FrontierLab@OsakaU ---Scientific Empowerment Program for International Students---

Course Options and Estimated Workload

Applicable to Plan 1 students only

Course Options

FrontierLab@OsakaU program offers four credited courses for students who participate in semester-based study programs (Plan 1). While "FrontierLab D" requires a full workload (750 hours per semester and 50 hours per week), students who register for courses A, B, or C may take other courses offered either in English or Japanese. Each FrontierLab course awards 6 to 14 Osaka University credits, while lecture courses such as "International Exchange Subjects" offer 2 credits per semester. Information on courses taught in English will be made available during the orientation session at the beginning of the semester.

Many FrontierLab supervisors may require "Course D" registration for students to achieve satisfactory outcomes from laboratory experiences. Students are thus advised to consult with their supervisors prior to course registration to discuss individual lab requirements and study needs in other areas.

PLEASE NOTE: Numbers indicate hours per semester, 15 weeks. Contact hours in FrontierLab A to D per day will be on the average 2.4, 3.2, 4.0 and 5.6 hours, respectively. The ECTS-compliant workload table is provided to facilitate credit transfer between Osaka University and partner institutions. Osaka University's credits are awarded based on "contact hours (laboratory time)" stipulated under item "1" of the above. The other study hours written under items "2" to "7" are estimates that may vary according to the particular academic discipline, school/faculty/department, and/or individual laboratory.　

Description of Study Hours

1. Contact Hours

Contact hours or laboratory time is time students spend in the assigned laboratory. During contact hours, students conduct activities related to experiments with their supervisors and other members of the laboratory. To achieve FrontierLab@OsakaU program goals and objectives, which emphasizes hands-on laboratory experience, the contact hours are set at between 180 and 420 hours/semester depending on which of the four courses options is being pursued. This accounts for more than 50% of the total workload. Through these contact hours, students are expected to acquire basic laboratory knowledge and techniques to conduct actual research.

2. Preparation Hours for Presentations

During the preparation hours for presentations, students are expected to prepare for three oral presentations, which the program sets as compulsory activities. In the introductory, mid-term and the final oral presentations, students are expected to display their understanding of basic theories in their discipline, demonstrate the ability to come up with solid research proposals, and analyze experimental results. They are also expected to show an ability to integrate ideas and laboratory research results into creative and academically coherent works. Preparation time includes producing PowerPoint, handouts and other visual aids for use in the presentations.

3. Supervised Study (Meeting with a faculty advisor)

Supervised study enables students to discuss the progress of their research with supervisors. This close supervision by members of the faculty provides an opportunity for students to ask questions and receive constructive feedback about their research projects. Students may also be given assignments by their supervisors. The close contact with "Frontier" scientists is one of the most important aspects of the program.

4. Tutorial (Supplementary advice from senior students)

Tutorial is a time for peer consultation and group work with the laboratory members, during which time senior students often instruct and mentor their junior counterparts. Students are encouraged to discuss results obtained in their own experiments with peers to receive feedback, while providing a similar type of feedback at the work of others. Tutorial provide students opportunities to learn in a community of research practice, to motivate and learn from each other, and to be a competent and responsible member of a cooperative research team.

5. Participation in Seminar

Students are expected to participate in a seminar usually conducted once a week for 90-120 minutes. Well-prepared presentations and active participation are required to acquire a broad knowledge base and develop analytical and critical thinking skills.

6. Independent Study Hours

Students are expected to study without supervision or direction from others during independent study hours. Activities include reading assignments and relevant papers, analyzing research data and preparing for the laboratory research report to be submitted to the supervisor at the end of the program.

7. Other Laboratory Activities

The other laboratory activities are those offered by the assigned laboratory which are not categorized in the above mentioned student workload. These will vary in nature depending on the laboratory. These may include activities in the communities of research practice that enable students to communicate and interact more effectively with other students and acquire intercultural communicability.