Faculty of Psychology
Special Characteristics of the Faculty
AIming to develop people who understand the various problems of contemporary society from a psychological perspective and can contribute to their solution:
Contemporary society faces many problems relating to information technology, the increasing aging of society, the dissolution of family and local societal bonds, and ever-deepening difficulties in regard to children. A program in “Developmental and Clinical Psychology” dealing with problems arising in the process of human development and a program in “Contemporary Society and Psychology” dealing with human psychology in the context of contemporary society have been established with the aim of developing people capable of utilizing their knowledge of psychology in society to respond to actual problems.
Aiming at a comprehensive understanding of human beings:
Ethics, religious studies, sociology, anthropology, literature, biology, etc. provide various viewpoints for thinking about human beings. Psychology is just one such approach. Therefore, to study only psychology without any knowledge of other, related areas would lead to a one-sided understanding of human beings with which it would be impossible to understand actual clinical problems as well as the problems of modern society. Thus, the Faculty of Psychology offers an array of courses related to psychology under the title “Human Sciences.”
Aiming to develop people who understand the fundamentals of psychology and are capable of psychological insight:
People are apt to think of psychology as one of the humanities, but its empirical scientific aspects must also be borne in mind if we are truly to understand it. Only through mastery of research methods including experiments and surveys as well as knowledge of how theories come to be formed can the student really acquire “psychological perspective.” Therefore the student needs to master the fundamentals of psychology including such research methods as experiments, surveys, and statistics.
Aiming to develop persons with social self-awareness and broad general culture:
More than specialized education is now being required of universities. They are also being asked to assist in the process of socialization of the young and in developing a commitment to work that will facilitate “career and life design” so that students do not become simply free-lancers or “persons not in employment or training.” In order to respond to such societal needs, the Faculty of Psychology has prepared a curriculum that emphasizes “education for careers.”
Emphasizing development of fundamental academic skills necessary for university students
A proper understanding of the specialized education offered at the university requires a broad knowledge of human beings and society. Furthermore, no matter what occupation one ultimately chooses, broad general culture is needed to live as a mature adult with a grasp of social forces. Specialized careers in psychology often involve public service, and broad general culture is required of persons aiming at such careers. For this reason, the Faculty of Psychology also offers courses in the development of fundamental academic skills and the acquisition of techniques of learning.