Tokyo Metropolitan University The Best Parts of TMU Vol. 1
What TMU Students Love About TMU — Learn Some Things You May Never Have Known!
The Division of Western Classical Studies
Faculty：Urban Liberal Arts School of Humanities and Social Sciences
A big draw of TMU for me is the fact that you can study a wide range of specialized subjects from practical sciences such as law and economics to liberal arts such as the classics. As someone who wanted to immerse themselves in archetypal "academia" at university, the classical studies program was exactly what I wanted. Also, there are actually only four schools in the entirety of Japan that offer programs solely focused on classical studies※1. Among those schools, TMU offers classics as part of the philosophy department※2, so we get to study things from the philosophical perspective as well. The professors are also all unique, passionate and wonderful people. At TMU, I'm able to work with professors I admire and truly feel that I'm on a journey for knowledge every day.
- In these classes, students learn ancient Greek and Latin and read classical works written in the form of verses and prose, and in turn, learn the origins of Western literature and Western civilization as a whole.
- Philosophy and classical studies are separate sub-divisions of the philosophy division.
Working at the Volunteer Center
Faculty：Urban Liberal Arts School of Science and Engineering
At TMU, you can participate in various volunteer activities through the Volunteer Center for students. Since I was a 1st year, I've been participating in the conservation program that takes place in the Minami-Osawa campus' Matsugi-Hinata green area. Not only do we take care of and maintain bamboo groves, but we also hold events where we invite local kids and seniors to cut down the bamboo. I get the chance to communicate with people of all generations and learn a lot from senior students. Through this work, I truly feel that I've grown a lot. It's all thanks to this center that I was able to turn my vague desire to do volunteer work into action.
The Passionately Supportive Professors
Graduate School：Human Health Sciences Master’s Program
In my field of study, Department of Occupational Therapy, the programs are run by excellent professors and there are many opportunities for students to interact with cutting-edge specialized equipment and tools. The professors' research guidance is incredibly thoughtful, and I've been given opportunities that have gone above and beyond my expectations. When there was an academic conference in the Netherlands on the topic of "Occupational justice," something which is not well studied in Japan, my advisor moved mountains for me. He advised me to attend the conference and took the steps to take the travel expenses out of the research budget for me. I am incredibly grateful to my professor for so passionately supporting my research.
The Thriving Clubs and Extracurricular Activities
Faculty：Economics and Business Administration
At TMU, extracurricular activities and clubs are run mainly by students, and are all passionate about what they do. What really impressed me was seeing all of the clubs that searched earnestly for what they could do even during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the rugby club created the "No-side Project" and sent out a call to make a video of everyone singing in the lead-up to club activities resuming. I myself belong to the cheerleading club "RITZ," and last year worked as the club president. Not wanting to let an entire year go to waste, we banded together and held a solo performance which made me realize that a dream that's impossible to fulfill on your own can become a reality if we all work together.
"Broad Experiences"
Graduate School：Urban Environmental Sciences Master’s Program
TMU welcomes students from a diverse range of backgrounds. For 1st years, all seven faculties are gathered on the Minami-Osawa campus, providing a great number of opportunities to receive a broad range of experiences beyond the boundaries of faculties in basic seminars, club activities, and committee activities. While serving as the executive chairman of the Student Body and holding research study groups, I realized that my "ordinary" was not the same as others' "ordinary." This realization helped broaden my perspective. As a matter of fact, I feel that the design of the university's spacious campus itself gives students a sense of this broader range of experiences. For me, I particularly like the fact that you can relax among an abundance of greenery.