Faculty of Human Sciences Guide: Academic Policies

Teaching policy

Teaching policy
Evaluation policy for the "Three Educational Principles"
Organizational policy for the faculty

Faculty of Human Sciences "Academic Policy"

April 1, 2024

Degree awarding policy (diploma policy)

Faculty of Human Sciences awards the degree of "Bachelor of Human Sciences" to those who have acquired the 124 required credits for graduation in accordance with the prescribed curriculum regulations and whose following learning outcomes have been confirmed.

This allows for reflection on how to live well in the modern world, based on Christian teachings.

Students will be able to understand the contemporary significance of the Bible and, based on that understanding, discuss their own thoughts on how to live well in modern society. In particular, they will be able to deeply consider the nature of humanity and society as cultured individuals with high moral standards and broad knowledge.

They will be able to utilize the general skills and abilities necessary for advanced intellectual activities, as well as their English language skills.

Students will acquire and be able to utilize general skills and abilities that form the basis of advanced intellectual activities (such as communication skills, logical and critical thinking skills, information literacy, and mathematical literacy), as well as English language proficiency. In particular, they will be able to think logically and critically and express their thoughts orally and in writing.

Students will be able to identify problems and use their learning outcomes to work towards solving them.

Students can identify various specific issues, including regional challenges, and propose solutions by comprehensively utilizing the learning outcomes from general education and their specialized fields. In particular, they can integrate interdisciplinary knowledge and techniques gained from diverse academic disciplines to address various problems facing human life.

They can perceive things from a broad and diverse range of perspectives and show understanding for different ways of thinking and values.

Students will be able to perceive themselves and the world from diverse perspectives, including history, society, and nature, and to show understanding for different perceptions, ways of thinking, and values. In particular, they will be able to understand and critically analyze human and social issues from multiple angles.

The following learning outcomes can be demonstrated in Faculty of Human Sciences.

By mastering empirical methods specific to the study of human behavior, its psychological processes, and the factors that govern them, one can analyze data related to individuals and society.
Based on the latest theories concerning human behavior, its psychological processes, and the factors that govern them, it becomes possible to view and critically examine individuals and society from multiple perspectives.
Through practical training, exercises, and graduation research, students will be able to independently identify and define challenges in human beings and society, and propose solutions.

Curriculum Development and Implementation Policy

Applicable to students entering in the 2024 academic year and beyond.

In order to achieve the learning outcomes (hereinafter referred to as "learning outcomes") set forth in Faculty of Human Sciences' degree awarding policy, Faculty of Human Sciences will organize and implement a systematic and sequential curriculum in accordance with the following policy.

With the primary objective of achieving learning outcomes 1-4, the curriculum includes general education subjects, foreign language subjects, and health and physical education subjects, with courses mainly allocated to the first and second years.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 1, a university-wide group of courses called "Human Foundations" will be established within the general education curriculum. At its core, courses on the Bible and Christianity will be placed in the first and third years, with 4 credits required and 2 credits elective, respectively.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 2, a university-wide group of courses called "Intellectual Foundations" will be included in the general education curriculum. Furthermore, with the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 2, English will be a required subject for 4 credits, and one of the following foreign language courses (German, French, Chinese, or Korean) will be a required elective subject for 2 credits.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 3, a university-wide group of courses called "Problem-Solving Research" is included in the general education curriculum, fostering an attitude of independently identifying problems and striving to solve them.
The liberal arts courses "Human Foundations," "Intellectual Foundations," and "Problem-Solving Research" serve as first-year education, foundational education, transition education to active learning, and career development support education for university learning, forming the basis for learning outcome 5 through the achievement of learning outcomes 1, 2, and 4 and their connection to specialized education.
Learning outcome 3, as an initiative toward active learning, will be part of the achievement goals in all subject groups and all courses. Furthermore, with the primary purpose of utilizing learning outcomes, seminar-style courses and graduation research will be included in specialized education subjects and made compulsory.
The "General Education" subject group is established within the liberal arts curriculum with the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 4. Furthermore, the foundational specialized subjects in the first year also serve as a basis for achieving this learning outcome.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 5, specialized education subjects are offered, and through various forms of educational practice such as lectures, seminars, and practical training, students will acquire knowledge and methods for examining human behavior, its psychological processes, and the various factors that determine them, thereby cultivating their critical thinking skills. Furthermore, with the primary objective of providing a general foundation in these areas, introductory subjects are included in the specialized education subjects in the first year. In particular, through small-group seminars, students will acquire skills in critically reading literature, and by engaging in experiments and surveys from the first year, they will acquire the foundation of a scientific approach to understanding human behavior.
The required credits for graduation and the method of coursework will be determined appropriately to ensure a balanced achievement of the learning outcomes stipulated in the degree awarding policy, while primarily focusing on the completion of specialized education subjects.

Applicable to students entering in the 2023 academic year.

With the primary objective of achieving learning outcomes 1-4, the curriculum includes general education subjects, foreign language subjects, and health and physical education subjects, with courses mainly allocated to the first and second years.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 1, a university-wide group of courses called "Human Foundations" will be established within the general education curriculum. At its core, courses on the Bible and Christianity will be placed in the first and third years, with 4 credits required and 2 credits elective, respectively.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 2, a university-wide group of courses called "Intellectual Foundations" will be included in the general education curriculum. Furthermore, with the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 2, English will be a required subject for 4 credits, and one of the following foreign language courses (German, French, Chinese, or Korean) will be a required elective subject for 2 credits.
With the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 3, a university-wide group of courses called "Problem-Solving Research" is included in the general education curriculum, fostering an attitude of independently identifying problems and striving to solve them.
The liberal arts courses "Human Foundations," "Intellectual Foundations," and "Problem-Solving Research" serve as first-year education, foundational education, transition education to active learning, and career development support education for university learning, forming the basis for learning outcome 5 through the achievement of learning outcomes 1, 2, and 4 and their connection to specialized education.
Learning outcome 3, as an initiative toward active learning, will be part of the achievement goals in all subject groups and all courses. Furthermore, with the primary purpose of utilizing learning outcomes, seminar-style courses and graduation research will be included in specialized education subjects and made compulsory.
The "General Education" subject group is established within the liberal arts curriculum with the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 4. Furthermore, the foundational specialized subjects in the first year also serve as a basis for achieving this learning outcome.
Specialized education subjects are established with the primary objective of achieving learning outcome 5. Introductory subjects are included in the first-year specialized education curriculum with the primary objective of providing general foundational education related to these subjects.
The required credits for graduation and the method of coursework will be determined appropriately to ensure a balanced achievement of the learning outcomes stipulated in the degree awarding policy, while primarily focusing on the completion of specialized education subjects.

Admissions policy

Applicable to students entering in the 2025 academic year and beyond.

Faculty of Human Sciences accepts students based on the following criteria:

I strongly desire to understand Tohoku Gakuin University's educational program, which is based on the educational philosophy of "character education through Christianity" (including classes on the Bible and Christianity, and university worship services), and to learn collaboratively with diverse people while maintaining a sense of initiative. (A proactive attitude towards learning)
Having understood the educational philosophy, objectives, and content of Faculty of Human Sciences, applicants should possess an interest and motivation to learn about human behavior, its psychological processes, and the various factors that govern them, and strongly desire proactive learning to solve problems facing the human mind and body, and society. (A proactive attitude towards learning)
Through their studies in high school, students possess the fundamental knowledge and application skills equivalent to that of a high school graduate, which are necessary for studying in Faculty of Human Sciences. (Knowledge and Skills)
Students will be able to utilize the knowledge and skills acquired in high school, and use the required level of critical thinking and Japanese language proficiency to answer basic and general questions and problems related to university studies in both written and oral form. (Critical thinking, judgment, and expression skills)

For those who fall under any of the following categories, item 5 or 6 will be added to the evaluation.

Having achieved outstanding results in sports and cultural activities, I intend to contribute to the revitalization of extracurricular activities after enrolling at this university. (Knowledge/Skills / Proactive Learning Attitude)
As international students, returnees, and working professionals, they are striving to leverage their respective strengths in their university studies. (Knowledge/Skills / Proactive Learning Attitude)

Applicable to students entering in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Faculty of Human Sciences accepts students based on the following criteria:

Having understood Tohoku Gakuin University's educational philosophy of "character education based on Christianity" and its educational programs (such as classes on the Bible and Christianity, and university worship services), I strongly desire to study at this university. (Proactive attitude towards learning)
Having understood the educational philosophy, objectives, and content of Faculty of Human Sciences, I strongly desire to study in Faculty of Human Sciences. (Proactive attitude towards learning)
Through their studies in high school, students acquire a broad foundation of knowledge in both humanities and science subjects, as well as the ability to apply that knowledge. (Knowledge and skills)
The English proficiency required to achieve this level is what is expected in the high school course "Communication English I". (Knowledge and skills)
Students will be able to answer basic and general questions and problems related to university studies, both in writing and orally, using the level of Japanese language proficiency that should be achieved in high school's "Comprehensive Japanese Language" course. (Thinking skills, judgment skills, and expression skills)
Having achieved outstanding results in sports and cultural activities, I intend to contribute to the revitalization of extracurricular activities after enrolling at this university. (Knowledge/Skills / Proactive Learning Attitude)
As international students, returnees, and working professionals, they are striving to leverage their respective strengths in their university studies. (A proactive attitude towards learning)

Assessment Policy for Faculty of Human Sciences' "Three Educational Policies"

Applicable to students entering in the 2023 academic year and onwards.

Faculty of Human Sciences (hereinafter referred to as "the Faculty") accurately grasps the achievement status of its three educational policies: the "Policy on Degree Conferral," the "Policy on Curriculum Development and Implementation," and the "Policy on Student Admissions." In order to utilize this information for improvement toward "quality assurance of education," the Faculty will measure and evaluate educational outcomes from various perspectives (hereinafter referred to as "assessment") based on the following policies.

The assessment will be conducted on three policies: "Policy on degree awarding," "Policy on curriculum development and implementation," and "Policy on student admissions."
1. Regarding the "Degree Awarding Policy," the assessment will focus on the extent to which students are actually achieving the learning outcomes required by that policy, particularly the learning outcomes of "Policy 3" and "Policy 5."
2. Regarding the "Curriculum Organization and Implementation Policy," the assessment will primarily focus on whether appropriate educational content and methods are being provided to students in order to achieve the learning outcomes stipulated in the "Degree Awarding Policy."
3. Regarding the "Admissions Policy," the assessment will primarily focus on the extent to which new students possess the proactive learning attitude, the knowledge and skills necessary for learning in this faculty, and their thinking, judgment, and expression abilities, as required by the policy.
In assessments, while utilizing existing data within the university, new indicators must be continuously developed in collaboration with relevant organizations, primarily the Institutional Research Committee, to address the complexity and multifaceted nature of the assessment subjects.
The assessment must be conducted and compiled annually by the Faculty Review and Evaluation Committee, and the results, along with a comprehensive evaluation of the "Three Educational Policies," must be reported to the University-wide Review and Evaluation Committee.
Assessments will also be conducted for each subject.

Faculty of Human Sciences "Policy on the Organization of the Faculty"

Faculty of Human Sciences will organize its full-time faculty based on the following principles.

Faculty of Human Sciences is comprised of faculty members who primarily teach specialized subjects within the Faculty of Human Sciences curriculum. However, when necessary for the implementation of the curriculum, they may also teach subjects other than specialized subjects within Faculty of Human Sciences or subjects taught by other faculties.
The total number of full-time faculty members Faculty of Human Sciences and the number of new hires will be determined by the University-wide Organizational Management Committee.
The composition of full-time faculty members by specialization and the plan for hiring new faculty members will be decided by the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Human Sciences, in accordance with the Faculty of Human Sciences Sciences' degree awarding policy, curriculum development and implementation policy, and the principles decided by the University-wide Organization Management Committee.
The abilities and qualities required of full-time faculty members are outlined in the "Basic Policy for Faculty Recruitment at Tohoku Gakuin University," and the basic attitudes required are outlined in the "Basic Attitudes Expected of Faculty Members at Tohoku Gakuin University." Additionally, these are included in the recruitment policy when hiring new faculty members.
Regarding the hiring of new full-time faculty members, the Faculty Council of Faculty of Human Sciences selects candidates based on the hiring policy, and with the approval of the Faculty Council of Faculty of Human Sciences, the Dean submits the application for review to the Faculty Qualification Review Committee.
Regarding the position of full-time faculty member, the Dean of Faculty of Human Sciences applies to the Faculty Qualification Examination Committee for review, based on the Faculty Qualification Examination Regulations and related internal rules, with the approval of the Faculty Council.