Faculty of Letters

Features of Faculty of Letters A faculty with 14 majors covering a wide range of subjects Society is rapidly changing and becoming sophisticated with a number of factors including the development of technology and globalization. Human sociology, which enables students to reconsider the meaning of affluence based on deep discernment to humans, is becoming much more important. The Faculty of Letters covers a wide range of study fields with 14 majors. These majors enable students to research the essence of culture and society from diversified standpoints and consider the application of the results to the solution of contemporary problems.  Selecting their majors in their second year with opportunities to take secondary majors The Faculty of Letters offers guidance sessions for all the 14 majors to first-year students as a chance to consider their future course of study carefully. Students can learn subjects other than their major subjects in their second year and beyond. These subjects will be recognized as their secondary majors provided that certain conditions are satisfied. Learning special knowledge and research techniques in a traditional learning system The Faculty of Letters attaches importance to the solid study of specialized fields. Students learn knowledge from lectures, literature interpretation techniques from readings, and research methods and discussion presentation capabilities from training seminars. Each senior student will tackle his or her graduation thesis for the completion of learning. Sufficient facilities and programs to support full-scale learning It can be said that a library is the index of research and academic level of each university. Aichi University has a library with a collection of approximately 1,600,000 books. The fullness of Aichi University’s facilities is ranked top class among all the private universities in Japan. Aichi University has exchange agreements with 27 universities all over the world with a studying-abroad program maintained, and promotes students’ studying abroad with the recognition of credits acquired abroad. Department of of Humanities and Philosophy: Modern Culture Course East Asian Culture Students study primarily Chinese but also Indian and Japanese thought and religion in order to learn the Oriental worldview. The program encourages students to consider and solve familiar problems by reading original texts and complementing the thought systems of their predecessors with their own insights. Philosophy This program develops students’ ability to think philosophically through a systematic study of Western thought and philosophy. In addition to learning how to read and understand important philosophical texts, students master the logical underpinnings and historical background of philosophy through lectures on a variety of topics. They also receive practice in debating, helping to polish their ability to express their own thoughts. Library and Information Science By combining advanced coursework in information processing with traditional library science, the Library and Information Science program seeks to nurture librarians who possess the skills required by our information-driven age. Students gain skills that will prepare them for careers not only at public libraries but all libraries and specialized information-related organizations. The program also helps students prepare for the infamously difficult Librarian Licensing Examination. Media Arts Major (Scheduled to open April 2012) Modern art incorporates advanced technology such as ICT and leaps across the boundaries of traditional arts. Sub-cultures such as comics and anime are now an essential part of culture, and some pieces can already be labeled as “classics”. This course fosters the ability to appreciate and justifiably review this media art, and through the ability to read into modern society. Sociology Course Modern Sociology In addition to studying the form of modern society from an historical perspective, students learn how to understand and apply social phenomena. The program includes subjects that pursue the elements and principles of society that bridge these two as well as subjects that relate to pathologies, transformations, and problem solving as social phenomena. Behavioral Sociology Students take as their theme the adjustment and maladjustment of individuals to the society in which they live, as well as their reactions to that society, focusing on the social behaviors that appear as a practical result. The program pursues its goals through fieldwork and the study of subjects including culture and personality, welfare sociology, and psychoanalysis. Psychology Course Psychology All Psychology major students study 20 basic psychological phenomena through a series of basic experiments. They process data from these experiments using statistical methods and learn how to draw conclusions using tests and hypotheses. Starting in their second year, students select one of five areas of within which to pursue their studies. Graduates can also work toward acquiring qualifications as certified psychologists. History and Geology Course Japanese History The Japanese History major prepares students to pursue historical investigations in a wide range of fields in a specialized and subjective way. After selecting the major in their second year, students work to acquire basic knowledge and abilities, moving on to advanced seminars and special lectures in their third year. Courses focus on the interrelationships between subjects, preparing students for their thesis. An emphasis on the primacy of historical materials is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the program. World History Simple concepts such as the “Far East” and the “West” no longer apply amid recent worldwide transitions. What kind of problems are hidden in the foundation of the world’s whirling transitions? In this major, students take a deep look into the world’s historical developments from every angle. Geography This major explores the systems by which human activity plays out on the earth. Students gather data through fieldwork and surveying, chart data in seminars and using cartography, and discuss the relationships and systems inherent in data during lectures. After completion of the program, students can register with the Geographical Survey Institute to acquire certification as surveyor’s assistants. Japanese Language, Japanese Literature Course Japanese Language and Literature Students learn and conduct research into classical literature, modern literature, and Japanese language as part of a wide-ranging instructional approach covering literature and language from classical times to the modern period. Study also includes Japanese history, classical Chinese, Library and Information Science, and foreign literature. Today’s trend toward globalization necessitates knowledge of the language and literature of one’s own country. European American Language and Culture Course English Literature Students of the English Literature major study the history and linguistic characteristics of the global language English, seeking to develop a deeper understanding of the literature of the English-speaking world through studies that include research into works’ regional and cultural contexts. The program’s opportunities for students to improve their command of English include a study abroad program. Modern International English English has been established as the world’s common language. This major cultivates the ability to communicate in English, and also takes a look into the origins of English and its framework as a language. In addition, the course researches modern English culture by looking at variations of English that have developed throughout the world, and at English in new media such as the internet. German Language and Literature The German Language and Literature major focuses on the German cultural zone located in the center of Europe, extending from Germany to Austria and Switzerland. Students study the German language as well as German literature and culture. Affiliated universities (the University of Bremen and the Hochschule Bremen) provide a doorway to the world. French Language and Literature Japan’s relationship with key member France is becoming increasingly important as the European Union continues to expand. The program seeks to ensure robust cultural exchanges with France by teaching French culture and developing students’ communication skills in the French language. Taking advantage of a studying-abroad system, students at Aichi University exchange their views with those at the University of Orleans, an associated overseas university.