現代化的國家，幾乎沒有例外，都有大學的存在。因此，就此一意義而言，大學的發展史也幾乎等同於近代文明的發展史。
　「大學」當然不是現代的產物，它在中國、日本與歐洲都有悠遠的發展傳統，承載著前人對「理想生活」的想像，以及他們為此而付出的血與汗的努力。就最近一百年來說，不管是東方或西方，都難得有團體像「大學」那樣，承擔著如許沉重的社會期待，以及總是能夠激發人們的想像力。置身二十一世紀初，回過頭去看看前人的腳蹤，探究他們對於「理想大學」所付出的努力和寄予的厚望，無疑可以擴大及豐富我們對於「大學」的想像及認識。
沿著歷史的足跡，尋覓近代大學的發展歷程，瞭解「知識人」在其中所扮演的角色，特別注意「人文主義教育」的地位，是這一門課程開設的目的。
我們期待藉由seminar的形式，透過教師講授、文獻閱讀、課堂討論、論文構思及寫作，幫助同學認識自己的過去，反省自身及當代，並進而勇於承擔未來。

Modern countries, with almost no exceptions, have universities. Therefore, in this sense, the development history of universities is almost equivalent to the development history of modern civilization.
"University" is of course not a modern product. It has a long tradition of development in China, Japan and Europe, carrying the imagination of the "ideal life" of the predecessors and the blood and sweat efforts they made for it. In the past 100 years, no group, whether in the East or the West, has shouldered such heavy social expectations and always stimulated people's imagination like the "university". At the beginning of the 21st century, looking back at the footsteps of our predecessors and exploring their efforts and high hopes for the "ideal university" will undoubtedly expand and enrich our imagination and understanding of the "university".
The purpose of this course is to follow the footsteps of history, explore the development of modern universities, understand the role played by "intellectuals" in it, and pay special attention to the status of "humanistic education."
We hope that through the form of seminar, teacher lectures, literature reading, classroom discussions, paper conception and writing, we can help students understand their past, reflect on themselves and the present, and then have the courage to take on the future.

通識課程不同於專業課程，實乃著重引導學生主動關懷、探索與實踐人類的終極價值與智慧；同時通識課程所提供的知識，不是專業課程的淺薄化，而是具有厚實感的基礎知識。本校根據創校傳統、校訓與辦學理念訂定通識教育定四大基本素養：求真素養、篤信素養、力行素養與宏通素養，以具體落實本校通識教育之理想。希望本校學生能發揮自主學習精神，在通識課程老師的引導下，逐漸培養其通識教育基本素養，並期待能終身學習。各種基本素養並訂有具體的學習成效指標，以做教學與學習成效之自我檢證的具體指標，分述如下：求真素養（自然領域）：1.學習自然科學的方法或哲學以探索物理與生命世界的微妙，2.發揮就事論事的精神，3.能參與科學議題相關的公共事務。篤信素養（人文領域）：1.學習人文精神以探索內在自我與領會人類文明的深層價值，2.發展自律精神，3.能運用理性進行道德推理。力行素養（社會領域）：1.運用社會科學的方法或哲學以激發學生的傾聽與溝通能力，2.承認與尊重多元差，3.實踐民主審議的精神。宏通素養（跨領域）：1.追求人類的整體價值，2.融通求真、篤信、力行等素養於個人生命之中。各領域的課程對於學習成效指標可以跨選，不必拘泥。

General courses are different from professional courses. They actually focus on guiding students to actively care for, explore and practice the ultimate value and wisdom of mankind. At the same time, the knowledge provided by general courses is not the superficiality of professional courses, but basic knowledge with a solid sense. Based on the school’s founding tradition, school motto and school philosophy, the school has formulated four basic qualities for general education: truth-seeking quality, belief quality, practical quality and general quality, in order to concretely implement the school’s ideals of general education. We hope that our students can develop their independent learning spirit and gradually develop their basic literacy in general education under the guidance of general education teachers, and look forward to lifelong learning. Various basic competencies have specific learning effectiveness indicators for self-examination of teaching and learning effectiveness, which are described as follows: Truth-seeking literacy (natural field): 1. Learn the methods or philosophy of natural science to explore the subtleties of the physical and life world, 2. Use the spirit of discussing things as they are, 3. Be able to participate in public affairs related to scientific issues. Belief literacy (humanities field): 1. Learn the humanistic spirit to explore the inner self and understand the deep value of human civilization, 2. Develop a spirit of self-discipline, 3. Be able to use reason for moral reasoning. Practical literacy (social field): 1. Use social science methods or philosophy to stimulate students' listening and communication skills, 2. Recognize and respect diversity, 3. Practice the spirit of democratic deliberation. Hongtong literacy (cross-field): 1. Pursue the overall value of human beings, 2. Integrate qualities such as truth-seeking, faith, and practice into personal life. Courses in various fields can choose from different learning outcome indicators, so there is no need to be rigid.

※主要參考書籍/資料 (Textbooks and References)
1,艾德華・薩伊德(Edward W. Said)著/單德興譯《知識分子論》,麥田出版,1998.
2,Bill Readings, The University in Ruins, Harvard University Press, 1996.
3,天野郁夫『大学の誕生』（上・下）中央公論新社,2009.
4,天野郁夫『学歴の社会史－－教育と日本の近代』新潮選書,1994.
5,潮木守一『京都大学の挑戦――帝国大学史のひとこま』名古屋大学出版会,1984.
6,猪木武徳『大学の反省』NTT出版,2009.

※Main reference books/materials (Textbooks and References)
1. "On Intellectuals" written by Edward W. Said/translated by Shan Dexing, Wheatfield Publishing, 1998.
2.Bill Readings, The University in Ruins, Harvard University Press, 1996.
3. Amano Ikuo's "The Birth of a University" (Part 1 and Part 2) Chuo Koron Shinsha News Agency, 2009.
4. Amano Ikuo's "Social History of Learning - Education and Japan's Modern Times" trendy book selection, 1994.
5. Shioki Moriichi "The Challenge of Kyoto University - History of Imperial University" Nagoya University Press, 1984.
6. Taketoku Inoki's "Reflections on University" published by NTT, 2009.