The Graduate School and Faculty of Science explores the underlying principles behind nature and human activities in order to develop scientific philosophies. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, research and education is undertaken in the following five departments: Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Chemistry, and Biological Sciences.
In the Faculty of Science, undergraduate students have the opportunity to choose from a variety of courses regardless of their major or department of affiliation. This enables students to pursue their interests in their own unique way under the supervision of highly accomplished professors. In their senior year, students are encouraged to tackle research themes that have not previously been explored. Many students then proceed to graduate school to continue their research, while others acquire jobs to develop their potential outside of the university.
The Graduate School of Science, together with the Faculty of Science, has approximately 260 permanent academic staff and a number of research fellows from around the world. There are also 250 additional academic staff who belong to various research institutes and centers in Kyoto University, including the Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, the Institute for Chemical Research, 14 15 the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, and the Primate Research Institute.
The Graduate School and Faculty of Science welcomes those with original ideas. Its emphasis on fostering creativity is attested by the achievements of former students and faculty including five Nobel laureates and two Fields Medal winners. In keeping with Kyoto University’s tradition of academic freedom, faculty members and students can pursue their study of the fundamental laws and theories of nature without concern for trends or competition.