Research Fields of the Department of Foreign Languages and Liberal Arts

The “General Education Seminar” (Hiyoshi Campus) is a seminar course designed to enhance the expressive skills students will need for future research and social activities. Small classes with a maximum of approximately 20 students are offered, with about 15 classes in each spring and fall semester. While the specific themes vary by class, the common philosophy is to guide students in engaging with liberal arts while developing the ability to conduct independent research and critical thinking, ultimately enabling them to express themselves logically and persuasively through oral presentations and reports.

This program enables participants to gain firsthand experience and master the importance of international awareness, logical thinking, debate skills, language proficiency, and self-discipline—essential qualities for thriving as the next generation of leaders. Rather than learning English itself, students use English to give presentations and engage in discussions on various topics. By understanding the diversity of values among participating students and foreign cultures, it fosters an international perspective that enables students to take leadership roles around the world. During the long vacation period, “Global Leadership Seminar Field Training” is offered as a related subject.

The “Humanities and Social Sciences Seminar” (Yagami Campus) is a course (lecture or seminar) designed to introduce students to the actual practice of research in the humanities and social sciences. Class sizes are intended to be relatively small (up to about 30 students). Courses are offered in six subject areas: Language sciences (linguistics, language education, philosophy of language, etc.), philosophical thought (philosophy, ethics, ideology, etc.), social sciences (sociology, political science, psychology, etc.), cultural representation (art, literature, theater, etc.), area studies (religion, history, etc.), and interdisciplinary studies (science ethics, environment, etc.).