Faculty of Human Studies
Faculty of Human Studies
＜Fujimino Campus＞
The objective of the Faculty of Human Studies is to nurture human beings who will learn to deeply understand their fellow human beings and who will attempt to realize a society that embraces co-existence. To achieve this objective, in addition to engaging in learning and research in a variety of specialty fields, students are able to acquire a variety of practical skills which are incorporated into practical exercises and presentations in classes and lectures. An emphasis is also placed on cooperation with communities in addition to students’ participation in class activities. On campus there are a number of facilities, which serve as a unique educational platform for students to enhance their practical skills, while at the same time helping to promote activities that vitalize the local community. These facilities include the parenting support center “Furatto Bunkyo”, the Bunkyo Informal Community Service Center (BICS), the Clinical Psychology Center and the Social Welfare Center.
The Faculty of Human Studies is comprised of four departments: Sociology and Communications Department, Child Development Department, Social Welfare and Social Work Department and Psychology Department. These four departments each aim to support the development of students as individuals with vitality and an independent spirit and provide them with skills and knowledge in specialty areas.
Department Introduction
The Sociology and Communications Department
Sociology is the multifaceted study of societal relationships and structures. Topics in this field cover media, regional communities, the environment, networks, the international community, culture, families, psychology, religion and organizations. The department emphasizes sociology from a communication perspective to answer the fundamental questions about the dynamics of social life and develops communication-based sociology. In order to learn communication-based sociology, three courses relating to culture and media, environment and regional communities, and work and lifestyles are offered.
The core learning process consists of acquiring fundamental knowledge, areas of specialization and field studies. The students not only study sociology and communication science but also study broader subjects such as psychology, information technology and foreign languages. Moreover, field studies programs allow students to experience real-world conditions, identify social problems and find the solutions. These programs aim to strengthen practical skills, giving students the ability to apply acquired knowledge in addressing real-world issues.
The Child Development Department
The department boasts a history of more than 40 years and has produced many aspiring teachers and childcare experts. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program offers students an opportunity to obtain teaching licenses for nursery schools, kindergartens and elementary schools. It is a career-orientated program that prepares students to be effective teachers for young children, from their birth to age 12. Practical experience is a significant part of the program. Students have the opportunity to observe and work with infants, toddlers and preschoolers in a parenting support center or a kindergarten on site, applying theories and techniques taught in the classroom. The department also places an emphasis upon psychology education, pre-kindergarten through 6th grade instructional methods and the development of communication skills that can be used in teacher-student relationships as well as teacher-parent relationships. Students of the ECE program learn about the education of children and study early childhood development, children with special needs, nutrition, children’s literature and child psychology.
The Social Welfare and Social Work Department
When creating a society in which all people can live happily in co-existence, it is essential to consider the aspect of social welfare. However, we live in an age in which the expectations and the role of welfare are being transformed. As part of the Social Welfare and Social Work Department of Bunkyo Gakuin University, students take courses that fuse theoretical ideas and practical ideas. The University has an excellent support structure in place for students seeking to attain national qualifi cations in the area of social welfare. The department seeks to improve students’ practical experiences by encouraging their participation in activities with local communities, thereby contributing to the vitalization of such communications. Research is also an important tool, and in various seminars students engage in research in a variety of specialty areas. These various efforts result in the emergence of social workers who are able to respond to the changing times and function in a society of co-existence.
The Psychology Department
Why do different people have different feelings about the same event? The hearts and minds of human beings are complex and are full of unexplained mystery. The Psychology Department seeks to nurture “experts of the heart and mind” who can make a real contribution to society by working from a basis of the fundamentals of psychology. In addition to these fundamentals, the department also presents opportunities to engage in physiological experiments and psychometric testing, as well as teaching methods of processing psychological information and analyzing test data. Lectures are also provided on such subjects as clinical physiological psychology. The highly advanced laboratory facilities that enable students to deepen their research in their chosen specialty area and teaching staff who possess excellent track records for research are just two examples of the characteristics that provide such an excellent learning environment for students in the department. For students wishing to pursue further studies, the Graduate School of Human Studies also offers a master’s degree in psychology.
