Beginning in the third year, students choose one of nine Areas of Study as either a Second Major or a Minor, enabling them to pursue academic interests beyond their primary language specialization.
Students pursuing a Second Major follow a structured curriculum in a specific region or academic field, culminating in the completion of a graduation thesis. Those pursuing a Minor enjoy greater flexibility in designing a program tailored to their individual interests and academic goals.
Explore the United States and Canada through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing history, psychology, political science, economics, sociology, and related fields.
Examine Europe from both regional and comparative perspectives, investigating individual countries, subregions, and the European Union through in-depth academic inquiry.
Study the history and contemporary realities of Latin America, focusing on its rich indigenous cultures, abundant natural resources, and growing significance in the global community.
Develop a comprehensive understanding of the history, politics, economics, society, and culture of Russia and the former Soviet region while gaining the expertise needed to strengthen Japan’s engagement with the region.
Investigate the uniquely human capacity for language through scientific inquiry and deepen your understanding of its diversity and universality through empirical research on Japanese and other languages.
Study the history, culture, society, and religions of Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region by integrating area studies with global studies.
Examine the Middle East and Africa through field-oriented regional studies combined with global studies, while developing the analytical approaches essential for understanding these diverse regions.
Gain a systematic understanding of international relations, including the diplomacy of major powers such as Japan, the United States, and China, while developing the analytical skills to examine global political dynamics and contemporary international issues.
Explore global challenges such as poverty, inequality, conflict, migration, refugees, and environmental degradation while learning to develop practical, citizen-centered approaches to international cooperation and social change.
＊Courses 06–09 are offered primarily through the Faculty of Global Studies.
At Sophia, students do more than learn foreign languages—they learn through language. By studying the history, society, politics, and economy of the regions where their languages are spoken, students cultivate the knowledge and intercultural competence needed to engage confidently in today’s global society.
Through intensive language training, they develop advanced communication skills while becoming professionals capable of building bridges between people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Clear communication begins with the ability to express one’s ideas effectively in one’s native language. Building on this foundation, students develop advanced proficiency in both English and their language of specialization, while exploring the historical, cultural, and intellectual traditions that shape each language.
During the first two years, students strengthen both their language proficiency and regional knowledge, establishing a solid foundation for advanced academic research beginning in the third year.
Research conducted through the language of specialization nurtures three complementary perspectives: understanding the diversity of individual regions, viewing global issues from a broad international perspective, and reexamining Japan through comparison with other regions and cultures.
By learning to appreciate different viewpoints, students discover new ways of thinking, develop the wisdom to collaborate across cultural boundaries, and cultivate the ability to think and act with both a global outlook and a deep respect for diversity.
To cultivate advanced proficiency in foreign languages, and use such proficiency as a basis for pursuing research in area studies, language, international politi cal theory, civil society and international cooperation theory through nine research courses focusing on the regions using the languages that constitute the Faculty’s majors.
To produce individuals capable of contributing to increasingly globalized societies through proficiency in the languages that constitute the Faculty’s majors, pluralist outlooks, and knowledge acquired through specialized research, as well as experts in research related to area studies, li nguistics, international political theory, civil society and international cooperation theory.
The Faculty of Foreign Studies sets standards for the skills and knowledge students should acquire before graduation as described below. Those who fulfill the graduation requirements shall be deemed to have acquired these qualities and will be awarded a diploma
In accordance with the Diploma Policy, the Faculty of Foreign Studies constructs its curriculum with Major Language Courses and Concentration Courses which both assume proactive and positive student participation.
The Faculty of Foreign Studies seeks students who will strive to acquire foreign language skills based on an efficient proficiency level of Japanese. Furthermore, we expect students to have a positive interest not only in language studies but also in events occurring both locally and globally, to consider them as if they were their own problems, and to engage in continued efforts to find solutions.
Department of English Studies
Students will develop advanced operational skills in English and acquire a broad range of knowledge that will serve as a foundation for specialized studies in area studies, language studies, etc., and contribute to a globalizing society.
Department of German Studies
Students will develop advanced operational skills in German, understand the culture, values, and ways of thinking of German-speaking countries, and acquire cross-cultural understanding methods and a global perspective.
Department of French Studies
Students study the French language and French-speaking societies from various perspectives and comprehensively, aiming to become world-class experts in research of foreign country.
Department of Hispanic Studies
Students will acquire specialized knowledge of the globally expanding Hispanic language and the Hispanic-speaking world, a high level of intercultural communication skills, and the ability to view the world from multiple and relative perspectives.
Department of Russian Studies
The goal is to acquire operational skills in the Russian language, to understand the reality of Russia, and the culture and spirituality of its people, and to become bridges between Japan and Russia.
Department of Luso-Brazilian Studies
Our goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding not only of Portugal and Brazil, but also of Portuguese-speaking regions, and to become people who can take on challenges on the world stage, carrying with them a frontier spirit that is in keeping with the spirit of the Portuguese who pioneered the Age of Discovery.
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