Foundation and Summary

The School of Science and Engineering was established at Waseda University in 1908 as the oldest of such schools in Japan. The first graduate school was established at Waseda University in 1920. About 30 years later, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, along with the master's degree programs were founded in 1951, followed by the doctoral degree program in 1953.

A half-century later in April 2007, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering was reorganized into the following three graduate schools: the Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; the Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering; and the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering. While maintaining close relationships with each other, the Graduate Schools continue to advance their own unique programs of research and education.

Overview and Mission

Based on the natural sciences, the School and Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering provide world-class research and education on the most up-to-date subjects in science, engineering, and medicine, aiming to contribute to society through applied research. The curriculum is designed so that students in their first two years at the School are able to make steady progress in acquiring the fundamentals of their subjects, moving smoothly and seamlessly towards the study of more advanced topics and pursuing academic disciplines of their own choice in the third and fourth years, as well as in the Graduate School. Students in the School of Advanced Science and Engineering are strongly encouraged to go on to the Graduate School. The Advanced Fusion Clustering Systems in the Graduate School provide a unique opportunity to study interdisciplinary subjects such as pharmaceutical science, nanomaterials, robotics, systems integration, alternative energy and the environment, and medical engineering. The Graduate School has two interdisciplinary majors that have no counterparts in the School: (1) Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering and (2) Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. These systems are all meant to nurture researchers and engineers who are prepared to push their potential to the limit and become global leaders in a wide range of fields.

Special Features

As part of its efforts to contribute to society and develop new academic fields, the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering offers majors in seven areas: Pure and Applied Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Applied Chemistry, Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, and Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. The Graduate School maintains intimate ties with the School, offering an opportunity for higher levels of research and education, as well as opportunities to nurture world leaders in a wide variety of fields.

The faculty members of the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering have amassed an impressive body of research achievements in various academic fields. This has been vindicated by the fact that several large-scale projects proposed by the Graduate School, such as the 21st Century COE Program and the Science and Technology Promotion Fund's Strategic Research Site Program―both administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology―have been approved one after another. This track record demonstrates clearly that the Graduate School has played a major role in leading both domestic and international research in a variety of fields.

Hoping to use this research and educational environment to its best potential, the Graduate School serves as a hub for research at the world's highest level, developing cutting-edge technologies and engineering methods, and creating new materials. Moreover, the Graduate School is currently promoting ties with universities in Europe, North America, and other parts of Asia to establish itself as a graduate school with a truly global reach.

Majors

The Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering has 7 majors, including 2 interdisciplinary majors.

Major in Pure and Applied Physics Graduates of the Departments of Physics or Applied Physics have the opportunity to advance to the Graduate School Program, Major in Pure and Applied Physics.		Major in Chemistry and Biochemistry
< Graduates from the Department of Physics > This program of education and research provides students with training in the foundational laws of physics, thereby giving them the tools to grasp various natural phenomena. Key subject areas include fundamental topics such as particle and nuclear physics, astrophysics, solid-state physics, and biophysics.	< Graduates from the Department of Applied Physics> Seeking to arm students with the capacity to apply physical principles to create new technology, this course of study covers a wide range of fields, including solid-state physics, the physics of complex systems, statistical mechanics, applied mathematics, measurement and information engineering, and optical engineering.	Featuring both theory and practice in the development of sophisticated new materials, this course of study teaches students how to analyze and understand the functions and structures of substances from the molecular level. Students also learn about the molecular foundations of biological phenomena.
Major in Applied Chemistry	Major in Life Science and Medical Bioscience	Major in Electrical Engineering and Bioscience
This course of study is designed to produce specialists capable of harnessing chemical engineering to create useful molecules and substances at will. The curriculum focuses on various topics, including ceramics, plastics, food, and drugs. It also addresses areas including life sciences and the global environment.	With a focus on medicine, science, and engineering, this practical course of study seeks to produce researchers capable of uncovering the hidden mechanisms for disease and creating new drugs, medical devices, and methods of healing. The department also seeks to pioneer new fields in medical engineering.	Students choosing this course of study will follow a curriculum fusing electricity, electronics, information theory, and the life sciences. By studying topics as diverse as nanotechnology and bioscience, students will acquire the specialized knowledge and skills needed to make creative contributions to next-generation technologies.

Graduates from the Schools of Fundamental Science and Engineering, Creative Science and Engineering, as well as from the School of Advanced Science and Engineering, can proceed to the following majors: Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, and Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering.

Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering	Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
Under this program, students study and pursue research in various areas of science and engineering, and their relationship to life. Areas examined include physics, chemistry, machines, electricity, information engineering, and biology. By exploring these fundamental areas of engineering, students will be equipped to meet the needs of society in the 21st century.	This program integrates the cross-disciplinary fields subsumed under the heading of nanoscience, including electrical engineering, chemistry, physics, life sciences, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering, giving students the skills to pursue research and advanced study in nanotechnology development.

Degrees

Majors	Degrees
Major in Pure and Applied Physics	Doctor of Science or Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Science or M.A. in Engineering
Major in Chemistry and Biochemistry	Doctor of Science M.A. in Science
Major in Applied Chemistry	Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Engineering
Major in Life Science and Medical Bioscience	Doctor of Science or Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Science or M.A. in Engineering
Major in Electrical Engineering and Bioscience	Doctor of Science or Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Science or M.A. in Engineering
Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering	Doctor of Science or Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Science or M.A. in Engineering
Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering	Doctor of Science or Doctor of Engineering M.A. in Science or M.A. in Engineering