To the Graduate School of Arts and Letters, a fountain of wisdom!
– from a small theme to a larger and more universal question
Almost a quarter of the 21st century has passed, and the world is going through a turbulent time. The movement in the development of information technology and the diversification of society is rapid and multidirectional. Humanity has benefited a lot from these changes and innovations. On the other hand, a lot of problems are surfacing. Widespread social disparities and environmental problems are some of the challenges. Irreversible structural shift may be caused at various levels. Because we are in a time of accelerating change, we need the ability to think calmly and raise issues in three dimensions from various perspectives. In this sense, I believe that humanities is a discipline that develops both insight based on expert knowledge and a high level of education based on a wide range of learning. The humanities is a field that comes into its own when it comes to cultivating the ability to set questions whose answers cannot be simply produced.
To address the complex challenges of the modern world, Meiji University Graduate School of Arts and Letters offers a total of 14 majors and specialized courses, featuring a style in which they are divided into individual disciplines, including literature, drama and theatre arts, history, geography, psychology, sociology, and education. Living in a turbulent world, it goes without saying that cross-disciplinary thinking is becoming more important. However, when you try to determine the nature of a problem, the expertise that underlies your research often leads you to further thinking. Of course, high-potential graduate students will be spoiled if they are confined to a conventional style owing to small-scale majors and specialized courses. In addition to specialized seminars and exercises, the Graduate School of Arts and Letters offers a number of common subjects for competition with people from other fields from various angles. In academic year 2024, a new special foreign language program will be offered in which undergraduate and graduate students learn together. A data science-related subject will also be offered as a common program across graduate schools. Several research grant programs have been developed as well. I hope that those who wish to pursue research at graduate school will actively engage in academic exchanges with faculty and researchers in various fields, regardless of their major or school.
At graduate school, students are often required to present their research or write a thesis for a limited period of time and need to set a somewhat simple theme. In doing so, I believe that the important thing is to explore a larger and more universal question while taking a closer look at the seemingly small theme. Graduates of the Graduate School of Arts and Letters who have acquired such ability are active at the forefront of society.
Finally, the Graduate School of Arts and Letters consists of members from diverse backgrounds. We would like to support each of them as much as possible so that they can spend their academic life freely and comfortably. Why not study together at the Graduate School of Arts and Letters, the fountain of wisdom?
Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Letters