I believe the diversity within this department is highly valuable for students.

My primary reason for choosing the CSCE major at Waseda University is my desire to receive a high-quality, English-based education in computer science in Japan. I wanted to attend university in Japan because I grew up there and found that the Japanese culture suited well to me. However, since my education from elementary school to high school was conducted mostly in English through the International Baccalaureate program, I believe studying at a university that offers courses in English will be more beneficial to my learning. Additionally, I was aiming to maintain and enhance my English skills, which will be an advantage for research, such as when reading academic papers, and for job-hunting, where I can highlight my proficiency in English as a strength and become an engineer who can work internationally. While many universities offer English-based programs, they often focus on majors like global studies, which do not align with my interests. My passion for computer science has been strong since high school, and I am determined to pursue this field at the university. Therefore, the CSCE major at Waseda University represents the perfect opportunity for me, as it aligns with both my academic and personal expectations.

One significant advantage of this department is the opportunity to meet people with diverse backgrounds, which helps me become more open to intercultural communication. This is important to me because my dream is to become an engineer who can work in a global environment and collaborate with engineers from around the world. In this department, I have friends from various countries, such as the United States, Switzerland, and Thailand, as well as Japanese friends who spent their childhoods abroad. Additionally, I also have friends who grew up in Japan and have rarely traveled to foreign countries. In class, I have opportunities to work with these diverse individuals and get to know them and it is interesting to hear about their various backgrounds, values, and perspectives. Clearly, studying in this department fosters open-mindedness and a better understanding of different perspectives. The value of this environment was highlighted when I attended an international conference in Italy. At the conference, I had many opportunities to engage with researchers from around the world. Thanks to my experience with intercultural communication, I felt comfortable approaching and talking with other researchers, leading to engaging and insightful discussions about computer science. Therefore, I believe the diversity within this department is highly valuable for students.

During my student life, I have been passionate about challenging myself and trying new things as much as I can, because I believe it will make my life at university more fulfilling. Indeed, I have participated in many extracurricular activities. For example, as a clarinet player in a wind orchestra, I practiced a lot for performing at concerts and competitions several times a year. In a game community, I often organized and participated events to play video games and board games with friends, sometimes late into the night. Additionally, I am part of a competitive programming study group where I study complex algorithms and data structures and participate in various programming competitions. These activities that I tried have allowed me to make many friends from different majors, ages, academic years, and even from different universities. Socializing with these friends has made my student life fulfilling and enjoyable. Moreover, they have been a great support when I have concerns about academics or personal matters. Participating in all these activities makes my schedule very busy and sometimes difficult to manage, but I want to thank myself in my freshman year for deciding to take part in these activities and gain such valuable experiences.

My goal is to be an engineer who can work actively on a global scale. I believe that, given the vastness of the field of computer science, collaboration with engineers worldwide is essential for developing new technologies. To achieve this, I am currently learning the fundamentals of computer science to build a solid foundation of my knowledge, improving my English skills to allow me to communicate globally, and collaborating with classmates from diverse backgrounds to prepare myself for international work. I am in the fourth year of my bachelor’s program, and after graduation, I plan to pursue a master’s degree. My previous research on user interaction and virtual reality, conducted during my Project Research course, was particularly interesting to me, and I wish to continue in a similar field after graduation. Although I am uncertain about my plans after earning my master’s degree, if I go job-hunting, I will seek positions in engineering where I can utilize the skills and knowledge I have gained during my studies at the university. I plan to seek employment in Japan but I am aiming to find a job where I can also use my English skills. To do this, I have participated in several internships over the past two years to broaden my perspective on engineering and prepare for my future job search.

My message for students aiming for a CSCE major at Waseda University is not to hesitate to take advantage of the various opportunities the university offers. Waseda University is a large institution with a diverse community, providing numerous excellent opportunities: classes inside and outside your major, a wide range of extracurricular activities, various laboratory options, and study abroad experiences in many countries. However, one common factor among all these opportunities is that it can be difficult to seize them if you hesitate. I used to be someone who worried about everything, so I understand how challenging it can be to try new things. However, I also know that taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible will enrich your university life and allow you to gain valuable skills, knowledge, and memories. Therefore, for students who want to join the CSCE major, or even for those who want to enter Waseda University, I recommend taking as many opportunities as you can.

One thing that I want to highlight for this course is that people, both students and professors, are very supportive. Of course, professors welcome me to ask questions if I have any during the course. Not only that, when I was having a hard time deciding whether to go to a master’s course or not, my class academic adviser shared information about job-hunting for bachelor and master course students at Waseda University, and because of this, I can determine to go to master course. Additionally, my friends from various classes are all open to collaboration, and we often help each other and prepare together for exams. Moreover, when I faced challenges in my research, my laboratory’s professor and students gave me important advice when I reached out to them and these helped me a lot which resulted in presenting my research result at an international conference. Therefore, please remember that people in CSCE major are very helpful, and hence do not hesitate to reach out to them.