Department of Cross-Cultural Studies

Goal of the Department

In an increasingly globalized modern society with simultaneous standardization and diversification, the educational goal of the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies is to develop competent personnel who can properly understand these complicated trends and flexibly respond to the various problems facing human society and culture. To achieve this goal, students will understand the culture of each area and each ethnic group by combining the following three perspectives: "Comparison with Past Cultures," "Comparison with Other Cultures," and "Positions in the International Society." By understanding different cultures, the students come to know both the rich diversity in the world and their own position at the same time, and can develop a broad international mindset. The department aims at fostering self-sufficient global citizens who can be a bridge linking them together by understanding different cultures.

Educational Content

The curriculum is organized in a balanced manner with three study fields at the core: "Historical and Regional Research," "Cultural Anthropology," and "International Relationships." These study fields correspond to "Comparison with Past Cultures," "Comparison with Other Cultures," and "Positions in the International Society," the three perspectives of the educational goal. Thus, the students can multilaterally learn about one area or one ethnic group from these three different perspectives. Examining solutions to various global-scale problems is also a perspective we would like to emphasize. We put weight on the subjects for developing practical English proficiency, and improving the practical skills needed for working in an international society, such as information processing capacity and communication skills.

Studies in the Four Years

Curriculum with a good variety of subjects

In the first and second years, the students explore subjects which they will be most interested in and master how to learn and research. They also conduct a balanced study of a variety of subjects relating to the three fields of "Historical and Regional Research," "Cultural Anthropology," and "International Relationships." In the third and fourth years, through studies in seminars (see below), they dig deeper into their chosen research theme, and write a graduation thesis under the guidance of their lecturers. In our education system, the curriculum containing a variety of subjects responds to a student's interests, and they develop their individual interests and a critical mindset in more specialized seminars. Over the four years, the students learn concepts, methods, and ways of thinking for their wide cultural research, and develop practical ability to apply. On occasion, we offer lectures by guest speakers.

Detailed Guidance in Seminars

In the third and fourth years, each student joins any of the seminars run by lecturers in the department. In the seminar, each student is expected to study their theme of research with a critical mindset. The lecturer gives detailed guidance on the points of specialized studies while monitoring the achievements and growth of the students. We put weight on teaching depending on a student’s proficiency level, and in the third year, the students learn about academic research methods as well as specialized knowledge. In the fourth year, they study more specialized subjects by developing them further and present the research results in a proper way for the final year. In combined seminars with the third and fourth years, the students can receive detailed guidance based on the same concept.

Career Options

The graduates can actively work in many fields using the expertise and knowledge acquired in the course. They have taken up posts in finance, trading, logistics and international companies, education-related companies, publishing companies, government offices, nonprofit organizations, and other enterprises. There is also the option to explore a specialized field as a graduate student.