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Department of History

Department of History

Introduction

Students encounter the romanticism and dynamism hidden in history and nurture their perceptiveness to open up a better future.

The study of history at AGU is unique in terms of the breadth of areas it covers, which is not seen at other universities. The Department comprises of four courses by area: Japanese History, Oriental History, Occidental History, Archaeology. Various specialized faculty members present diverse perspectives. The tradition of the Department since its founding has been to "look at history from a wide perspective and to conduct specialized analyses of concrete issues based on that perspective." First-year students thus learn an overview of all the courses, and in their second year they choose a course that interests them in order to conduct specialized research. To study history is to analyze the unbroken activities of human society, and to learn about the thoughts of people who lived before us. We may then review contemporary times and deliberate upon what the ideal future is.
Furthermore, with the progress of globalization today, learning about history leads to well-balanced knowledge and an accurate understanding of other cultures. We at the Department do not promote history as just a series of memorized facts, but rather an analytical history, which is the act of questioning commonly accepted ideas and independently searching for the truth by researching historical materials.

Curriculum

Lists electives by course

Required Credits for Graduation / 128 Credits
Japanese History Course
Category Subjects
Required Subjects 2nd year

  • Reading in Japanese History l
  • Study of Ancient Manuscripts

3rd year

  • Reading in Japanese History ll
Elective Subjects 2nd – 4th year

  • Lecture on Japanese History (1)

3rd and 4th year

  • Lecture on Japanese History (2)~(7)
  • Seminar in Japanese History (1)~(5)
Eastern History Course
Category Subjects
Required Subjects 2nd year

  • Reading in Oriental History l

3rd year

  • Reading in Oriental History ll
Elective Subjects 2nd – 4th year

  • Lecture on Oriental History (1)

3rd and 4th year

  • Lecture on Oriental History (2)~(5)
  • Seminar in Oriental History (1)~(3)
Western History Course
Category Subjects
Required Subjects 2nd year

  • Reading in Western History l

3rd year

  • Reading in Western History ll
Elective Subjects 2nd – 4th year

  • Lecture on Western History (1)

3rd and 4th year

  • Lecture on Western History (2)~(6)
  • Seminar in Western History (1)~(5)
Archaeology Course
Category Subjects
Required Subjects 2nd year

  • Reading in Archeology l
  • Field Training in Archeology l

3rd year

  • Reading in Archeology ll
  • Field Training in Archeology ll
Elective Subjects 2nd – 4th year

  • Lecture on Archeology (1)

3rd and 4th year

  • Lecture on Archeology (2)~(4)
  • Seminar in Archeology (1) (2)
The Aoyama Standard Subjects
1st - 4th year :

School-wide universal education system where experts in wide-ranging academic fields transcending the framework of colleges/schools and departments stimulate interest in learning and provide guidance.

Foreign Language Subjects
[ Foreign Language I ] 1st year :

English Reading (I), Oral English (I), English Composition

2nd year :

English Reading (II), Oral English (II)

Free Elective Subjects
1st - 4th year :

Students can freely select from departmental subjects, Aoyama Standard Subjects, Foreign Language Elective Subjects (take at least minimum credits required), Universal Subjects in the College of Literature, subjects in other departments of the College of Literature, as well as subjects offered by other colleges.