Mural on the entrance to Building F, School of Science

Before the Department of Earth and Space Science was established in 1995, a division pursuing a similar goal was established in April 1991. The division was small, bringing together the four courses of (1) Basic Astrophysical Science, (2) Natural Materials Science, (3) Earth Materials Science, and (4) Earth Systems Science, with two entirely new courses, (5) Theoretical Astrophysical Science and (6) Extreme Material Science; it was staffed with just 6 professors, 6 associate professors and 12 research associates. Then, in April 1995, as part of an overall departmental reshuffle, it was relaunched as the Department of Earth and Space Science, having incorporated some earth science groups from the College of General Education.

This is the newest of the six departments that make up the Graduate School of Science at Osaka University. Initially, its members were divided between the north block of the former College of General Education, and the south block of the former Earth and Space Science Division. In August 1995, however, the Department moved to the newly constructed Building F in the School of Science. This brought all departmental members together, and it is where the department remains today.

In April 1996, the entire University was restructured to strengthen graduate education, and the Department too shifted from several smaller courses to a system with fewer, broader divisions. Now, there are four areas of core graduate research: (1) Astrophysics and Planetary Science, (2) Earth and Planetary Material Sciences, (3) Extreme Material Science, and (4) Life Science. In order to facilitate efficient and effective day-to-day research, the department has adopted a system of research groups, with each research falling under the umbrella of one of the four major research divisions. These, however, are not discrete or unchanging; they will evolve as members leave or transfer elsewhere, and are also influenced by general academic trends. Initially, there were ten research groups. The current total is eight.