Master’s Course

1. Regular English language class

Six English classes will be regularly offered (one credit/class).
Intermediate Course
- Professional Communication I
- Professional Communication II
Advanced Course
- Academic Discussion
- Research Presentation
- Research Writing
- Advanced Research Writing

The master’s course requires graduate students to complete two credits from among English subjects. Which subjects to be completed is partly determined by the score of the TOEIC-IP test at the time of entrance. Graduate students whose score was lower than 650 on the intermediate TOEIC-IP test at the time of entrance will take the intermediate subjects of Professional Communication (ProCom) I and Professional Communication (ProCom) II. On the other hand, graduate students whose score was 650 or higher will take two subjects from among four advanced subjects instead of ProCom I and II.

2. Courses of Professional Communication (ProCom)

The purpose of ProCom I and II is to have future engineers, researchers, or human resources, who will hold a position of leadership, acquire the necessary English skills. NAIST aims to raise TOEIC scores to 650 or higher in two years. ProCom I is offered in the first year and Procom II in the second year. NAIST believes that extensive reading is effective for improving English skills. Therefore, in addition to regular English classes, graduate students learn through Xreading, an online system for extensive reading, which enables them to read English books on a daily basis. The number of books they have read is reflected in their academic results.

3. Extracurricular English subject (subject for TOEIC test preparation)

NAIST sets the TOEIC target score as 650 at the completion of the master’s course. To achieve this target as soon as possible, NAIST, in coordination with ProCom classes, will offer the TOEIC Test Preparation Course three times in two years. Prior to each TOEIC test, NAIST selects graduate students who are quite likely to achieve the target score with a little more effort as “Procom certified students”. Selected graduate students attend a three-day intensive subject and take the TOEIC-IP test immediately after the subject. The designated “especially ProCom focused students” will be selected three times during two years of the master’s Course as follows.

1. In April: According to the TOEIC-IP test score at the time of entrance
2. In September: According to the academic results of ProCom I
3. In January or February of the next year: According to the TOEIC-IP test score

NAIST will cover the costs of textbooks to be used for TOEIC Test Preparation and the fees for TOEIC-IP test.

Doctoral Course

1. Regular English language class

Five English classes will be regularly offered (one unit/class).
- Advanced English A (to be offered jointly with Academic Discussion)
- Advanced English B (to be offered jointly with Research Presentation)
- Advanced English C (to be offered jointly with Research Writing)
- Advanced English D (to be offered jointly with Advanced Research Writing)
- Advanced English E

NAIST strongly recommends that its graduate students, whose TOEIC-IP test score was between 650 and less than 750 at the time of entrance, take two classes from among Advanced English A to D. NAIST requests even graduate students, who have reached the score of 750, to take the subject if at all possible. Another English class, Advanced English E (7029), is for graduate students whose TOEIC-IP test score is below 650 at the time of entrance. NAIST will send an e-mail to graduate students individually if it recommends that they attend Advanced English E. In this class,Xreading, a web-based learning material, will be used for self-study.

2. Overseas English language training

In addition to the above classes, NAIST will offer English-language training for four weeks at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. To develop internationality and international communication skills, NAIST sets the high numerical goal of having all Japanese graduate students in the doctoral course experience overseas training. This is an overseas English language training program to help achieve that goal. Please refer to the Hawaiʻi English Language Program (HELP) for details. Two credits, regarded as one from either of Overseas English Language Training I, II, or III, are granted to graduate students who participate in this training.

3. Extracurricular English subject (subject for TOEIC test preparation)

The TOEIC Test Preparation Course is offered in coordination with regular English classes. NAIST selects graduate students who are likely to achieve the TOEIC score of 750 with a little more effort as “Procom certified students” and offers this subject to them to strengthen their English skills in a short period of time. This will be a perfect opportunity to improve English skills for graduate students who are not attending overseas English learning training programs. The selection of candidates will be conducted approximately three times in the first two years of the doctoral degree subjects as follows.

1. In September of the first year: According to the TOEIC-IP test score at the time of entrance, as well the learning status of Advanced English E or other English subjects
2. We will announce the selections of the second and third times at a later date.

The TOEIC Test Preparation Course consists of a three-day intensive lecture immediately following the TOEIC-IP test. NAIST will cover all subject fees and educational materials.