Faculty of Sociology
Graduate School of Sociology

The Faculty of Sociology has four majors—sociology, psychology, media studies, and social system design—with approximately 60 full-time faculty members engaged in unique research. Many professional courses that use research results can satisfy your intellectual curiosity. Each major, with its unique perspective, analyzes contemporary society and the people who live in it, and all majors take an approach that emphasizes both "theory" and "practice." Please see below the features of each major:

Love and romantic relationships, fashion or popularity, abuse, declining marriage rates, social discrimination, global environmental issues, and more topics are covered in this major. We live our daily lives surrounded by various social phenomena. In some cases, we may be directly involved in these phenomena, and others, we may know through the media.
In this course, students study the social mechanisms that cause the social phenomenon they want to specialize in. They also study that different societies have different social mechanisms and thus different social phenomena. To pursue such studies, students learn various theories and methods, including empirical surveys and statistical analyses.

Have you ever wondered what is going on in the minds of people or your own? Have you ever wondered, through your own experiences or the media, why people behave the way they do or why people have mental disorders that cause distress and depression? These simple questions about our minds are crucial but difficult to comprehend.
The purpose of psychology is to understand the mind. It is necessary to research from a broad and unbiased perspective. In the Department of Psychology, students study the mechanisms of the human mind and behavior from various perspectives, focusing on individuals, groups, and society. In addition, they learn scientific methods for understanding the mind by engaging in empirical analysis based on advanced computer-based information-processing technology.

Traditional mass media such as newspapers, broadcasting, and publishing have undergone radical changes in the Internet era. The Internet has also changed the way people communicate. Popular media cultures, such as music, advertising, sports, and tourism, have also entered a new development phase. The Media Studies major offers a diverse and broad range of courses in four areas—journalism, Internet communication, advertising, and public relations—to help students understand these contemporary media phenomena and their changes. In addition, the department strives to nurture "future media professionals" with flexible ideas and the ability to take action.

The Social System Design Major provides students with the education to acquire practical skills to solve various problems in modern society, using interdisciplinary perspectives.
By integrating the perspectives of sociology, economics, business administration, and science through social systems theory, this study addresses varied issues.
In particular, based on knowledge regarding the structure and functions of companies, education is imparted to design and build a better society and organization. This major provides students a solid knowledge of business and information processing skills and actively addresses a broad range of issues in modern society.