The Evolution and Development of Common and General Education Courses
I. Taihoku Imperial University Period: The Mandatory Common Courses
Taihoku Imperial University was established in 1928, initially comprising the College of Liberal Arts and Politics and Science and Agriculture. In 1936, a College of Medicine was added, followed by a College of Engineering in 1943. Each college comprised several disciplines. For example, the College of Liberal Arts and Politics included departments like Philosophy, History, Literature, and Political Science, each with several lectureships. The College of Engineering, established in 1943, included Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, and Civil Engineering. At that time, the university's structure was centered around lectureships, which served both research and teaching functions. Each lectureship was led by a professor (or associate professor) and, according to the "University Order" promulgated in 1926, each lectureship had one professor and one associate professor, with 1-3 lecturers and assistants based on the nature of the lectureship. Students were admitted into specific disciplines but had to choose a primary lectureship classroom for their studies. [1] Disciplines and majors were teaching units, while lectureships were research units. [2] Each college consisted of several lectureships.
During the Imperial University period, there were no general required courses for the entire university. At the outset of the university's establishment, there were even no common required courses within each discipline. Although there might have been courses with the same name required in various specializations, [3] this was different from the concept of common required courses as defined today. It wasn't until 1931 (Showa 6) that the various departments within the College of Liberal Arts and Politics started having common required courses. [4] However, there were no general required courses shared across different departments within the same college. [5] A notable exception was the College of Engineering, established in 1943, which not only had common courses for the college [6] but also had "common lectureships." [7]
In summary, during the period of Taipei Imperial University, there were no university-wide common required courses. This was partly due to the university's structure, which was centered around lectureships with a strong emphasis on research orientation. From the outset, students were required to decide their field of specialization upon enrollment and take courses related to that field. While there were required courses across different specializations, these were not common required courses in the modern sense. It was not until after 1931 that common required courses began to appear within individual disciplines. College-wide common courses only emerged with the establishment of the College of Engineering in 1943. University-wide common required courses did not appear until after the war when the Nationalist Government took over Taiwan and reformed the educational system.
II. Post-war Development of Mandatory Common Courses in Taiwanese Universities – The Ministry of Education-Led Period
After World War II, when the Nationalist Government took over Taiwan, Taipei Imperial University was renamed National Taiwan University (NTU). The educational system originally implemented at Taipei Imperial University underwent a period of transition. Regarding the commonly required courses discussed in this text, for a considerable period after WWII, the subjects and credits for these courses were regulated by the Ministry of Education. Consequently, the following discussion will focus on the commonly required courses implemented during the Republic of China era and thereafter.
In September 1938, the Ministry of Education announced the "University Required Courses List," which served as the foundational guideline for course curricula and teaching in universities. This list specified common required courses for three faculties: Liberal Arts, Science, and Law, and mandated their implementation starting from the first year of the 1938 academic year. The commonly required courses for the faculties of Agriculture, Engineering, and Commerce were to be determined and announced by their respective specialized committees. The draft required courses for each department within other faculties to be reviewed by experts and decided upon after holding faculty-level subject discussion meetings. [8] This approach to setting required courses continued until the Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan after the war. In addition to the faculty-specific required courses, other common required courses included 8 credits of Chinese, 8 credits of a foreign language, physical education, and military training (not counted for credits). [9]
In 1949, following the relocation of the Nationalist Government to Taiwan, the "Outline for Post-War Reconstruction and National Education" was announced the following year, which included "Three Principles of the People" (4 credits) as a required course. Subsequently, in 1952, it was mandated that universities should also offer courses on "Modern Chinese History" (4 credits for the full year), "History of Tsarist Russian Aggression in China" (2-3 credits for one semester), and "International Organizations and Current International Affairs" (2-3 credits for one semester). [10]
In 1958, when the Ministry of Education revised the university curriculum, for the first time specified commonly required courses for each college. Subsequent revisions to these requirements were made in 1963, 1973, 1977, and 1983, as detailed in the following table:
Table 1: Ministry of Education Common Required Courses Table, 1958-1983[11]
1958
1963
1973
1977
1983
國文（8） Chinese（8）
英文（8） Freshman English（8）
三民主義（4） Three Principles of the People（4）
國父思想（4） Three Principles of the People（4）
體育（學分另計） Physical Education (Credits Calculated Separately)
軍訓 （學分另計） Military Training (Credits Calculated Separately)
中國通史（4） Survey of Chinese History（4）
中國近代史 （含俄帝侵略中國史）（4-6） History of Modern China (Including the History of Tsarist Russian Aggression in China) （4-6）
七選二（5-8） Choose Two out of Seven （5-8）a
六選一（2-3） Choose One out of Six （2-3）b
中國現代史（2） History of Modern China（2）
國際組織與國際現勢（2） International Organizations and Current International Affairs （2）
六選一（2-3） Choose One out of Six （2-3）c
四選一（2-3） Choose One out of Four（2-3）d
a. International Organizations and Current Global Affairs, Modern Chinese History, Principles of Science, Introduction to Humanities/ Ethics/ Philosophy of Life, Constitution, Introduction to Social Science, and Introduction to Natural Science.
b. Same as item a, excluding Modern Chinese History.
c. Similar to item b, but with 'International Relations' instead of 'International Organizations and Current Global Affairs', and 'Introduction to Philosophy' replaces 'Philosophy of Life'.
d. Constitution of the Republic of China, International Relations, Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Jurisprudence.
From the table, it is evident that the Chinese Language, English, Three Principles of the People (Sun Yat-sen's ideology), Military Training, and Physical Education have been implemented as commonly required courses in colleges and universities since 1958. In 1972, it was decided to add "General History of China" and "Modern Chinese History" as common required courses for universities. [12] Consequently, in the 1973 revision of commonly required courses, "General History of China" was included, while courses like "Modern Chinese History" became one of the required elective courses
In 1983, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan established the "University Common Courses Planning and Research Task Force" to review the common courses in universities. Subsequently, the "Implementation Guidelines for University Required Courses" were published. Article 8 of these guidelines stipulated that university students were required to complete 4-6 credits of general education courses. Thus, starting with the students who enrolled in 1984, general education courses began to be taken, marking the beginning of the widespread implementation of general education in Taiwan. [13]
Subsequently, in 1992, the Ministry of Education announced the 'Guidelines for the Implementation of Compulsory University Courses', adjusting various compulsory subjects, including general education courses, and their credit requirements. The details are listed below:
Table 2: Ministry of Education's Required Courses Table for Universities, 1992[14]
領域類別 Field Categories
學分 Credits
科目及說明 Subjects and Descriptions
備註 Remarks
國文 Chinese
6
一、國文、英文二科由學校自行甄別，符合規定程度者，得予免修。但須另修同領域之其他科目。 I. Chinese and English courses are subject to the school's assessment, and those who meet the required standards may be exempted. However, they must take other courses in the same field as a substitute.
二、各校實施本必修科目表時，應考量師資狀況，與學生需求，予以妥善規劃。 II. When implementing this list of required courses, each school should consider the availability of qualified teachers and student needs to ensure proper planning.
外文 Foreign Language
本國歷史 National History
4
中華民國憲法與立國精神 Constitution of the Republic of China and the Spirit of National Establishment
通識課程 General Education Courses
8
為增廣學生知識領域，各校應開設有關人文、社會、自然科學類通識科目，以供不同院校系學生修習。 To broaden students' knowledge areas, each school should offer general education courses in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences for students from different colleges and departments.
This adjustment primarily involved changing the categorization of subjects into distinct areas. As listed in the above table, the Ministry of Education divided the compulsory subjects into five major areas.
However, this set of commonly required courses did not last long. The following year, the Constitutional Court issued Interpretation No. 380, stating that the Ministry of Education's regulations on commonly required courses for universities were not by the "University Act" and the "Constitution." From the date of this announcement, the regulations were to lose their effectiveness within one year. Starting from the 1996 academic year, commonly required courses such as Chinese Literature, Foreign Languages, History, the Constitution of the Republic of China and the Spirit of National Establishment, General Education, Military Training, and Physical Education at universities were subject to change. Whether these subjects would remain mandatory or become elective was to be determined by each university individually. [15]
From the information provided, it's clear that after World War II, the commonly required courses in Taiwanese universities were essentially mandated by the Ministry of Education. [16] However, even before the Ministry of Education's directive in 1983 to implement general education, various universities in Taiwan had already begun to adopt general education initiatives on their own.
III. Practices and Attempts to Promoting General Education (Liberal Arts Education) in Taiwan's Universities
The term "general education" in contemporary university and college contexts originates from the "Guidelines for the Implementation of Elective General Education Courses in Universities," published by the Ministry of Education in 1984. [17] The definition of "general education" can be traced back to a concept expressed by Yu Chao-Chung, a former president of National Taiwan University, who described it as "the cultivation of basic knowledge beyond specialized academics." [18] The implementation of general education aims to prevent the narrowness of perspective caused by excessive specialization and to help students develop a broad worldview and the ability to integrate knowledge across different fields. [19] Therefore, even though the commonly required courses mandated by the Ministry of Education before 1983 did not include parts specifically labeled as general education, some schools, driven by the aforementioned philosophy, had already been implementing courses similar to what is now recognized as "general education."
Since Fu Ssu-nien's tenure as the president of National Taiwan University starting in 1948, his educational philosophy, which blended Eastern and Western elements, already emphasized the concept of "interdisciplinary synthesis." This approach included not only a thorough understanding of one's major but also a significant level of comprehension in disciplines outside one's specialization. [20] Drawing from his observations in Europe and America, Fu advocated for "broad general education," emphasizing the need for a comprehensive education that goes beyond skill-based training to encompass a broad array of knowledge. [21] In the latter half of the 1950s at NTU, students in the College of Liberal Arts were required to take courses like "Principles of Reasoning (Logic)" and "Introduction to Earth Sciences (Science)," while students in the College of Science were required to take "Sociology." These curricular requirements might have originated from the practices introduced by President Fu Ssu-nien. [22]
In 1955, Tunghai University was officially founded with Beauson Tseng as its first president. President Beauson Tseng, inspired by the liberal arts education he observed at the University of Chicago and several other universities, integrated this approach into Tunghai University's founding philosophy. [23] The university adopted a "liberal-professional education" model, emphasizing both specialized and liberal arts education. Specialized education aims to equip students with professional knowledge and skills, while liberal arts education aims to integrate students' basic understanding of humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
The liberal arts curriculum at Tunghai University, approved by the Ministry of Education, included the "common required courses" mandated by the Ministry, covering the three major areas of humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. These credits also accounted for nearly 50% of the graduation requirements for each college. However, in the early 1970s, with a change in the university's presidency, the concept of liberal arts education could not be sustained and was eventually discontinued. [24]
In 1975, under the initiative of Shen Jun-Shan, the Dean of the College of Science at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), and in collaboration with many experts and scholars, courses titled "Introduction to Humanities" and "Introduction to Social Sciences" were introduced for students in the College of Science. This approach was aligned with the concept of a liberal arts education and marked the beginning of the implementation of general education at NTHU. [25]
In 1981, Yu Chao-Chung became the president of National Taiwan University and actively promoted liberal arts education. He proposed the introduction of "core courses," which included Literature and Arts, History, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Foreign Languages and Cultures. President Yu began planning these courses right from the start of his tenure and had designed thirteen elective courses by 1983. Although the implementation process was not entirely smooth, his ideas generated significant interest in the academic community. The Ministry of Education's promotion of "Elective General Education Courses" in 1984 was a direct result of then Education Minister Zhu Hui-sen accepting President Yu's recommendations. [26]
IV. Promotion of General Education Courses at National Taiwan University and the Center of General Education
Despite President Yu's efforts in promoting liberal arts education not fully materializing, the seeds for promoting general education were sown at National Taiwan University. In June 1992, the University Council resolved to comprehensively plan NTU's general education courses, leading to the formation of the "General Education Planning Group." In January 1994, a draft plan was proposed, allowing each department to decide whether to participate in this program. However, due to limited participation from the departments and a lack of consensus, this program was not fully implemented.
Initially, the promotion of liberal education was intended to be facilitated by individual departments providing teaching resources. However, potential impacts on the teaching capacities of the departments resulted in low enthusiasm for participating in liberal education.
To effectively promote the planning of general education courses, a resolution was made during the Academic Affairs Meeting on April 23, 1994, to establish the "Curriculum Planning Committee." Subsequently, in March 1995, the functional task force "General Education Committee" was formed, which was later restructured into the "General Education Center." Within this center, the "General Education Curriculum Planning Committee" was established. Following the Constitutional Court's No. 380 interpretation in May 1995, which declared the "Ministry-mandated Common Compulsory Subjects for Universities" unconstitutional, NTU gained greater flexibility in expanding its general education. In April 1996, the university established the Common Education Committee, responsible for promoting and coordinating general education and common education matters through a streamlined administrative organization. According to the committee's plan, from the 1997 academic year onwards, students were required to take 12 credits of general education courses from four major areas—Humanities, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Material Sciences—outside their major field of study.
In 2001, NTU received funding from the Ministry of Education under the first phase of the "Project to Enhance Basic University Education," aimed at improving the quality of general education courses. NTU then initiated the "Four-Year Improvement Plan for General Education at NTU (2001-2005): Integrating Global Perspectives with Local Culture." From July 1, 2003, to October 31, 2004, the Ministry of Education launched the "Pilot Evaluation Project for University General Education" and began evaluating the universities that received Ministry funding from April 1, 2004. [27] The evaluation of NTU pointed out: "...compared to other universities, there was a clear lack of investment in administrative and teaching resources at NTU. Given the university's history, scale, and resources, more proactive measures were expected..." In response, NTU initiated the "Research Project on the Reform of Common and General Education," focusing on organizational and curricular reforms.
In terms of organizational structure, to unify administrative authority and enhance the efficiency of general education, the "Joint Education Committee" was renamed "The Center of General Education." It transitioned from an administrative unit to a primary teaching unit not affiliated with any college. The center is divided into two groups: the Division of Liberal Education and the Division of General Education. These divisions are responsible for planning and reviewing the university's general education curriculum, auditing compulsory courses, and overseeing matters related to physical education teaching.
Regarding the curriculum, NTU formulated three reform proposals and ultimately chose to implement the Core Curriculum model, which was most suitable for the university. This model involved adjusting the credit distribution between common courses (originally 18 credits, including Chinese, English, History, the Constitution of the Republic of China, and Civic Education) and general education courses. The common courses were reduced to only include Chinese and English, focusing on foundational language skills and humanities literacy.
The general education courses saw an increase in required credits and were restructured into eight major areas: "Literature and Art," "Historical Thinking," "World Civilizations," "Philosophy and Moral Reasoning," "Civic Awareness and Social Analysis," "Quantitative Analysis and Mathematical Literacy," "Physical Sciences," and "Life Sciences." [28] Departments and colleges required students to take at least five core courses from these eight areas, not including their major area, with the combined common and general education credits totaling 30. These organizational and curricular changes were implemented starting from the 2007 academic year.
Until the 2016 academic year, to achieve the overall goal of reducing compulsory credits across the university and to provide students with more flexibility in course selection, a new system of common courses was implemented. The compulsory common courses included Chinese, Foreign (or English) Language, Physical Education, Service Learning, and Advanced English, comprising five categories. The general education curriculum maintained its eight areas, with unchanged subjects but adjusted credit requirements, totaling 24 credits for both common and general education. In the 2023 academic year, to clarify the relevance of course names and content and considering the future societal emphasis on digital and communication skills, Area A6 was renamed "Mathematics, Digital Competence, and Quantitative Analysis," and the Basic Skills course was renamed the Communication and Career Development course.
V. Evolution of Common and General Education Subjects at Different Stages
Since the 1997 academic year, there has been significant progress in the design and planning of general education courses at NTU. Additionally, service courses began to be offered from the 1998 academic year. As mentioned, the common compulsory subjects at NTU have undergone two major adjustments, one in the 2007 academic year and the other in the 2016 academic year. Furthermore, starting from the 2015 academic year, Basic Competence courses were introduced, which could count towards general education credits. The details of the common compulsory subjects at each stage are listed in Tables 3, 4, and 5 below:
Table 3: List of Common Required Courses at Our School from the 1998 Academic Year Onwards [29]
課程架構 Course Framework
學分數 Credits
共同課程 Common Course
基礎語文課程 Basic Language Courses
歷史 History
本國憲法／公民教育 National Constitution / Civic Education
體育課 Physical Education
服務（學習）課 Service Learning
通識課程 General Education Course
Table 4: List of Common Required Courses at Our School from the 2007 Academic Year Onwards [30]
大學國文 Chinese
| 6學分
| 6 credits
大一外(英)文 Freshman English /Second Foreign Language
進階英語 Online English Program
| 0學分
| 0 credits
| 進階英語 (一) 及 (二)
| Online English Program I, II
| 體育一、二、三、四必修共計 4 學分。體育學分均不計入畢業時應修最低學分總數內。
| Physical Education I, II, III, and IV are required, totaling 4 credits. However, these physical education credits are not counted toward the minimum total credits required for graduation.
服務學習課 Service Learning
| 服務(學習)一、二、三必修，0 學分。
| Service Learning I, II, and III are required 0 credits.
| 需修習系上指定領域領域之通識18學分
| Required to take 18 credits of general education in the field specified by the department.
| 八大核心領域
Eight major areas
A1文學與藝術、A2歷史思維 A1: Literature and Arts, A2: Historical Thinking
A3世界文明、A4哲學與道德思考 A3: World Civilizations, A4: Philosophy and Moral Thinking
A5公民意識與社會分析 A5: Civic Awareness and Social Analysis
A6量化分析與數學素養
A7物質科學、A8生命科學 A7: Physical Sciences
其他 Others
| 新生專題、新生講座（97學年起開設）
| Freshman Seminar, Freshman Forum (offered starting from the 2008 academic year.)
Table 5: List of Common Required Courses at Our School from the 2016 Academic Year Onwards [31]
| 3學分
| 自105學年度開始，國文領域分一、二，分別於上、下學期開授，各3學分，學士班學生應至少修習1門；修習2門且及格者，可充抵通識課程之A1-4四個領域中任一領域，至多3學分。 | Starting from the 2016 academic year, the Chinese Language field is divided into Parts 1 and 2, each offered in the first and second semesters respectively, with 3 credits each. Undergraduate students must take at least one of these courses; those who take both courses and pass can count up to 3 credits towards any of the A1-4 areas in the general education curriculum.
| 大一、大二為必修課程，每週上課2小時，及格給予1學分。體育學分成績列入學期成績平均數與總平均成績數中，但體育學分不計入畢業應修總學分數內。
| Physical education courses in the first and second years are mandatory, with 2 hours of class per week. Passing the course awards 1 credit. Physical education grades are included in the semester and cumulative GPA, but the credits do not count toward the total credits required for graduation.
| 分「健康體適能」課程1學分，與「專項運動學群」課程3學分。
| Divided into "Health and Fitness" courses worth 1 credit, and "Specialized Sports Group" courses worth 3 credits.
| 大一上應修習「健康體適能」課程一學分，且不得修習「專項運動學群」課程；自大一下起，始得修習「專項運動學群」課程。
| Freshmen in the first semester are required to take the "Health and Fitness" course for one credit and are not permitted to take "Specialized Sports Group" courses. Starting from the second semester of the freshman year, students are allowed to take "Specialized Sports Group" courses.
| 凡修習學士學位者，應修滿兩門服務學習課程，每學期必修0學分。
| Bachelor's degree students are required to complete two service learning courses, each with a mandatory 0 credits per semester.
| 服務學習課程（甲）以建構服務與學習理念、關懷校園生活環境為原則，由 各學系、學生社團或行政單位開課。服務學習課程（乙）係以學系、學生社團或行政單位開設之校內外服務為原則，可與校內外志工團體結合辦理。
| Service Learning Course (A) is based on the principle of constructing service and learning concepts and caring for the campus environment. It is offered by various academic departments, student organizations, or administrative units. Service Learning Course (B) is based on the principle of offering internal and external services through academic departments, student organizations, or administrative units and may be conducted in collaboration with internal and external volunteer groups.
通識課程
General Education Course
| 15學分。
| 自105學年度開始，含已在學及新入學之本校學士班學生，應修習15學分通識課程。 學士班學生在就讀院系所指定之五或六大通識領域中，修畢其中三個後，其餘可自由修習。
A1文學與藝術、A2歷史思維
A3世界文明、A4哲學與道德思考
A5公民意識與社會分析
A6量化分析與數學素養（112學年度起改為「數學數位與量化分析」）
A7物質科學、A8生命科學
| 15 credits.
Starting from the 2016 academic year, including current and new university undergraduate students, 15 credits of general education courses are required. Undergraduate students, after completing three of the five or six general education areas specified by their department, are free to choose courses from the remaining areas.
Eight core areas:
A1 Literature and Art, A2 Historical Thinking
A3 World Civilizations, A4 Philosophy and Moral Reasoning
A5 Civic Awareness and Social Analysis
A6 Quantitative Analysis and Mathematical Literacy (changed to "Mathematics, Digital, and Quantitative Analysis" starting from the 2023 academic year)
A7 Physical Sciences, A8 Life Sciences
基本能力課程 Basic Skills course
（112學年度起改為「溝通表達與職涯發展課程」） (Since the 2023 academic year Basic Skills course was renamed the Communication and Career Development course.)
| 修習本類課程可充抵通識學分，至多6學分。 | Taking courses in the Communication and Career Development category can be counted towards general education credits, up to a maximum of 6 credits.
| 新生專題、新生講座 | Freshman Seminar, Freshman Forum
During this stage, the most significant change was the division of general education courses into four major areas: "Humanities," "Social Sciences," "Life Sciences," and "Material Sciences." Students were required to complete 12 credits in these general education courses. The other common compulsory subjects, such as Chinese, Foreign Languages, History, and the Constitution of the Republic of China, continued to follow the regulations set by the Ministry of Education in 1991. However, the portion related to the Constitution of the Republic of China was modified to allow students to choose between studying the National Constitution or Civic Education, reducing it to 2 credits. Additionally, from the 1998 academic year, service courses were introduced as one of the common compulsory subjects.
In the 2007 academic year, NTU implemented a new general education curriculum, transforming the original four areas of general education into eight core areas. The university required departments to select specific areas for their students to study and increased the number of credits required for general education courses. Additionally, the subjects of History, and the Constitution of the Republic of China/Civic Education, previously part of the common compulsory curriculum, were integrated into these eight areas of general education.
Starting from the 2008 academic year, NTU has introduced the Freshman Seminar and Freshman Forum courses. The Freshman Seminar adopts a small class teaching system, guided by a mentorship program, to lead freshmen who have just entered the university in planning their future learning paths. The Freshman Forum, on the other hand, focuses on three themes: career exploration, skill development, and life education. It aims to cultivate students' abilities in self-exploration and philosophical thinking, thereby nurturing civic literacy, planning learning blueprints, and ultimately confirming life goals and directions.
Starting from the 2015 academic year, liberal education should not only provide students with a basic grasp of the four major domains - humanities, history, society, and natural sciences - but also equip them with the skills to use language and digital tools for more precise and effective communication, NTU initiated the Basic Skills course, which can be credited as 3 general education credits. From the 2023 academic year, the Basic Skills course was renamed the Communication and Career Development course.
In the 2016 academic year, NTU underwent another reorganization. To reduce the course load for students and increase flexibility in course selection, the school reduced the number of required core credits and increased the number of credits that the Basic Skills course could count towards general education requirements.
From the above evolution, we can observe the process of NTU's improvement in both core and general education following the withdrawal of the Ministry of Education's mandatory core curriculum regulations. A significant milestone was the establishment of the General Education Center in the 2007 academic year, implementing a new system for general education domains. On this foundation, the school increased the overall capacity of general education courses, thereby strengthening the implementation of liberal education. Since then, the school's common education has mainly followed this concept and structure, with two major adjustments: first, in the 2016 academic year, the number of required core credits was adjusted, and courses in Chinese and Basic Skills were made eligible to count towards general education credits to increase student flexibility. Second, in the 2023 academic year, Domain A6 was renamed "Mathematics, Digital, and Quantitative Analysis," and the "Basic Skills Course" was renamed to "Communication and Career Development course" to enhance related skill development. These changes also reflect the progressive evolution and direction of both common and general education courses over time.
[1] Li Wenliang, "Introduction to the Faculty of Agriculture - Agricultural Science," Academia - Taipei Imperial University Research Communication, Inaugural Issue (April 1996), pp. 144-145.
[2] Zhou Wanyao, "The Lecture, Specialization, and Post-war Legacy of Nanyo History at Taipei Imperial University: 1928-1960," NTU Historical Journal, 61 (June 2018), p. 32.
[3] Specializations under the History Department, including National History, Eastern History, and Nanyo History, all require the course "Ethnography and Anthropology." See Zhou Wanyao, "The Lecture, Specialization, and Post-war Legacy of Nanyo History at Taipei Imperial University," p. 38.
[4] In the example of the History and Philosophy departments, the commonly required courses for the History department include Introduction to History, Introduction to National History, Introduction to Eastern History, Introduction to Nanyo History, Western History, Geography, Ethnography,y, and Anthropology. See Chen Weizhi, "Introduction to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences - History Department, Academician - Taipei Imperial University Research Communication, Inaugural Issue (April 1996), p. 76. The commonly required courses for the Philosophy department include Introduction to Eastern Philosophy, Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Ethics, Introduction to Psychology, and Introduction to Education. See Qiu Jingdun, "Introduction to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Philosophy DepartmeAcademiademia - Taipei Imperial University Research Communication, Inaugural Issue (April 1996), p. 100.
[5] Zeng Shirong, "From 'Taipei Imperial University' to 'National Taiwan University' - A Case Study of Cultural Reconstruction (1945-1950)," Taipei Imperial University Research Communication, 2 (May 1997), pp. 1-12.
[6] Common courses in the Faculty of Engineering include Inorganic Chemistry, Physics, General Mechanics, Organic Chemistry, Essentials of PyrotechnCommon-Organicganic Chemistry, Industrial Physics Laboratory, Special Topics in Industrial Physics, Mathematical Exercise Laboratory, Essentials of Architecture. ee: Ye Bilin, "Establishment of the Faculty of Engineering at Taipei Imperial University," National Palace Museum Bulletin, 52 (20), p. 110.
[7] The Faculty of Engineering originally planned to offer seven common courses but successfully offered only six, including Materials Strength, Industrial Physics, Applied Mathematical Mechanics, Industrial Analytical Chemistry, Metallurgical Materials, and Industrial Geology. The course in Architecture was not successfully offered. Se: Chen Yu, "Taipei Imperial University Under Japanese Rule (Part 2)," Oriental History Inquiry, 11 (March 2006), p. 94.
[8] "National Education Research Institute - Encyclopedia of Education," "List of Mandatory Courses for Universities" entry. https://terms.naer.edu.tw/detail/1302036/?index=5. Retrieved on July 9, 2022.
[9] Chen Shunfen, "A Study of Autonomous Curriculum in Universities and Colleges in Our Country," Research Report of the National Science Council Special Project (Project No.: NSC 88-2413-H-007-001), pp. 2-1.
[10] Chen Shunfen, "A Study of Autonomous Curriculum in Universities and Colleges in Our Country," pp. 2-1.
[11] Quoted from: Chen Shunfen, "A Study of Autonomous Curriculum in Universities and Colleges in Our Country," Table 2-1.
[12] Chen Jieying, "General Education and Higher Education in Taiwan," Thought and Speech, 46:2 (July 2008), p. 5.
[13] Chen Jieying, "General Education and Higher Education in Taiwan," p. 5.
[14] Quoted from "Implementation Guidelines for Mandatory Courses in Universities" (October 3, 1992) https://www.rootlaw.com.tw/LawArticle.aspx?LawID=A040080041000800-0811003. Retrieved on July 12, 2022.
[15] Chen Jieying, "General Education and Higher Education in Taiwan," Thought and Speech, 46:2 (July 2008), p. 5.
[16]Apart from common commonly courses, other factors such as the number of required credits, compulsory subjects, graduation credits, and tuition fees, are all regulated by the Ministry of Education. See: Chen Shunfen, "Lessons from American Higher Education for Taiwan's Higher Education," in 21st Century Foundation, Painting the Future of Taiwan Education (Taipei: Chinese Credit Information Co., Ltd., 1998), p. 58.
[17] At the end of 1983, Minister of Education Zhu Huisen accepted the suggestion of Taipei Imperial University President Yu Zhaozhong to implement the "General Education Elective Courses." After consulting with Liu Yuanjun, the Dean of Academic Affairs at Soochow University, legislator Xie Xuexian proposed changing the name from "General Courses" to "General Education Courses" during the third questioning session of the first session of the 73rd Legislative Yuan on March 17 of the following year. A week later, on March 24, Minister Zhu agreed to the suggestion and officially announced the "Implementation Guidelines for University General Education Courses." It was implemented later that year. See Li Xaoqing and Dan Zhaowei, "The Dilemma and Development of General Education and Professional Education in Taiwan," General Education Journal, 21 (June 2018), p. 37.
[18] Chen Shunfen, "A Study of Autonomous Curriculum in Universities and Colleges in Our Country," pp. 1-2.
[19] Shen Junshan and Huang Junjie, "Towards 21st Century University General Education," General Education Quarterly, 2:1 (1995), p. 3.
[20] Liu Guangding, "Mr. Fu Sienian's Early Understanding of 'General Education' and 'Science,'" in Fu Zhong 55 Echoes - Mr. Fu Sienian's Posthumous Works (Taiwan: Independent Author, 2015), pp. 32-33.
[21] Xu Wenrui, "Persistence Amidst Turmoil: Mr. Fu Sienian's Early Education Thoughts and the Transformation and Development of Taiwan's Universities after World War II" (Taipei: Master's thesis, Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 2007), pp. 89-90.
[22] Liu Guangding, "Mr. Fu Sienian's Early Understanding of 'General Education' and 'Science,'" p. 33.
[23] Liang Bifeng, "The Birth Story of General Education at Tunghai University (Part 1)," Tunghai University Library Bulletin, 3 (Taiwan: March 2016), pp. 34-38.
[24] Chen Shunfen, "A Study of Autonomous Curriculum in Universities and Colleges in Our Country," pp. 2-4.
[25] Li Xiaoqing and Dan Zhaowei, "The Dilemma and Development of General Education and Professional Education in Taiwan," p. 36.
[26] Li Xiaoqing and Dan Zhaowei, "The Dilemma and Development of General Education and Professional Education in Taiwan," p. 37.
[27] Huang Junjie, "Status of General Education in Taiwanese Universities: A Preliminary Examination of Evaluation Reports," Journal of General Education: Theory and Practice, 1:1 (July 2006), pp. 184-185.
[28] The division of fields in this way is mainly based on Harvard University in the United States, which requires undergraduate students to select from seven core areas in addition to their major courses: Foreign Cultures, Historical Study, Literature and Arts, Moral Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Science, and Social Analysis. The "Quantitative Analysis and Mathematical Literacy" field, originally planned as "Logic, Quantitative Analysis, and Mathematical Literacy," was officially changed to the field name "Quantitative Analysis and Mathematical Literacy" when it was implemented.
[29] The content of the table is based on relevant information from the NTU Course Network: https://nol.ntu.edu.tw/
[30] The content of the table is based on relevant information from the NTU Course Network: https://nol.ntu.edu.tw/
[31] The content of the table is based on relevant information from the NTU Course Network: https://nol.ntu.edu.tw/