DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN

Design education at Tokyo University of the Arts began with the Department of Design established in 1896 at the university’s predecessor, the Tokyo Fine Arts School (founded in 1887). For over a century since then, the department has played a continuing and important role as a driving force behind the creation of culture and ways of living suited to the times, amid various changes in social structures, cultural awareness, and production systems.

Ever since its foundation in 1896, the department has followed its educational philosophy of pursuing comprehensive education and advanced design capabilities built on tradition and developing a truly creative spirit to serve as a creative force in contemporary society. Based on this philosophy, the department has continued to graduate large numbers of highly qualified designers.

Today, amid cultural diversification and advancing information technology, there is a need for fundamental questions and answers targeting the origins of the ways we live. The department answers such questions based on recognizing anew its educational philosophy of pursuing functionality and beauty in everyday life and respecting both tradition and innovation.

>> Department of Design Official website

Faculty: The goal is to nurture creative individuals with a comprehensive vision. Therefore, undergraduate education advances to a higher academic level each year and assumes a systemic form that enables one to gradually work toward a higher degree of specialization beginning from the basic course of design. The curriculum is not bound by the framework of existing specialized domains. Rather, it is organized in a way that the students are allowed to study shared elements of each specialized field, discover their potential, and align themselves to their future goals.

Master: Depending on the research themes, students are provided with separate studios (there are 10 studios); this enables them to conduct specialized research and creative work in their respective studios. While the students’ own research and creative work are the main components of the two-year program, in the first year, through a social collaboration program organized as a shared subject, students can work beyond their research themes and conduct complex and practical research and education. Thus, the curriculum content is structured in such a way so as to lend greater depth to the students’ research themes.

Doctor: Design research comprises a greatly enhanced and in-depth specialization informed by a comprehensive social perspective. The students build their own original design theory and pursue more advanced creative research and creative work over a period of three years. Each year the students enthusiastically participate in research activities, such as international exchange and social collaboration programs, planned by the department and the studios, thus broadening the scope of their research. The adopted research guidance program is designed to be useful in gaining practical experience.

Faculty: The Bachelor’s degree is awarded once the undergraduate curriculum policy is fulfilled and the final year of graduation work has been thoroughly assessed.

Master: The Master’s degree is awarded once the Master’s curriculum policy is fulfilled and the Thesis Review Committee comprising of a supervisor and several teaching staff from related fields of study has thoroughly assessed the completed work.

Doctor: The doctoral degree is awarded once the doctor curriculum policy has been fulfilled and once the Thesis Review Committee comprising all teachers within the department and