The Department of Japanese Language and Culture

Deepening one's knowledge of Japanese culture, Ryukyuan culture, and information science while being mindful of the times

An Educational Principle Rooted in the Community and Mindful of the Times

　The twenty-first century signals a departure from a century of war, environmental destruction, and dehumanization. We are now called to create a culture that rejuvenates our lives and spirits. Rooted in the local community, the Department of Japanese Language and Culture was established in order to contribute to the creation of culture while being mindful of developments in internationalization and information technology. We aim to cultivate graduates with a love of humanity and a specialist knowledge of Japanese culture, Ryukyuan culture, and information science.

Characteristics of the Department's Three Courses of Study

　Our department offers three courses of study. In the Japanese Culture Course and the Ryukyuan Culture Course, students study history, thought, art, and the performing arts, with a focus on literature and language. The Ryukyuan Culture Course is an especially unique program, providing a thorough study of the local culture, including Ryukyuan literature, folktales, and the traditional performing arts. In the Humanities and Information Science Course, students learn how to accumulate and disseminate culture-related information. During their third and fourth years, students in all courses investigate a topic and write a graduation thesis.

Four Years of Small-Class Seminars

　During student-centered seminars, students are guided by their teachers in raising questions, debating, and furthering their intellectual investigations. In the first year seminar (Basic Seminar), students learn basic researching skills; in the second year seminar (Basic Major Field Seminar), they acquire basic knowledge and research methods in their major; in the third year seminar (Major Field Seminar), they put their specialist knowledge to work by choosing and researching a topic; and in the fourth year seminar (Graduation Thesis Seminar), students apply their specialist knowledge and research skills in writing a graduation thesis. Through these seminars, students acquire the practical specialist knowledge and research skills that will serve them in their future careers.

Diverse Programs for Acquiring Licenses and Certifications

　Our department provides numerous opportunities for acquiring licenses and certifications. In addition to our traditional and highly evaluated secondary school teacher training programs, students can complete our teacher training program in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language, or acquire a wide range of licenses in response to the needs of the times, including the Librarian's Certificate or the School Librarian Teacher's Certificate.

The Department of British and American Language and Culture

Trainig highly cultured world citizens with strong English ability and broad outlooks

An Educational Principle Befitting the Times

　As we enter an era of internationalization and computerization, every aspect of society (including politics, economics, and culture) is becoming increasingly borderless. In such an age, society strongly demands talented individuals with global outlooks and advanced knowledge and skills. Mindful of developments in this age of internationalization and computerization, the Department of British and American Language and Culture is striving to train cultured world citizens with strong English ability, computer skills, and broad outlooks.

Solid Courses of Study for Realizing One's Dreams

　Our department offers two courses of study: the English Communication Course, which provides training in practical English skills, and the English Education Course, which trains students to become knowledgeable and skilled English teachers. The English Communication Course curriculum conforms to the demands of the times: in addition to oral communication and business English classes, the curriculum offers classes on translation, tourism English, simultaneous interpretation, debate, and Internet English. The English Education Course curriculum, a full-fledged teacher training course unusual even for Japan, offers numerous, stimulating English classes, including classes on English, linguistics, British and American literature, early childhood English education, second language acquisition, and English teaching methods. Students completing this course of study can acquire a Lower Secondary or Upper Secondary Teacher's License, and many of our graduates are now teaching in junior and senior high schools.

Training Japanese Instructors Who Can Teach in Japan or Overseas

　In addition to our two courses of study, we also have a Japanese Teacher Training Program. The number of people studying Japanese as a foreign language throughout the world has been increasing, and it is estimated that approximately 2,000,000 foreigners are currently studying Japanese. In response to this situation, our department established the Japanese Teacher Training Program so that students could acquire certification in teaching Japanese to foreigners. It is possible for students in either the English Communication Course or the English Education Course to acquire the Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language Certificate. Geographically, Okinawa is ideally situated for contributing to exchange with countries throughout Asia, and Japanese language teachers are expected to play an active role in promoting such exchange.

Four Years of Small-Class Seminars

　Students in our department take small-class seminars for four years. During their first two years, students learn the necessary research methods, and in their final two years, they choose seminars that focus on their area of interest and write graduation theses. The seminars provide opportunities for friendlier student-teacher communication and the exploration of research topics through lively class discussion.

The Department of Society and Regional Culture

Focusing on Okinawa and Nurturing Communication Skills

Training Problem-Solvers

　The Department of Society and Regional Culture, focusing primarily on Ryukyuan studies but also considering Southeast Asia from a comparative culture point of view, examines issues of society and culture and also global issues of peace and environmental awareness. We train graduates who can take the initiative in attempting to solve problems related to these issues.

The Society Course and the Culture Course

　Students choose a major field at the beginning of their sophomore year, and this determines their course of study. The Society Course examines issues related to human society, with seminars on sociology, peace studies, and environmental studies playing a central role. The Culture Course explores the history and culture of Okinawa and the surrounding Asian area, with seminars on archeology, folklore, Asian culture, and history.

Four Years of Small-Class Seminars

　During seminars, students develop a rapport with their teachers and work with them in discovering topics to pursue, debate, and explore. The seminars are the focal point of the curriculum for all four years. In the Freshman Seminar, students learn the basic skills of reading, writing, researching, presenting, and debating.

　In the second year basic seminars, which are divided by major, students learn how to do field work and acquire basic specialist knowledge. In the third year major subject seminars, they put that knowledge to work by researching and presenting on a topic of their choice. In the fourth year seminars, students cap off their four years of study by completing a graduation thesis on their chosen topic.

An Emphasis on Fieldwork

　Our department discourages an over-reliance on books and other written materials and encourages collecting data and materials through fieldwork. Our department's strong belief in the value of going out into the field-and looking, listening, and thinking for one's self-is our hallmark.

The Department of Human Welfare

Traing practical graduates with compassion and specialist knowledge

Training Graduates Who Can Contribute to the Creation of a Supportive Local and International Society

　The Department of Human Welfare is striving to train graduates that are compassionate and who have the specialist knowledge in social welfare or psychology required of a high-level and diverse international society in the twenty-first century. At the same time, through a curriculum linked to education and other specialist areas, we seek to train graduates who can respond effectively to a broad range of problems relating to human welfare, and who can contribute to the creation of a supportive local and international society.

An Educational System that Nurtures Compassion

　With the aim of training professional and practical graduates who can be actively involved in social welfare, education, and administration in the local community, we have put together an advanced and interdisciplinary curriculum with classes relating to the specialist fields of social welfare, psychology, mental health, and education. At the same time, we are striving to provide an enriching educational program that nurtures compassion in our students.

Majors in Social Welfare and Psychological Counseling

　Expanding on the educational achievements of the former Department of Sociology in the fields of social welfare and psychology, the Department of Human Welfare offers two majors-a major in social welfare and a major in psychological counseling-and aims to train graduates with a broad and deep specialist knowledge.

An Enriched Curriculum

　In order to train specialists with compassion and a grounding in the social sciences, both the major in social welfare and the major in psychological counseling have enriched curriculums. In addition, we emphasize practical training and experience and have enthusiastically carried out overseas social welfare training programs. Our curriculum makes it possible for students to acquire upon graduation the JPA Certified Psychologist License, the Upper Secondary School Teacher's License (in Welfare or Civics), eligibility for the National Social Worker Certification Examination or the National Psychiatric Social Worker Certification Examination, and other licenses.