Department of Education and
Child Development
Department of Psychology
Department of Education and Child Development
This department provides instruction in the field of education and child development, which fuses the three areas of psychology, pedagogy, and disability science in order to examine ways of solving problems involving children. Our aim in such instruction is to train teachers who can understand the minds of children of school age and support their growth, and develop talented people who are capable of seeking solutions to the problems of school education today.
Education and Child Development
Content and Characteristics
Study the foundations of psychology
With the aim of developing the human being, starting in infancy and extending throughout life, the department instills an understanding of the psychological mechanisms of mental development and disabilities. On that basis, students conduct study of education and child development as it concerns the modalities of systematic education and educational systems.
Study pedagogy (elementary education)
Students learn the theory of education as it concerns elementary education, including the teacher’s role, educational principles, teaching methods, and other such matters, taking into account the pre-school period to the school period of children as well as their transition to adolescence. The ability to teach the various school subjects is also developed.
Study disability science
Taking developmental and comprehensive perspectives, students learn the theory and methods of the psychology, pathology, and education of disabled children and disabled persons with the aim of living together with disabled children and disabled persons. With this, they develop the practical skills for special assistance and developmental assistance.
Study with a practical orientation
Students follow a cycle-oriented education system that emphasizes field experience in schools and other real-world situations in parallel with university lectures and workshops. The aim is to develop practical skills and insight backed up by knowledge.
Four-Year Program Flow
First year: Start with the Understanding Children course
Students take Outline of Education and Child Development as the introductory course for the subject of education and child development. Department courses include Outline of Psychology, Psychology for Understanding Child Behavior, and other such psychology courses in the Understanding Children area, as well as Japanese Language, Arithmetic, Art and Handicrafts, and other such pedagogy courses.
Second year: Deepen the understanding of children while participating in classroom education
Under the Education and Child Development Methodology (an experiential program), students spend one day per week at Yokohama municipal elementary schools as learning support assistants. Students take Lifespan Development Psychology (Infancy), Educational Institutions and Administration, Outline of Special Needs Pedagogy, and other such department courses.
Third year: Transition from understanding children to supporting children
From the third year, students focus on department courses in the Supporting Children area to learn specific theories and methods for developmental support of children. Seven to eight students join under the guidance of one full-time faculty member to pursue independent learning in the Education and Child Development Seminar 1.
Fourth year: Education workshops strengthen prospects in the teaching profession
Students who are acquiring a teacher’s license undergo practice teaching for four weeks in the case of elementary school and kindergarten, and for two weeks in the case of special needs school. They then advance to take the Practice Teaching Seminar (Pre-School and Elementary). They can also summarize their four years of study in the form of a graduation research project.
Key Points about the Department of Education and Child Development
The environment is in place for practical learning about support for children
What is attractive about this department is its environment for specific and practical learning. In addition to the experiential program at Yokohama municipal elementary schools, we have collaborative programs with the Faculty of Psychology Clinical Center for developing psychological support abilities, developmental support abilities, and other such abilities. We place value on learning that involves contact with children and learning lessons in real-world situations.