Curriculum

The education and research programs of the Graduate School of History and Folklore Studies consist of studies in three areas. The Graduate School has longstanding expertise in the study of historical and folklore materials and has newly added the study of nonwritten materials. This is a field of study that has attracted great attention both in Japan and internationally, and the School’s programs incorporate the research results of the 21st Century COE Program on the cultural anthropological study of nonwritten materials designated by the Education Ministry in Academic Year 2003.

The Graduate School takes pride in its broad range of courses. Students can participate in lectures and seminars in their chosen major fields and receive research guidance from multiple faculty members. They are free to attend classes necessary for developing their ability in their specialized fields, even those outside the above-mentioned three areas of study. In order to enhance the depth of their research, the School also has courses in cultural anthropology, archeology, human geography, comparative cultural studies, Asian history, European history, and so forth. It has upgraded the independence of courses relating to the study of museum materials and introduced courses in the study of archives and conservation science.

The curriculum focuses on practicum and includes practical exercises and field studies, which allow students to acquire the skills and survey methods for handling research materials in a practical manner. In addition, all faculty members offer courses in research paper writing, which have been newly added as a requirement, to enhance guidance on thesis writing.

The Graduate School has a large number of foreign students. In order to train students able to make international contributions, regardless of nationality, it offers courses in International Understanding (in English, Chinese, and Japanese). The educational and research activities of the School are also conducted in close cooperation with the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture and the Research Center for Nonwritten Cultural Materials. Taking advantage of these institutions’ international networks, students also have the opportunity to go on short-term study at partner universities in China, South Korea, Germany, France, Canada, and other countries.

The Graduate School has introduced a long-term program and moved to a semester system in response to the students’ varied circumstances. Furthermore, foreign students applying for admission with the recommendation of designated overseas partner universities can choose to start from the fall semester.