DU, in its process of educational reform aiming to establish an education-oriented university, established the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences as an independent organization with responsibility for liberal arts education. This decision went completely against the trend of the 1990s in which many national universities dissolved their liberal arts departments.

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences handles liberal arts education. Liberal arts education constitutes the basic education, or 'common foundation', required for all specialized education. We made the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences independent because we place a strong emphasis on basic education. 'Liberal arts = basics = elementary = review of high school education',this is the major reason why a traditional liberal arts education has had a bad reputation and many liberal arts departments were dissolved. The liberal arts education we provide is a basic education which is neither elementary nor a mere successor to high school education. Rather, we here attempt to unfetter students of the effects of a high school education which simply featured listening and memorizing.

'The ability to find the problems enabling survival in the coming era and society, study problems from various viewpoints, and find solutions', or 'problem solving ability' is what we consider 'liberal arts education'. 'To identify problems and obtain solutions by oneself' is a basic ability required for all academic fields. 'An educated person' and 'a knowledgeable person' are generally understood to be the same. DU, however, does not consider education mere knowledge. Any high level of knowledge acquired may be useless unless you find out 'for what purpose, and how it will be used'.

Unlike knowledge, the 'ability to think' can not be acquired overnight. It can be obtained in one's daily study by repeating such ways of thinking as those listed below.

Critical thinking does not mean to cavil at what other people say, but to pursue ideas by asking 'why? why?' and thinking thoroughly until no questions are left. In critical thinking, problems cannot be solved if you think vaguely. To think of the causes and constituent factors of an issue (analysis), and to follow their mutual relationships and try to reconstruct the overall picture of the issue, are the ways to solve problems. This means to think about things in a logical order. By following logical order, even other people can understand why an individual reached a certain conclusion. This, therefore, is a necessary method of thinking when talking to others or expressing one's thoughts.

In order to make use of the specialized knowledge mastered in university, one must have a correct perception of nature, humanity, and society. Our liberal art education aims to cultivate students' ability to think through classes on nature, humanity, and society.

Foreign languages Foreign languages offered at DU are English and German. English is compulsory. In the first year, high school study is reviewed with the aim of improving overall English skills. In the second year, more specific courses such as for STEP test certification and practical speaking ability are offered as well as the typical reading courses. Exercises in Advanced Japanese Rhetoric Small-group classes held by all instructors, aim to improve the skill of rhetorical expression (how to tell one's own intention to others) such as reading, writing and speaking. Physical Activity Through physical exercises, aims to build up a foundation for continuing to exercise and maintaining health over a lifetime. By learning physical activity, the humanities (literature, philosophy, psychology), and social sciences (economics, law, politics, sociology), acquires the basis to obtain a correct perception of humanity (body and spirit) and society (politics, economy, law, culture, etc.). Through the study of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, master the approach and viewpoint of the natural sciences. Engineering is an applied science. Because natural scientific principles are often used in engineering, the specific fields of mathematics, physics, and chemistry which constitute basis for engineering are studied here. Offered by the specialized department. This course offers training to become teachers at junior and senior high schools. Licenses in mathematics (junior and senior high schools), industry (senior high school), and information (senior high school) can be obtained. Obtainable licenses vary by department.

The educational policy of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences is 'thorough teaching'. Unless students give up, we will continue to teach them persistently until they understand.

We try to give as clear and understandable classes as possible, while checking student proficiency. We give students assignments, instruct them to spend greater amount of time studying outside the classroom, to promote their independent learning. Full-time instructors set their office hours (the period of time during which they stay in their offices) so that students can come to ask questions freely at any time, while questions in classes are of course welcome. Due to the diversification of high school educational curriculums, our freshman students' educational background varies a lot. To prevent them from feeling frustrated at the beginning, introductory education (courses to make up for lack of academic ability) and classes formed according to the level of proficiency are offered.

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences has Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Education and Fitness, Foreign Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Pedagogy and Psychology. Two to five full-time instructors are enrolled for each department.