Department of History

While studying in the Department of History, the student will acquire the skill to extract important information from a large body of historical data, as well as a historical perspective and an ability to grasp phenomena and events. Five courses are offered, Japanese History; Oriental History; Western History; Geography; and Archaeology. In the first year, general lectures on the five courses are given, and through study of a wide range of historical areas, students are encouraged to identify a theme to examine in greater detail. In the second and subsequent years, students select the field that interests them most from these five courses, and specializes in the selected field. A special feature of this department is that each course is composed of three elements: special lectures, seminars, and reading historical texts, enabling students to balance their specialization. Further, contemporary needs are catered for in the unique subjects offered, such as Regional Cultural History, Paleography, History of Art, History of the Family and so on, enabling students to consider the changing family, topical gender issues, and the history of regional areas.