Department of Sociology
Department of Social Work
Many different mechanisms govern the societies we inhabit. Sociology provides a toolbox for understanding these mechanisms. In the Department of Sociology, students develop flexible and creative ways of thinking in small, personal classes. Our professors are leaders in their fields ready to guide each student as he or she pursues the issues of interest to them.
The study of sociology begins by examining a range of topics including inter-personal and inter-group relationships and the nature of rules and media from a diversity of perspectives. This foundational understanding of people and society gives graduates of our department the ability to contribute in many different situations.
Throughout four years of small group seminars, students improve their ability to read, listen, conduct research, and write. For example, the Sociology Basic Seminars teach strategies for not being misled by statistics or book reviews, interpreting the gender-related messages in magazines, and reading texts critically. From their 1st year, students acquire and test out knowledge of sociology that is truly useful.
Students are allowed flexibility in selecting classes in order to focus on a research theme in their 3rd and 4th years. They join with others interested in similar areas of study to deepen their knowledge and interests through debate and discussion in their 2nd year.
Students gain an understanding of the connections between events in their everyday lives and the broader community, city, and world, while also developing the practical skills needed to create new communities.
The pleasure of sociology lies in going out into the field to identify issues, make observations, ask questions, and apply knowledge learned in the classroom. In courses related to social researcher certification, students incrementally acquire the skills and spirit of sociological research starting in their 1st year.
This joint project by the Faculty of Sociology and the Center for Liberal Arts envisions a peaceful society that embraces people from many countries. It aims to deepen understanding of the cultures, educational systems, and policies of immigrants to Japan, and to educate “Multicultural Symbiosis Facilitators” who help build meaningful relationships between people with roots in a diversity of countries and cultures.
Students in the Department can attain the Certificate of Social Researcher, which is useful for careers in marketing and polling; junior high (social studies) and high school (geography and history, civics) teacher certification; or Social Education Supervisor certification, Chief Social Education Supervisor certification, Chief Social Worker certification, and Child Welfare Officer certification.
Faculty and visiting lecturers working in broadcasting, publishing, and related fields teach this course on visual and text-based forms of expression. Students deepen their understanding by creating works of media themselves.
Sociology research classes begin in the 1st year. In the Academic Literacy class, students learn to write reports, while in Basics of Social Research, they learn about field research. Class sizes are small.
Starting in their 2nd year, students split into three specialized programs, selecting classes based on their areas of interest and developing the analytical and communication skills they’ll need throughout their academic and professional careers.
In the 3rd and 4th years, students choose seminars and pursue topics of interest to them. As the culmination of their time in the Department, they build on knowledge and experience gained in seminars and field research to write a graduation thesis.