The Aoyama Standard A distinctive liberal arts education common to all universities
A wide-ranging liberal arts education system that allows students to take courses regardless of faculty or department
Acquire "culture and skills" as Aogaku
Why AOYAMA STANDARD?
Why is Aoyama Gakuin University University's liberal arts education the "The Aoyama Standard"?
In order to nurture "good citizens" who can perceive various issues from multiple perspectives and make comprehensive value judgments to proactively determine their own future, the university has established a university-wide common education system called "The Aoyama Standard".
Aogaku The goal of this system is for students, regardless of their department or faculty, to be evaluated by society as having a certain range of knowledge and education, as well as a certain level of skills and abilities.
The program consists mainly of half-year courses divided into the first and second semesters of the year, giving students the opportunity to come into contact with a large number of subjects during the year and to study them in any combination they wish.
The "The Aoyama Standard Courses" are divided into three categories: "Freshman Seminars," "Welcome Lectures," "Career Design Seminars," "Core Courses," and "Thematic Courses." The "Core Courses" are divided into "Liberal Arts Core Courses" and "Technical Core Courses.
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Acquire the education and skills necessary for modern society, appropriate for Aogaku
For example, when considering the future of AI, knowledge of human rights and ethics is necessary. There are many phenomena that cannot be understood with only one specialty. In future studies, it will be important to approach such phenomena from a broad and comprehensive perspective, not limited to the framework of humanities and sciences. The Aoyama Standard was established to promote interdisciplinary education that can respond to various phenomena and challenges. We promise that Aogaku will acquire the education and skills they need to be successful in society after graduation.
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Meeting people from different disciplines and fields will help you develop a multifaceted perspective, understand diversity, and maximize your potential.
The appeal of The Aoyama Standard is not limited to acquiring culture and skills. Through academic study, you can encounter new values, traditional ideas, and different academic fields that you have never known before, and you can freely enjoy these opportunities for four years. By meeting peers from different fields while honing your "expertise" in specialized subjects in your department, you will naturally become aware of "ways of thinking different from your own." The culture and skills you learn at The Aoyama Standard will support you in your studies in specialized subjects in your department, stimulating your intellectual curiosity and allowing you to learn and explore freely. This intellectual behavior will open up your possibilities.
Lectures/Seminars (The Aoyama Standard Courses)
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Welcome Lecture
We aim to deepen students' understanding of the significance of studying academic subjects at university and to convey the benefits this will have in student life and society.
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Freshers Seminar
Through seminar-style classes, students will gain hands-on experience in learning the etiquette of university studies.
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Career Design Seminar
By thinking about your career from an early stage, you will be able to see what subjects you should take.
Core Subjects and Thematic Subjects (The Aoyama Standard Subjects)
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Core subjects: Acquire the knowledge, culture, skills and abilities that Aogaku should have
Students will learn the knowledge, culture, skills, and abilities required in society from various angles, and acquire the knowledge and skills required as Aogaku Gakuin University. In particular, it is meaningful to learn "Christianity understanding" which leads to an understanding of the spirit of our university's founding, "historical understanding" from history including modern history, and the area of skills as a liberal arts core.
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Thematic subjects: Further application and development of core subject learning
While also considering the specialized subjects of the faculty or department to which you belong, you will deepen your learning from multiple angles by linking it with your own interests and core subjects. There are nine areas with a wide variety of subjects with different themes, teachers, and teaching styles. The "cross-learning" that combines "vertical" expertise with the "horizontal" The Aoyama Standard is what Aoyama Gakuin University education is all about.
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Service Learning II: Understanding Christianity Related SubjectsWe invite guest speakers from companies and organizations that are actually using social business methods to solve social issues. After listening to real voices from the field and deepening your understanding, you will participate in the activities yourself and reconsider social issues from your experiences. This is a practical learning method that combines classroom learning and activities.
Service Learning II: Understanding Christianity Related Subjects -
Self-understanding (general subject) Human understanding Related subjectsYou will gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of learning as a university student from the perspective of current society and education. What is your purpose in going to "university" and why are you studying at "Aoyama Gakuin University" now? You will objectively grasp yourself and clarify the meaning of learning at university, your own position and sense of purpose.
Self-understanding (general subject) Human understanding Related subjects -
Computer Programming Information Skills Related SubjectsThe first half of the class is lectures, and the second half is computer labs. In this course, students will learn the basic concepts and techniques for writing programs through the platform-independent object-oriented language Java, as a foundation for learning more advanced topics in computer science.
Computer Programming Information Skills Related Subjects -
Logical thinking skills developed through Go Related subjectsThis lecture is aimed at people who are unfamiliar with Go, and will begin by explaining the rules of the game. Go, a game played using black and white Go stones and competing to see who can take up the most territory on the board, is effective in training logical thinking and ideas. By understanding the hidden depths of the game's simple rules, you will develop the ability to think and make decisions for yourself through actual games.
Logical thinking skills developed through Go Related subjects
Student's Voice
Through conversations with the students, each with their own unique personality, I was able to see a glimpse of their future.
In the first year's "Career Design Seminar," students think about the changes in the environment surrounding their careers and their own lives. As students from different faculties and departments talked with each other, I was able to learn about each student's dreams and the efforts they made to achieve them, which was very inspiring. Although it was difficult to tell students about my past and goals, and to imagine and speak about my future, as a result, I feel that my career path became clear and my vague anxiety about the future was eliminated. In addition, I wanted to gain knowledge outside of my field of expertise, so I decided to take the "Self-Understanding" class, where we analyzed all kinds of thoughts and expressions from a logical perspective. By putting the thought processes I unconsciously used in my daily life into diagrams and sentences and re-examining them, my horizons were suddenly broadened. Thanks to the careful guidance of the teacher, I feel that I was able to steadily deepen my understanding of difficult content. In the future, I would like to learn about various fields in The Aoyama Standard Subjects and use that knowledge to work on policy and planning at the faculty.
First year student School of Cultural and Creative Studies Department of Cultural and Creative Studies (at the time of the interview)
Arisa Maeda, a graduate of Takamizu Private High School in Yamaguchi
Through conversations with the students, each with their own unique personality, I was able to see a glimpse of their future.
In the first year's "Career Design Seminar," students think about the changes in the environment surrounding their careers and their own lives. As students from different faculties and departments talked with each other, I was able to learn about each student's dreams and the efforts they made to achieve them, which was very inspiring. Although it was difficult to tell students about my past and goals, and to imagine and speak about my future, as a result, I feel that my career path became clear and my vague anxiety about the future was eliminated. In addition, I wanted to gain knowledge outside of my field of expertise, so I decided to take the "Self-Understanding" class, where we analyzed all kinds of thoughts and expressions from a logical perspective. By putting the thought processes I unconsciously used in my daily life into diagrams and sentences and re-examining them, my horizons were suddenly broadened. Thanks to the careful guidance of the teacher, I feel that I was able to steadily deepen my understanding of difficult content. In the future, I would like to learn about various fields in The Aoyama Standard Subjects and use that knowledge to work on policy and planning at the faculty.
First year student School of Cultural and Creative Studies Department of Cultural and Creative Studies (at the time of the interview)
Arisa Maeda, a graduate of Takamizu Private High School in Yamaguchi
Through independent learning, I was able to develop a multifaceted perspective on things.
Among The Aoyama Standard Courses, the "Christianity Understanding Courses" that are connected to the founding spirit of the school are distinctive. I had almost no knowledge of Christianity, and at first I was worried about whether I would be able to understand the doctrines. However, when I actually visited the chapel and heard the hymns, I was moved by the sacred atmosphere. As I deepened my learning, I realized that Christianity promotes love, peace, and kindness, which are universal elements that shape human society, and now I feel that these teachings are very familiar to me. In addition, the class that left the biggest impression on me was the "Self-Understanding" class, which considered the progress of modern medicine and its impact. I remember being shocked to learn that the use of iPS cells and genetic testing technology will make it possible to treat difficult diseases and manipulate the genes of unborn children. Through this lecture, I realized the importance of considering things from multiple angles, rather than looking at things from one perspective. The Aoyama Standard Courses allow me to learn about a wide range of academic fields, so I would like to use the various knowledge I gained there in my research in my field of expertise and in my daily life.
Second year student School of Global Studies and Collaboration Department of Global Studies and Collaboration (at the time of interview)
Graduated from Sapporo Nihon University High School, Hokkaido
Sumi Yuki
Through independent learning, I was able to develop a multifaceted perspective on things.
Among The Aoyama Standard Courses, the "Christianity Understanding Courses" that are connected to the founding spirit of the school are distinctive. I had almost no knowledge of Christianity, and at first I was worried about whether I would be able to understand the doctrines. However, when I actually visited the chapel and heard the hymns, I was moved by the sacred atmosphere. As I deepened my learning, I realized that Christianity promotes love, peace, and kindness, which are universal elements that shape human society, and now I feel that these teachings are very familiar to me. In addition, the class that left the biggest impression on me was the "Self-Understanding" class, which considered the progress of modern medicine and its impact. I remember being shocked to learn that the use of iPS cells and genetic testing technology will make it possible to treat difficult diseases and manipulate the genes of unborn children. Through this lecture, I realized the importance of considering things from multiple angles, rather than looking at things from one perspective. The Aoyama Standard Courses allow me to learn about a wide range of academic fields, so I would like to use the various knowledge I gained there in my research in my field of expertise and in my daily life.
Second year student School of Global Studies and Collaboration Department of Global Studies and Collaboration (at the time of interview)
Graduated from Sapporo Nihon University High School, Hokkaido
Sumi Yuki
About The Aoyama Standard
Subject placement table The Aoyama Standard Subjects
Please check the "The Aoyama Standard Subjects" in the course guide for your faculty or department.
- *Example: College of Literature course handbook
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Subject Placement Table The Aoyama Standard Subjects (College of Literature) - Please check the course syllabus for each faculty below.
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Syllabus/Class Guide (Course Guide)
About The Aoyama Standard
