Faculty of Humanities
Department of Humanities
The Department of Humanities offers a unique opportunity for study and research. Students can choose from one of six majors, each tailored to students’ needs and interests: Japanese Literature, History and Subcultures, Buddhist Studies, Psychology, International Communication, and Business and Society.
Japanese Literature Major
Literature is like a looking glass of a society and its culture.
Reexamine human beings and society through the eyes of literary works.
Studying literature may prompt students to develop an understanding of their heritage, enhance their intellectual growth, and enrich their lives in modern society. Exposure to literature can also improve students’ language skills and even future teaching skills. In the Japanese Literature major, we take a look at various literary works written in Japanese, analyze and dissect their meanings to savor these literary “cuisines.” Literature can provide us with new perspectives on culture and society, eventually helping to rediscover ourselves.
History and Subcultures Major
Discover what lies beneath the bedrock of Japanese culture!
We shed light on the local Osaka culture and Japanese “Otaku” culture.
The study of history is like digging into an archaeological site. Countless discoveries are waiting to be unearthed and the more one digs, the more the person will discover. At times, these new discoveries provide us with new perspectives and outlooks into how events in the past transpired. This is the reason people continue to study and research history. In this major, we do not take the traditional approach to history; instead, we take a cross-cultural approach, looking at Japanese history and culture from an international perspective. The subculture classes, centered on Japanese animation, manga (comics), game software, and science fiction, examine and analyze those works, the behavior of enthusiasts and their social environment.
Buddhist Studies Major
A multifaceted and systematic approach to the study of Buddhism, the ultimate culmination of mankind’s wisdom.
Through the teachings of Shinshu Buddhism (Pure Land Buddhism), this major aims to cultivate religious practitioners possessing the practical skills necessary for the modern world. This major also fosters personal development rooted in the teachings of Buddhism for members of the new generation as well as the acquisition of leadership skills and knowledge required for planning events, managing temples, and more.
Psychology Major
What does it mean to be a human being? Discover who you really are.
This major offers numerous classes in two significant areas of study: clinical psychology and social psychology. In the field of clinical psychology, this major offers classes such as “developmental clinical psychology” and “practice in counseling psychology”, and focus on practical methods of reducing stress and finding comfort in modern society. In the field of social psychology, this major examines how the social environment affects the psychology and behavior of the individual through classes both in social psychology as well as industrial and organizational psychology.
International Communication Major
Learn about the world and then the whole world can be your stage!
The International Communication Major aims to cultivate the skills necessary for living in the modern multicultural and international society. We focus on the development of communication skills and learning how languages and cultures are intertwined, what it means to be culturally sensitive and to respect other cultures. This major offers a wide range of classes with particular emphasis on the acquisition of practical English skills. This major fosters the development of broadminded people who can objectively view our globalized society from an international standpoint and be active members in it while maintaining their own cultural identity.
Business and Society Major
Information, International Commerce, and Finance Doing business in the emerging global economy.
From the standpoint of economics and sociology, the Business and Society Major fosters the development of skills necessary for conducting business in the global market. Students will establish a strong background in understanding international business through classes in international trade, finance, as well as business administration and management. The major takes a sociological approach into objectively understanding and analyzing the problems of modern society through the investigation of social and statistical data. In addition, for highly motivated students, the curriculum shares many of the English language classes with the International Communication Major.
