In 2004 the Faculty of Economics abolished the division of its departments and integrated into a single department, the Department of Economics and Management. The purpose of eliminating the departmental framework is to explore the economic problems of modern society with a broad horizon and from diverse perspectives. This new Department's educational philosophy is "producing the self-reliant professionals"needed in the 21st century, and to achieve that aim it has incorporated a new curriculum based on the following three main elements:(1)the formation of human qualities and dignity; (2)developing a critical awareness toward society's problems, and a multifaceted perspective on seeking solutions to those problems; and (3)cultivating the knowledge and basic skills of a professional. A major feature of this new curriculum is that few of the courses are required, while most are electives. Students can decide what courses to take from among many choices in accordance with their own proficiency and intellectual interests.

Five courses closely tied to contemporary society Students belong to one of the five courses in this Department. Course themes are "society and the environment," "organizations and people," "corporations and strategies," "finance and accounting," and "economies and economic policy." Because each of the specific challenges that our present socioeconomic system faces is one of these themes, university study has real-time links to social trends. Students may also take classes outside of their own courses, and count them as credits toward graduation. Although students enter a course in the second year, during their first year they take "course preparation classes" to foster their critical social awareness and their basic capabilities to find ways to solve social problems by themselves. The Department has established special programs on the "international community" and "data analysis" for highly proficient students who wish to master more advanced practical skills.