Department of Art Studies
Department of English
Department of French Literature
Department of Art Studies
Developing human resources with a love for the arts and the skills to communicate their appeall
Students in the Department of Art Studies learn information, theories and history related to “the arts” and “art”, gain a keener perspective on artistic traditions and transformations, and explore a wide range of topics such as the ideal form of communication about the arts. Our Department values and nurtures students’ interest in the arts, responding to their resolute eagerness to learn with a high level of specialized knowledge. We seek students who are enthralled by the arts.
Department of Art Studies
Key Features of the Department of Art Studies
Point 01
1st year
Students develop basic skills in the arts and explore their own interests and orientation through introductory lectures that provide overviews and general histories of fields such as music, film, visual arts, fine arts, artistic media, and theater.
- Requirements for each course
- Introductory lectures
- Meiji Gakuin core curriculum classes
- Participation in on- and off-campus events
Point 02
2nd year
Students select courses from amongst Musicology, Film Studies, Art History, Media Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, and Comprehensive Art Studies. We also offer lecture courses that incorporate the reading of literature and documents in small groups, practical exercises, and seminars in which students give presentations.
- Basic seminars for each course
- Hands-on and experience-based classes
In addition to opportunities for participating in off-campus events, we provide students with authentic experiences in a variety of settings, including symposiums, lectures, concerts, and theater performances by on-campus artists and researchers.
Point 03
3rd and 4th year
Students receive closer and more detailed guidance in the five specialized courses that require a graduation thesis. In the Comprehensive Art Studies Course, students can engage in cross-sectional learning by selecting from among the subject groups offered by the five specialized courses according to their own interests.
- Exercises and research emphasizing specialization
- Specialized classes in a wide range of fields
- Curatorial and museum training courses (4th year)
- Varied special lectures and seminars
- Graduation seminar
- Graduation thesis
Program Structure
In their first year, students gain a broad understanding of the arts through classes in many fields and explore what interests them and the direction in which they are drawn. In their second year, they choose their area of specialization from amongst six courses and begin in-depth studies. From their third year onwards, students in the five specialized courses receive closer and more detailed instruction as they prepare to write their graduation thesis, which is a requirement of these courses. In the Comprehensive Art Studies Course, students can engage in cross-sectional learning according to their own interests by selecting from among the subject groups on offer.
Topics
General History of Film (for first-year students)
Film is a relatively young artistic genre, but the world of film is very diverse. This class gives students a deeper understanding of film by tracing artistic and technological experimentation, from the earliest silent films of the late 19th century to the era of the talkies.
Introductory Seminar on Musicology (for second-year students)
Students learn the fundamentals of musicology. Each student tackles an assigned topic and learns various methods for conducting their own research. They also acquire oral presentation skills, and learn the fundamentals of musicology and art studies.
