About Us
St. Thomas University, Japan is a Catholic University located just outside Osaka in Western Japan. Our student body comprises roughly 1,000 men and women, divided between three undergraduate departments and two divisions in our graduate school. Our faculty is drawn from a number of countries and we have extensive links around the world. The language of instruction is Japanese for the most part, although a number of courses are available in English.
A Message from the President of STU, Japan
Welcome to the English website of St. Thomas University, Japan.
We are a small Catholic university just outside Osaka, in the Kansai Region, with a focus on Multicultural Understanding, Early Childhood Education and Humanities. At present, we have 300 students, in the second, third and fourth years of their studies with us. About one third of the students come from China, and we also have a rather international faculty, with teachers from France, Spain, Italy, the US and the UK.
Although we are not currently recruiting new students, we are very much committed to the education of the students we have. The university is fully equipped with academic, sporting and other facilities. We offer a wide range of extracurricular programmes, including chances to study abroad at our sister schools throughout the world, opportunities to take standardised tests to prove foreign language proficiency and computer literacy, and a range of sporting and cultural clubs.
Most importantly, though, we have a strong commitment to the education of our graduate and undergraduate students, and to preparing them for life after university. Were you to visit us, you would find our students studying hard in relatively small classes under experienced teachers, in a warm atmosphere of friendliness and mutual support. Many students, after completing their four years of study with us, leave with not only a graduation diploma but also certification in a number of areas, and we support them in finding suitable career paths. Since our foundation we have graduated over 10,000 students, who have gone on to play important roles in community life both in Japan and overseas.
We hope you will visit us one day. You will find this is a rather special place, friendly, international and dedicated to the education of our students.
Stephen M. Ryan
President
St. Thomas University
The History of Our University
Our university was founded by the Catholic Archdiocese of Diocese in 1962 as Eichi University. Originally a junior college, Eichi quickly grew into a vibrant four-year university with a Faculty of Arts housing five departments. Eichi ("Sapientia" in Latin) University developed a strong reputation for theology and foreign language education, establishing three research institutes on our campus and active links with many universities overseas. In 1994, the Sapientia International Language Education Center was opened to support the teaching and study of foreign languages as well as study abroad. Two years later, Eichi University opened a graduate school with two programs of study.
In 2007, Eichi University was invited to become the first Japanese member of a worldwide association of Catholic universities, the International Council of Universities of St. Thomas Aquinas (IC-USTA). We officially changed our name to St. Thomas University, Japan in recognition of this new affiliation and in anticipation of our new program of study beginning in April 2008. We hope to welcome many students from outside of Japan to study in our Faculty of Interpersonal and Cross-cultural Understanding in the coming years.
Our Campus
St. Thomas University is a small, friendly college that takes pride in its international flavor. The STU campus is a 30-minute commute from the hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka. At the heart of our campus is the Augustine chapel where mass is held twice weekly. The Sapientia Tower, which houses lecture halls and seminar rooms, is a local landmark which can be seen from afar. Our library, a favorite study spot for STU students and professors alike, houses over 270,000 volumes written in many different languages. Our students spend much of their day in the classrooms, computer center and CALL lab. Between classes they can often be seen hanging out with their friends at the Club House, Student Support Center, Café or outside at the tables.
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Affiliations
Amagasaki International Association
Japan University Accreditation Association
The Japan Association of Private Colleges and Universities
The Japan Federation of Catholic Schools
Japan-China Economic Relations and Trade Centre
International Federation of Catholic Universities
Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities
Access
St. Thomas University, Japan, is located in Western Japan between the cities of Osaka and Kobe. It is easily accessible from Kansai, Osaka and Kobe airports and from all parts of Japan by rail.
To reach the university from either Osaka or Kobe, take a train on the Hankyu line to Sonoda Station, or on the JR line to Amagasaki Station. A bus runs between the two stations and stops outside St. Thomas University on the way. Alternatively, the campus is a 15-minute walk from Hankyu Sonoda Station.
from KANSAI AIRPORT
Write to:stujmail@st.thomas.ac.jp
Or: St. Thomas University
2-18-1 Nakoji
Amagasaki City
Hyogo Prefecture
661-8530
JAPAN
The Kansai Area
St. Thomas University is located in the heart of the Kansai region, three hours west of Tokyo on the main island of Honshu. Our campus is conveniently situated in Amagasaki City, in Hyogo Prefecture. We are only 30 minutes from downtown Osaka, a bustling shopping and entertainment area popular with people of all ages. A short distance to the west of our campus is the beautiful city of Kobe, blessedly situated between the mountains and sea. The city of Kyoto, known for its historical flavor and home of many of Japan's most famous temples and shrines, is also within easy reach. The ancient capital of Nara, famous for its deer part and the giant Buddha of Todaiji Temple, is 90 minutes from St. Thomas by train.
There is a lot to do and explore in Kansai. This area of the country is known for its warm-hearted, open people and its fun-loving spirit. The local people are proud of their special forms of entertainment, special foods, and unique Kansai dialect. Many foreign residents of Kansai say that they wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Come and see for yourself!
For more information about the Kansai area, see:
About Hyogo Prefecture:
About Amagasaki City:
About Osaka:
About Kobe:
About Kyoto:
About Nara:
