environment and Systems. Together with the Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, the Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, the Division of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Marine Technology, and the Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering was thus organized into five divisions offering both a master’s program (enrollment capacity of 245 students) and a doctoral program (enrollment capacity of 32 students in 1996 and 53 since 1998).
2001: Reorganization into 4 Divisions, and Introduction of a Course System
In April 2001, the Faculty of Engineering – the organization forming the foundation of the School of Engineering’s research and education – was restructured, creating a graduate education system composed of a Graduate School of Engineering (an educational organization) and a Faculty of Engineering (a research organization) and thus establishing an arrangement suitable for dealing with the departmentalization of graduate studies.
Moreover, the five divisions – the Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, the Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, the Division of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Marine Technology, the Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Division of Physics – which until then had been pyramidally organized, one on top of the other, were reorganized into four divisions – the Division of Materials Science and Engineering, the Division of Systems Integration, the Division of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and the Division of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering – each on its own independent foundation. Each of these divisions has multiple courses. The enrollment capacity is 271 students for the master’s program and 66 students for the doctoral program.
The 2001 reorganization was not only the first departmentalization of graduate studies at any university in the new national educational system; it was also the first at a new-system university to create separate departments for education (Graduate School of Engineering) and research (Faculty of Engineering). Moreover, by creating a course system in the divisions following the reorganization, it became possible to conduct advanced, specialized education in a diversity of fields.
2007: Commencement of TED and PED Programs
In April 2007, a TED (T-type Engineering Degree) Program and a PED (Pi-type Engineering Degree) Program – Yokohama-style graduate education programs – were begun in all four of the Graduate School of Engineering’s divisions.
In the TED Program, which has an enrollment capacity of 281 students at the master’s level and 34 students at the doctoral level, students belong to a research lab, enabling them to deeply pursue their specialized research, and are evaluated for a degree based on a master’s thesis. In the PED Program, which has an enrollment capacity of 62 students at the master’s level and 17 students at the doctoral level, a studio education conducted by multiple teachers is the mainstay; moreover, students are evaluated for a degree based on the results of their studio education rather than on a written master’s thesis.
Currently, each year, 430-440 students are enrolled at the master’s level and about 50 at the doctoral level. Approximately 80% of the students in this university’s School of Engineering go on to graduate school.
●The Evolution of the Graduate School of Engineering’s Divisions
| 1963 | Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Applied Chemistry, Department of Electrochemistry, Department of Architecture and Building Science, Department of Naval Architecture, Department of Electrical Engineering |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, |
| 1996 | Division of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Division of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Marine Technology, Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Division of Artificial Environment and Systems |
| 2001 | Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Division of Systems Integration, Division of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Division of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| 2007 | Establishment of TED and PED Programs |
| 2011 | Expanse of PED Program/Discontinuation of acceptance of new students for Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture |
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