Department of Psychology
Department of Education and Child Development
Emphasizing the relationships between people and society is one of the key features of the Department of Psychology. Students acquire a scientific understanding of the mind’s mechanisms and the ability to respond to any type of person or situation within today’s increasingly complex society – in other words, analytical and practical skills rooted in psychology. The Department seeks students with an interest in the scientific exploration of the mind and a desire to contribute to society through the application of psychological knowledge and research methods.
Students who enroll starting in April 2018 and complete all designated courses during their time as undergraduates, then go on to complete all designated courses in a graduate program or complete a required number of hours of work at a facility designated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare or the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, are eligible to take the national examination to become a licensed psychologist.
Classes such as English Readings on Psychology A and B expose students to English-language texts, enabling them to understand cutting-edge international research trends. The Department also offers support for students with a proactive desire to study abroad.
Students gain practical skills that will assist them in their working life through highly specialized applied exercises. These include conducting experiments using the latest equipment, planning online surveys and questionnaires, drawing up psychological experiment program and experiencing psychological testing for themselves.
Students may choose to attend the workshops organized by the Department of Psychology to assist them in seeking employment. The Department also hosts events focused on options for graduate study that are organized by the Shirokane Psychology Association.
Students begin acquiring the study methods used in psychology in Basic Seminar that begins immediately after enrollment. They continue their study of practical psychology throughout the next four years in small practicums and seminars where they also develop communication and problem-solving skills through lively discussions with faculty and other students.
In the first years, students take the class to learn the basics of psychology and acquire the logical thinking in their small seminars. In their second years, while deepening knowledge through foundational and advanced classes, students learn how to scientifically study the mind. In the third and fourth years, the department offers ten practical classes, students choose an area of focus from five specialized fields. In seminars, students choose a theme and conduct research for a graduation project. By writing a thesis, they develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Students will learn about scientific findings on the mechanisms and functions of human cognition, including information processing from the five senses, attention, and memory. We will aim to understand the fascination and wonder of cognitive functions, which are extremely elaborate and sometimes dumb, and to make use of them in our daily lives.
We will cover topics including the content of the Certified Psychologist Act, matters a certified psychologist must observe, cooperation with other professions, and supervision. Our goal is for students to understand that a licensed psychologist is expected to have not only knowledge and skills, but also social responsibility.
Students will learn basic theories and methods for appropriately coping with various problems that arise in schools, such as bullying, truancy, and problems between friends.