By searching issues of the human mind
Students will learn practical measures to live in the new era
2005 Department of Psychology News
The Department of Psychology changes as all instructions are now going to be held at the Shirogane campus
Until now, freshmen and sophomores studied at the Yokohama campus, and juniors and seniors took classes at the Shirogane campus. Starting in the 2005 academic year, students will study at the Shirogane campus for four years. Using the Shirogane campus, which is located in an excellent location in Tokyo, students will have various opportunities to participate in off-campus activities with co-operation from the surrounding communities. There will be opportunities to study with upper/lower classmen and graduate students during class. Not only will freshmen and sophomores be able to interact with juniors and seniors every day, but they will be able to receive instructions from upperclassmen during class when doing experiments/training. Students will be able to have a deeper understanding while considering their future prospects.
Curriculum aiming at the acquisition of ability to support others
At our Department of Psychology, students can learn ‘practical psychology that focuses on ties with society.’ The curriculum is set up so that students can acquire the ability to support others as they gain the capabilities to see, think, feel and act from a psychological point of view. ‘Psychological Support Theory’ is one of the biggest characteristics of this department. We will pursue ways to support human growth and development, better ways to live, and appropriate behaviors, while scientifically understanding the actions and inner workings of the human mind.
Form of Psychology in demand
Pluralistic Society and the Department of Psychology
In today’s pluralistic society, it is necessary to have the ability to support others, using psychology in diverse ways in various situations. At the Department of Psychology, we start by focusing on students acquiring basic skills. Students will choose the areas of psychology they want to pursue, based on individual interests. We aim for students not to be limited to one area of psychology, but also to have the ability to support others in any situation.
Instructors in the Department of Psychology participate in various activities in their specialized fields; some are doctors and clinical psychologists at hospitals or clinics, instructors at educational institutions, and experts who help draft administrative policies. These instructors educate the students who will become leaders in the field of psychology in the future.
Educational Theme
Training talented people in the ability to help others
In order to realize Doctor Hepburn’s philosophy of ‘Do for others’ in today’s society that is called the ear of the human mind, the theme of the Faculty of Psychology is ‘to seek the human mind and support people.’ We do not limit ourselves to simply understanding the structure and mechanism of the human mind from a scientific standpoint, but to expand that knowledge and strive to create an ideal society, and seek more ideal ways to live in this increasingly complex society. To understand and empathize with people’s feelings; getting closer to people’s hearts is the same as getting to know oneself better. The theme of the Faculty of Psychology is ‘to seek the human soul, and to support others.’ We will continue to strive to train talented people to develop the ability to support others to become successful members of society.
Use Psychology in Society
Obtaining Certifications
At the Department of Psychology students can obtain teaching licenses to teach at junior high schools category 1 (sociology), and high schools category 1 (civics), and at special needs schools by completing the required courses. We hope that graduates of this program will go on to become active in the area of ‘special support education,’ which is becoming increasingly important.
By earning the necessary credits, students will be able to obtain licenses to become certified psychologists, social welfare directors and juvenile welfare commissioners.
Career Prospects after Graduation
Our graduates go into a wide range of careers after graduation. Making use of their knowledge in psychology, some graduates go on to graduate school to further their area of expertise; some go on to work at schools, welfare centers and private corporations (banks, airline companies, sales etc.).
Path to Graduate School
Further your expertise in a specialized field
For those students who want to study psychology more professionally, the Research Department at the Graduate School of Psychology has prepared two courses for students majoring in Psychology to understand and support issues of ‘the mind’ which people face. These courses are, ‘Education and Development Clinical Course’ and ‘Clinical Psychology Course.’
In the ‘Education and Development Clinical Course,’ students study basic theories/research related to humans, such as experiments/lifelong development/social psychology. In addition, students can study methods of providing special support, such as psychology for people/children with special needs, medical studies on children with special needs, theories and implementation of school psychology and counseling psychology. As you can see, students can learn both the basic and practical approach to the human ‘mind.’
In the ‘Clinical Psychology Course,’ students study various theories and implementations of clinical psychology to understand and support the issues of ‘mind’ people have. Students study various forms of psychotherapy and methods of assessing problems. As a result, students learn the basic and advanced methods of implementation regarding clinical psychology. This course has been designated as 1st-class graduate school for clinical psychologists.
How to study in the Psychology Department
How to acquire the basics of psychology
Courses are set up so students study in groups of 30 or so, starting in the freshman year. In these courses, each group conducts experiments based on a particular theme. By the following week, each group writes a report on the results generated by the experiments. Through these kinds of classes, students will thoroughly learn the basics of psychology, such as research methods and experimentation. At the same time, students will acquire practical skills that will be necessary for studying/researching subjects such as statistics and information processing, which become more and more important as the school year progresses.
A Wide Range of Training Courses
One of the important characteristics is that the department provides students with a rich training program on and outside of campus, such as on-the-job training in the surrounding communities, psychological support, and for aiding children with special needs. Students experience mock-counseling sessions through a role-playing format. Students study in groups to find out how they can actually support children/students with special needs. The ‘Research Center attached to the Faculty of Psychology’ serves as a training ground for students. Training and observation opportunities are not just limited to on-campus situations, but also take place at off-campus facilities.
Three specialized fields to gain the ability to support others
After studying the basics during the freshman and sophomore years, students take the specialized courses that are given by instructors who are currently successful experts in the field of psychology. In this department, students can study from the three main specialized areas: ‘basic (recognition/development/society)’ ‘clinical psychology (counseling)’ and ‘psychology for children/people with special needs.’
In the ‘basic (recognition/development/society)’ courses, students can study the basics of psychology extensively, while learning the basic methods of psychological research. In the ‘clinical psychology (counseling)’ courses, students learn about interviewing and testing methods, as well as typical methods of therapy, in order to understand the mental state of others. Students will be able to solve the various issues and maladjustments that exist in modern-day society; they can learn how to support the process in which people find a better way to live. In the ‘psychology for children/people with special needs’ courses, students will learn to empathize with people with disabilities. They will also learn how to support the disabled through psychological and educational methods.
Newly Established in 2005; ‘Psychological Support Theory’
This course will be at the core of the Faculty of Psychology, effecting the overall education of the topic, and will start to expand into other areas.
The common theme of the Faculty of Psychology is ‘to seek the mind, and support people,’ but what does that really mean? How can we make this possible? In order to do so, what do we need to study, and how can one cultivate oneself? By spending two years during the freshman and sophomore years, the entire teaching staff will relay the answers to these questions through each specialized field of study and implementation. The instructors will think about these issues together with the students. This course will be held again in the senior year. This will lead to the Psychological Support Theory (comprehensive) that will combine all the material from various specialized fields covered during the junior year.
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