The 3 Policies of Faculty of Letters

Based on Keio University’s Diploma Policy, the Department of Humanities and Social Science in the Faculty of Letters aims to cultivate, in the vast fields related to the letters, a scientific, evidence-based approach as well as the knowledge and abilities needed to clarify truth and solve problems, grounded in founder Yukichi Fukuzawa’s spirit of jitsugaku, or practical learning. In addition, under the respective policies governing general education courses, required language courses, and specialized courses (by major), students recognized as having fulfilled the prescribed requirements will be conferred one of the following degrees according to the department to which they are affiliated upon advancing to their second year: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy; Bachelor of Arts in Aesthetics; Bachelor of Arts in History; Bachelor of Arts in Literature; Bachelor of Arts in Library and Information Science; or Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations.

(1) The ability to acquire a broad liberal arts education connected to diverse cultures and regions, and to appropriately explain and communicate this knowledge in Japanese and foreign languages.

(2) The ability to think logically and deliver effective presentations, grounded in academic knowledge in the humanities and social sciences and strong information-gathering skills.

(3) The ability to recognize the significance of studying the humanities and social sciences within society, and to use appropriate methods to achieve self-set goals and address social issues.

(4) The ability to write a graduation thesis as the final outcome of one’s undergraduate studies, presenting new perspectives in a specialized field based on the work of predecessors, or to present equivalent content in a graduation examination.

The Department of Humanities and Social Science in the Faculty of Letters systematically designs a curriculum composed of general education subjects, required language subjects, and major subjects to cultivate the targeted qualities and abilities established in the Diploma Policy.

With this curriculum design, instruction is delivered through a combination of the following educational methods.

(1) The Faculty of Letters offers a diverse range of courses, encompassing the humanities and social sciences as well as the natural sciences and interdisciplinary fields, to foster the acquisition of foundational and comprehensive knowledge, as well as an awareness of key issues.

(2) The Faculty of Letters expands active learning opportunities in lectures, seminars, laboratory courses, fieldwork, and other settings in which students take the lead to equip students with the ability to identify problems independently and work toward solutions.

(3) The Faculty of Letters provides opportunities for students to take both subjects that build specialized skills and expertise and interdisciplinary subjects that foster motivation for intellectual inquiry and practical skills development.

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes related to the defined competency objectives are evaluated under the university-wide assessment framework. In addition to subject-specific grading standards, evaluations incorporate a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators—both direct and indirect—such as surveys and questionnaires. Specifically, these include (1) course evaluations by students, (2) surveys of grade distributions by admissions pathway, (3) data on leaves of absence and withdrawals, and (4) placement tests.

(1) The ability to acquire a broad liberal arts education connected to diverse cultures and regions, and to appropriately explain and communicate this knowledge in Japanese and foreign languages.  → Through general education courses and required language courses, students build the broad perspective, foundational learning skills, and solid language proficiency that form the core of undergraduate study, and they further develop applied skills through specialized education courses.

(2) The ability to think logically and deliver effective presentations, grounded in academic knowledge in the humanities and social sciences and information-gathering skills.  → Building on learning outcomes from general education and required language courses, students acquire foundational knowledge related to their respective majors through specialized education courses and progressively work toward advanced expertise and skills.

(3) The ability to recognize the significance of studying the humanities and social sciences within society, and to use appropriate methods to achieve self-set goals and address social issues. → By taking a combination of seminar courses and, depending on the major, courses involving experiments and fieldwork, students develop the ability to define and accomplish their own research and learning objectives. In addition, by enabling enrollment in specialized education courses outside one’s major, the Faculty of Letters provides opportunities to deepen understanding across the broader humanities and social sciences.

(4) The ability to write a graduation thesis as the final outcome of one’s undergraduate studies, presenting new perspectives in a specialized field based on the work of predecessors, → Primarily through research seminars within specialized education courses, students explore their individual research themes and, through discussion and feedback, learn to evaluate their research process objectively—thereby cultivating the ability to take on higher-level problem-solving. In majors that offer a graduation examination track, equivalent abilities are developed through the designated courses.

(1) Possess a sufficient understanding of the spirit of Keio University, as well as motivation and a commitment to academic study.

(2) Possess foundational language proficiency (in Japanese, as well as English, French, or German) necessary to read and comprehend a wide range of texts—from classics by earlier scholars to papers presenting the latest research findings.

(3) Possess the ability to think logically about assigned tasks and to describe their own views accurately and sufficiently.

(4) Possess foundational historical knowledge (Japanese history or world history) that serves as a basis for understanding how contemporary society and culture have taken shape.

(5) Have an interest in and curiosity about at least one of the academic fields covered by the majors offered by the Faculty of Letters (Philosophy; Ethics; Aesthetics and Science of Arts; Japanese History; Asian History; Western History; Archaeology and Ethnology; Japanese Literature; Chinese Literature; English and American Literature; German Literature; French Literature; Library and Information Science; Sociology; Psychology; Education; and Human Sciences).

To admit a wide range of such applicants, selection is conducted through (1) general selection, (2) recommendation-based admissions for self-nominated applicants, and (3) the entrance examination for international students.

(1) General Selection Selection is based on examinations in three subjects—foreign language, geography and history, and essay writing—and requires a high level of academic ability befitting the Faculty of Letters.

(2) Recommendation-Based Admissions by Self-Nomination Applicants must have attained a prescribed grade threshold in high school. Selection is conducted through a comprehensive review that also takes into account extracurricular activities and social engagement during the applicant's enrollment.

(3) Entrance Examination for International Students Selection is conducted in light of applicants’ academic record and motivation to study.