Department of Interdisciplinary Information Studies
Socio-information and Communication Studies Course
In the Socio-information and Communication Studies Course, students acquire interdisciplinary knowledge in the various fields concerned with social and cultural phenomena related to media, communication and information. There are six main areas of study in this course: (1) Media and journalism studies, (2) Social psychology and information behavior, (3) Law and policy, (4) Economics and industrial studies, (5) Sociology and history, and (6) Asian regional studies. While maintaining foundations in the existing humanities and social science disciplines, faculty associated with this course are engaged in research using the most recent data and interdisciplinary perspectives. Results from this research are introduced to students in classes. Specific examples of the kind of topics covered in lectures and seminars are electronic money, the freedom of information, communication between professionals and clients, and the social and behavioral effects of cellular phone usage. Since the systematic study of socio-information and communication studies is rarely if ever included in undergraduate curricula, the subjects taught in this course include basic theory and methodology in addition to more advanced topics. Prospective students should therefore not be concerned about lacking sufficient basic knowledge. Having acquired a grasp of these fundamentals, it is hoped that students will proceed to develop their studies in a broad perspective in accordance with their own special interests.
An additional special feature of this course is the existence of a separate application process specifically designed for people who have already entered the workforce and seek additional academic training applicable to their careers.
Cultural and Human Information Studies Course
Of the six courses offered in the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, the Cultural and Human Information Studies Course perhaps represents most clearly the distinctive features of this Graduate School as whole. It is concerned directly with the task of constructing a new interdisciplinary field of information studies fusing aspects of the humanities and social sciences with elements of the natural sciences. Faculty members associated with this course are engaged in research on diverse topics, including information theory, evolution, ecological psychology, perception, semiotics, visual images, cultural studies, historical informatics, archiving, media literacy, media expression, education systems and design of learning environments. The course includes students interested in carrying out creative and expressive work, as well as students intending to carry out theoretical and survey research.
The four main areas of study in this course are: (1) Life, body and environment; (2) Culture, representation and image; (3) Media expression, learning and literacy; and (4) Archiving and historical informatics. These form a framework around which numerous ambitious projects are being pursued with the aim of developing fresh approaches and strategies in the cultural and human sciences. These approaches are expected to be capable of dealing with a wide range of both practical and theoretical issues of the twenty-first century. Students in this course are being trained to become experts in research and other practical fields equipped with the profound knowledge and methodological acuity that are sure to be needed in the world of the future.
Emerging Design and Informatics Course
The Emerging Design and Informatics Course offers an interdisciplinary approach to information studies and design from a perspective based in advanced science and technology. There are three main areas of study within this course: (1) Media Art and Digital Contents, (2) Spatial Design and Simulation, and (3) Robotics and Interfacing.
In Media Art and Digital Contents, we conduct research on media art expression and the technology of digital content creation based on media technologies such as computer vision and virtual reality, and on information technologies such as computer graphics. Spatial Design and Simulation is concerned with technology for the design of future spaces and social institutions based on simulation technology and related areas of information technology. In Robotics and Interfacing, we study information technologies related to moving bodies such as robots and vehicles, mechatronics and interfacing.
The first semester of the first year of the Master's program is devoted mainly to studying the fundamentals in the three areas outlined above. Having acquired this basis, students then go on to study a range of other topics, including humanities and social sciences, in addition to advanced science and technologies. The aim is to produce information science experts capable of wide interdisciplinary understanding.
Applied Computer Science Course
The Applied Computer Science Course aims to promote research and education in the IT field in accordance with the age of the ubiquitous information society. This course is concerned principally with the technology of ubiquitous computing and embedded computing, spatial information science, overlay networks and next-generation Internet services. It seeks to develop methods for the acquisition and distribution of various forms of real-world and virtual information as digital data. It also pursues practical approaches to information analysis whereby the digital information provided by these methods can be applied effectively in society.
Research topics studied in this course include applications of ubiquitous computing, such as object traceability, drug informatics, and spatial information science. In addition, research is being carried out on methods for clarifying vulnerabilities in network systems and defensive strategies.
Finally, work is also under way on methods for the analysis of large quantities of data (such as that derived from observation satellites), sensor networks, next-generation Internet services and wide-area distributed systems.
This course is closely associated with the Research Center for Ubiquitous Information Society Infrastructure. Cooperative research is also being pursued with other universities, companies and government organizations. These links are not confined to Japan alone but extend to an international research network. We maintain an open-door approach to student admissions, encouraging applications from students already in the workforce and students from outside Japan. We also look forward to working with visiting research fellows.
Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Course
Biostatistics is an applied statistics related to medical and health sciences, and it is a field for studying methodologies of research designs and statistical analyses in clinical and epidemiological research. The Biostatistics and Bioinformatics course provides specialized education to acquire not only knowledge of biostatistics, but also a wide range of practical skills (research design planning, creating a protocol, statistical analysis, programming, reporting, etc.) for conducting clinical research. We will train biostatisticians with high communication skills and ethics who can promote high quality research in collaboration with health care professionals through lectures, on the job training and research in this course.
The background of the establishment of this course is as follows. It is pointed out that in Japan, the shortage of biostatisticians leads to delays in conducting clinical research as well as improper research. For this reason, training biostatisticians as practitioners and sending them to medical sites conducting clinical research was considered an urgent issue. The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) has selected both graduate schools of the University of Tokyo and of the Kyoto University as training centers for biostatistics.
In this course, we offer educational programs that efficiently combine lectures and on the job training to experience actual clinical research under the collaboration of the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and the University of Tokyo Hospital and the National Cancer Center. In order to supplement the basic knowledge of medicine related to clinical medicine, epidemiology, and clinical trial methodology to undergraduate students, we will also collaborate with the School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine.
International Master's/Doctoral Degree Program: Information, Technology, and Society in Asia (ITASIA)
In 2008, the University of Tokyo launched a new International Master's/Doctoral Degree Program: Information, Technology, and Society in Asia (ITASIA) at the GSII, based on the cooperation of the III and the Institute of Oriental Culture (IOC). This program offers intensive graduate-level education designed to foster analytical strength and insight into Asian societies and international relations, at a time when ICT is having an increasingly profound impact on the region.
The program is tailored to both international and Japanese students who are motivated to pursue active professional careers on the regional and global stages. All instruction will be conducted in English, so proficiency in Japanese is not a prerequisite. The academic year at ITASIA begins in October.
Students in the M.A.S. program are trained to grasp changing political, economic, and social realities of globalizing Asia through media, communication and information studies together with related methodology and skills, so that after graduation they can make appropriate judgments and recommendations in their respective professional environments. The M.A.S. program is appropriate for those interested in pursuing careers in public administration, media, business and academic institutions. The Ph.D. program is intended to produce high-level researchers and professionals in the fields of Asian studies and information studies. Students will acquire a broad-based knowledge of arts and sciences as well as expertise in the investigative techniques and theoretical analysis required for advanced research in politics, economics, media studies and other social sciences.
