1st term of doctoral course
1. Structure of the Graduate School
Material affluence has been achieved through the sophistication of science technology. In contrast, spiritual fulfillment has been slipping away from modern society. Material affluence also does not necessarily assure a healthy and safe life.
In this sense, the question of what rich regional society means and what truly humanistic life culture is has been asked. In order to respond to this question, the Human Cultures Graduate School has established the Division of Regional Studies and the Division of Life Style Studies for the promotion of advanced academic research by conducting research widely based on both human/social science and natural science, and by training human resources who synthesize such research.
(1) Division of Regional Studies
This division conducts educational research that pursues from an historical, cultural and modernological viewpoint how regional society should be in order to adapt to a new age.
The division is divided into three courses: the Course in Japanese Regional Culture, the Course in Regional Studies of Asia, and the Course in Modernology and Conservation. All courses aim to do research from a global viewpoint from the perspective in which they are grounded, reevaluate regional cultural property, which characterizes regional living space and develop new vantage points such as gender history, performing arts history, peripheral sociology, comparative nomad studies, modernology and conservation ,in addition to the sociology and cultural studies of each geographical area and each time. The division then implements educational research by understanding issues in a comprehensive, systematic manner.
The Course in Japanese Regional Culture examines social culture mainly for the Ohmi region and Japan in the subject of Regions Surrounding Lake Biwa. The Course in Regional Studies of Asia conducts educational research on differences and relations with Japanese culture by comparing original cultures across Asian regions. Both courses include Europe and America and examine human regional cultures in comparison with western cultures.
The Course in Modernology and Conservation observes, records and inspects the present situation of regional society and through its modernological examination, reevaluates the historical environment and regional cultural property, which characterize the regional life field, and conducts educational research to seek the way to conserve and utilize them for the vitalization of living space.
(2) Division of Life Style Studies
The division subject matter is life style from the standpoint of life science and human science. By fundamentally reviewing the relationship between life and society through the whole human life cycle from the viewpoint of life and design, food and health, and human relations, the division conducts educational research to create a truly fulfilled healthy and comfortable life culture and living environment. The courses in life style design, in health and nutritional sciences, and in human relations have been established for that purpose. The Course in Life Style Design covers design in living environments such as the housing environment and implements practical educational research for the purpose of designing a healthy life style and living environment. The Course in Health and Nutritional Sciences conducts a wide range of interwoven research by adding the sports physiology field to life science, which covers everything from the basics to the application of food. The course addresses practical issues such as a scientific review of the wisdom and culture of life on food and conducts research for the achievement of a healthy life. The Course in Human Relations conducts educational research on development/formation of humans, socializing mechanisms, and features of human relations in modern society from psychological, educational, and sociological standpoints for the purpose of creating new human relations.
2. Features of Education and Research
1. The division shares a community-rooted viewpoint with doing research in respective specialized fields, promotes academic collaboration among divisions, participates in collaborative projects inside and outside the university, and implements comprehensive research.
The division also studies systems that conduct academic regional studies covering from Lake Biwa to Asia with collaboration both inside and outside the university.
2. In order to enhance academic quality and originality, students are able to assign a sub-supervisory faculty from other schools, visiting faculty or staff of research institutions with collaborative relation with the university. Framework to conduct academic research will be reviewed. However, ultimate guidance responsibility lies with the main supervisory faculty of the division where each student belongs.
3. Acceptance of international students and collaboration with other graduate schools including international schools, which provide graduate school education with more depth and are instrumental in enhancing creativity of students by creating a number of intellectual experiences, are promoted.
4. Refresh education for social members who are working at the forefront of various fields in business from private companies, public institutions and other organizations are promoted. Special admission procedure for social members will be introduced accordingly.