University

Faculty of Social Sciences

Department of Social Sciences

The Department of Social Sciences seeks to cultivate students who can understand the changing organization of society and can act independently with a global perspective to solve complex problems facing both their society and those of others. Based on these goals, the curriculum is organized into four courses: International Politics; Economics and Business; International Cooperation; and Media and Society.

In the International Politics Course, students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to understand the structures and processes through which the world operates and analyze contemporary society using a multidisciplinary approach. The Business and Economics Course focuses on the mechanisms of domestic and international economic activity from various perspectives such as finance, marketing, economic development, and the information economy. In the International Cooperation Course, students acquire a deep appreciation of the nature of issues facing the international community and how international cooperation can help to overcome them. Students in the Media and Society Course develop an understanding of the influences exerted by everyday media on society and the ability to analyze new and traditional media as tools of interpersonal and mass communication.

In each of these courses, students enroll in classes according to their own areas of interest to develop specialist knowledge. Many of the classes provide an active learning experience, offering students the opportunity to interact with experts from a wide variety of fields and to participate in internships, volunteer programs, workshops, and various media events. There are a number of course subjects that are taught through English as well as classes which aim to develop English ability in the specialist area. For students with an appetite to further improve their foreign language skills as well as learn about international development, education, and poverty, the Department of Social Sciences specialized overseas training program provides a unique opportunity to visit the locations of many of the world’s problems and learn directly from people working on the front line.

All students in the Department of Social Sciences participate in small seminar classes from their first through fourth year. Through intellectual exchanges with their seminar professors, students develop their capacity for problem-solving and logical thought. In their fourth year, they complete their university education by writing a graduation thesis.