2020 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Introduction to Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Naoya Abe / Satoshi Chiba / Kayoko Nohara / Takehiko Murayama / Tom Hope / Fumitake Takahashi / Takashi Nakamura
- Class Format
- Exercise (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Wed (石川台6号館404号室（共創コモンズ）)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- TSE.C201
- Number of credits
- 010
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course aims to provide the overall goal and curriculum structure of the Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering undergraduate major and then to carry out group work among the registered students in order to understand the significance of the transdisciplinary approach, as well as acquire the basic skills to engage in transdisciplinary approach.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand and explain the principle of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Department in both education and research
2) Acquire the basic skills to design and implement projects applying the transdisciplinary approach to tackle today's complicated social issues.
3) Obtain the skills for group-work with others
4) Explain the basics of research ethics to others.
Keywords
Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, Transdiscilinary approach, SDGs,
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course will consist of lectures, group work and discussions, and group-presentations.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction to this course, 1st group work (topics from FACTFULNESS) | Read the handout by the next class |
| Class 2 | Group discussions (1) on the topics from FACTFULNESS | TBA |
| Class 3 | 1st group presentation on the topics from FACTFULNESS | TBA |
| Class 4 | Lecture and discussion on what TSE department is aiming to realize in education and research. 2nd group work topic is presented (technology + something) | Read the handout by the next class |
| Class 5 | 2nd group discussion on technology + something | TBA |
| Class 6 | 2nd group discussion on technology + something | TBA |
| Class 7 | Lecture on research ethics | TBA |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None
Reference books, course materials, etc.
FACTFULLNESS, Hans Rosling with Ola ROsling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund, SCEPTRE, 2018
Livirer L. De Weck, Daniel Roos, Christopher L. Magee, Engineering Systems Meeting Human Needs in a Complex Technological World, MIT Press
Evaluation methods and criteria
Group-work presentations (50%)
Individual reports (50%)
Related courses
- TSE.C202 ： System Design Project
- TSE.C203 ： Social Design Project
- TSE.C303 ： Project Management
Prerequisites
None