糖心视频

Think about "what it means to be human" and understand and explore "culture"

Aoyama will celebrate its 150th anniversary in November 2024. College of Literature was established in 1949 when Aoyama Gakuin University was launched as a new university under the new system. In addition, when Aoyama was approved under the Professional School Act in the Meiji period, the departments that would become the prototype of the current College of Literature were already in place. In this way, College of Literature exists on a long tradition.

Aoyama Gakuin University College of Literature, which started with the Department of Christian Studies and Department of English, has grown into a school with five departments today: Department of English, Department of French Language and Literature, Department of Japanese Language and Literature, Department of History, and Department of Comparative Arts. The School of College of Literature aims to study humanities, which is to say, to explore the questions that have existed since humanity first gained civilization, such as "the meaning of human existence" and "what is a human being?" This is a far-reaching theme, but in other words, it is about exploring the essence of "culture," which is unique to humanity.

In other words, College of Literature can be said to be an academic field that comprehensively understands human beings themselves and culture, which is the diverse social activities of human beings. Modern society is undergoing great change and fluidity due to the international environment in which conflict crises occur around the world while globalization progresses, and the rapid development of information technology. In such a modern society, academic studies that consider "what is a human being" are becoming increasingly important. In a society in which various connections with people all over the world are deepening, it is necessary to develop a humanistic perspective and the wisdom and insight to respond to modern society in order to work together while respecting others. This will also be important in forming each individual's personality, which cooperates with those around them but is not swayed by them.

College of Literature is made up of a variety of fields, including language and culture, history, and art. At Aoyama Gakuin University College of Literature, each department maintains its own uniqueness while valuing loose cooperation, complementing each other to achieve great results. The cultures of the world are vast and infinitely deep. What we think we know now may be very little, and we may only have a biased view of things.

College of Literature is waiting for those who have the enthusiasm to know themselves and others better, and to know more about the world. Just as past College of Literature graduates have done, I sincerely look forward to learning and conducting research together with you, who will learn about the rich culture accumulated by our predecessors and use that knowledge to play an active role in society.

——Dean General Manager the Faculty College of Literature
Kazuyuki Kobayashi

Philosophy of College of Literature

While society is becoming more sophisticated, information-driven, and globalized, this is creating a reality that threatens human survival. In today's world, where the very weight of human existence is being questioned, the role that Aoyama Gakuin University College of Literature, based on Christian faith, must play is significant.

College of Literature currently comprises five departments, encompassing academic fields such as literature, linguistics, philosophy, history, art history, and sociology. The existence of these diverse fields greatly expands the possibilities of interdisciplinary research and enables a variety of approaches to exploring the essence of humanity and culture. A key characteristic of College of Literature is that the exploration of academic issues is conducted through a rich curriculum that includes foreign language education, small-group seminars, and practical training.

The realities of the world teach us that our understanding of our own culture is deeply intertwined with a rich understanding of the international community. This is because our lives are supported by multifaceted connections with people around the world. The purpose of university education, which aims to foster human social solidarity and the development of individuals with a humanistic perspective, is also related to this point. Within the university community, it is the College of Literature that is engaged in academic research and education aimed at a holistic understanding of humanity itself and its diverse activities.

Educational and research objectives

Based on the university's philosophy of "free and wide-ranging academic research aimed at serving humanity," College of Literature of College of Literature sets goals based on the expertise of each of the five departments that make up the Faculty of Letters, with the historical achievements of the humanities as a common intellectual foundation. Each department has the educational goal of educating each student to understand the diverse activities of human beings and culture, and to develop the qualities necessary to do so, based on the characteristics of its academic field.

A faculty that inherits the history of Aoyama

In 1949, coinciding with the establishment of Aoyama Gakuin University following educational reforms, College of Literature was founded with two departments: the Department of Christian Studies and Department of English. However, this was not a completely blank slate. In 1883 (Meiji 16), the Tokyo Eiwa School was opened in Aoyama, and in 1904, it became Aoyama, with the Faculty of Theology established. Although specialized departments were later added, Aoyama has always based its education on Christianity and English. It is therefore natural that College of Literature was founded with the two departments mentioned above at the time of the university's establishment, considering its long history and tradition. Subsequently, College of Literature gradually added departments, leading to its current system of five departments.

Mid- to Long-Term Plan

College of Literature Graduate School of Literature Mid- to Long-Term Plan