Graduate School of Regional Culture
Philosophy and Aims
The Graduate School of Regional Culture is comprised of three departments: the Department of Ryukyuan Culture, the Department of British and American Studies, and the Department of Human Welfare. The graduate school aims to train highly specialized professionals with the ability to effectively analyze and come up with solutions for the increasingly complicated problems facing local and global communities.
As a place of retraining and lifelong learning, the graduate school also strives to be responsive to the needs of working professionals aiming for self-realization through a lifetime of self-training and reeducation. At the same time, the graduate school hopes to help create a society where the results of those efforts can be put to use.
Research on a specific regional culture leads to comparisons with other regional cultures, and examining things from a broad perspective allows one to have an objective view of one’s self and others. This in turn leads to a deeper understanding of those with different values and positions. In a society where many cultures and languages coexist and where values have become increasingly more diverse, research based on a knowledge of one’s own and other regional cultures will surely lead to major contributions in the creation of our future community.
The Graduate School of Regional Culture is comprised of three departments: the Department of Ryukyuan Culture, the Department of British and American Studies, and the Department of Human Welfare. The graduate school aims to train highly specialized professionals with the ability to effectively analyze and come up with solutions for the increasingly complicated problems facing local and global communities.
As a place of retraining and lifelong learning, the graduate school also strives to be responsive to the needs of working professionals aiming for self-realization through a lifetime of self-training and reeducation. At the same time, the graduate school hopes to help create a society where the results of those efforts can be put to use.
Research on a specific regional culture leads to comparisons with other regional cultures, and examining things from a broad perspective allows one to have an objective view of one’s self and others. This in turn leads to a deeper understanding of those with different values and positions. In a society where many cultures and languages coexist and where values have become increasingly more diverse, research based on a knowledge of one’s own and other regional cultures will surely lead to major contributions in the creation of our future community.
Department of Ryukyuan Culture
Language and Culture
In the Division of Language and Culture, students pursue research on Japan’s classical literature, modern literature, and language education, focusing especially on the language and literature of Japan’s southern island region. Major goals include the acquisition of advanced licenses and qualifications, such as specialized teacher’s licenses, and the further education of government workers and the general public.
Prehistory, History, and Culture
In the Division of Prehistory, History, and Culture, students conduct research in one of two major areas: (1) archeology, focused on prehistoric culture in the southern island region, with an emphasis on comparative studies with surrounding regions such as East Asia and Southeast Asia; or (2) southern island history, with an emphasis on reading early-modern manuscripts and tracing the transmission of 20th century documents, in order to deepen one’s understanding of the history of the southern islands.
Folk Culture
The Division of Folk Culture also focuses on researching the southern island region, but with emphasis placed on connections with surrounding regions, such as East Asia and Southeast Asia. The curriculum and lecture content delve deeply into an examination of folk culture in the southern islands, while expanding into an exploration of surrounding regions.
Society and Culture
The Division of Society and Culture takes a sociological approach in examining the characteristics of social relations in the southern island regions and cultural problems that are mechanisms for perpetuating social structures. The division also examines the basic structure of southern island society, human development, and ways of dealing with actual social problems.
In the Division of Language and Culture, students pursue research on Japan’s classical literature, modern literature, and language education, focusing especially on the language and literature of Japan’s southern island region. Major goals include the acquisition of advanced licenses and qualifications, such as specialized teacher’s licenses, and the further education of government workers and the general public.
Prehistory, History, and Culture
In the Division of Prehistory, History, and Culture, students conduct research in one of two major areas: (1) archeology, focused on prehistoric culture in the southern island region, with an emphasis on comparative studies with surrounding regions such as East Asia and Southeast Asia; or (2) southern island history, with an emphasis on reading early-modern manuscripts and tracing the transmission of 20th century documents, in order to deepen one’s understanding of the history of the southern islands.
Folk Culture
The Division of Folk Culture also focuses on researching the southern island region, but with emphasis placed on connections with surrounding regions, such as East Asia and Southeast Asia. The curriculum and lecture content delve deeply into an examination of folk culture in the southern islands, while expanding into an exploration of surrounding regions.
Society and Culture
The Division of Society and Culture takes a sociological approach in examining the characteristics of social relations in the southern island regions and cultural problems that are mechanisms for perpetuating social structures. The division also examines the basic structure of southern island society, human development, and ways of dealing with actual social problems.
Department of British and American Language and Culture
British and American Literature
In the Division of British and American Literature, students research the novels, poetry, and plays of the English-speaking world, with a focus on British and American literature. The division also offers subjects on British and American culture, primarily taught in English.
Language Education
The Division of Language Education conducts research on English language education and Japanese as a second language education, while exploring the connections between language, culture, education, and society. The division also considers language education from practical and diverse perspectives, including practical training in language education and multilingual education.
In the Division of British and American Literature, students research the novels, poetry, and plays of the English-speaking world, with a focus on British and American literature. The division also offers subjects on British and American culture, primarily taught in English.
Language Education
The Division of Language Education conducts research on English language education and Japanese as a second language education, while exploring the connections between language, culture, education, and society. The division also considers language education from practical and diverse perspectives, including practical training in language education and multilingual education.
Department of Human Welfare
Social Welfare
The Division of Social Welfare trains professionals who can use the scientific method to clarify the actual conditions of various contemporary social problems, and then devise policies for solving those problems, based on the theories and values of social welfare. The curriculum allows students to thoroughly study the principles of social welfare studies and the theories of social work, while delving more deeply into areas of expertise matching their own interests. Students are not only limited to social issues in Okinawa but can also pursue research focusing on issues of global concern. Thoroughly analyzing social structures requires a broad range of knowledge, so some students take classes in other departments and at other universities. In this way, the department provides an environment that allows each and every student to broadly and deeply pursue their research goals.
Clinical Psychology
The Division of Clinical Psychology primarily aims to train specialists capable of concretely and practically handling issues of the human mind from a position of expertise. With this goal in mind, the division offers a curriculum that allows students to acquire a wealth of specialized knowledge based on theory and practice, centering on subjects required for training clinical psychologists, with instruction that cultivates practical skills. The division offers a curriculum that has been prescribed under the Certified Public Psychologist Act, and has been designated a graduate school (Type 1) that fulfills the eligibility requirements for taking the Clinical Psychologist Certification Exam carried out by the Foundation of the Japanese Certification Board for Clinical Psychologists. After completing this division’s program, students are eligible to take the National Certified Public Psychologist Exam and the Clinical Psychologist Exam.
The Division of Social Welfare trains professionals who can use the scientific method to clarify the actual conditions of various contemporary social problems, and then devise policies for solving those problems, based on the theories and values of social welfare. The curriculum allows students to thoroughly study the principles of social welfare studies and the theories of social work, while delving more deeply into areas of expertise matching their own interests. Students are not only limited to social issues in Okinawa but can also pursue research focusing on issues of global concern. Thoroughly analyzing social structures requires a broad range of knowledge, so some students take classes in other departments and at other universities. In this way, the department provides an environment that allows each and every student to broadly and deeply pursue their research goals.
Clinical Psychology
The Division of Clinical Psychology primarily aims to train specialists capable of concretely and practically handling issues of the human mind from a position of expertise. With this goal in mind, the division offers a curriculum that allows students to acquire a wealth of specialized knowledge based on theory and practice, centering on subjects required for training clinical psychologists, with instruction that cultivates practical skills. The division offers a curriculum that has been prescribed under the Certified Public Psychologist Act, and has been designated a graduate school (Type 1) that fulfills the eligibility requirements for taking the Clinical Psychologist Certification Exam carried out by the Foundation of the Japanese Certification Board for Clinical Psychologists. After completing this division’s program, students are eligible to take the National Certified Public Psychologist Exam and the Clinical Psychologist Exam.