What it means to study in Department of English
Department of English Long TOYOSHIMA, Takashi
While departments and courses specializing in English exist at almost every university, unless it's a specialized university focusing on fields like medicine, physical education, or engineering, Tohoku Gakuin University's English education, known as "Tohoku Gakuin of English," has long been a core pillar of the university, alongside theology at its predecessor, the Sendai Theological Seminary. Nearly 140 years later, Department of English continues this tradition. Graduates have gone on to work in a wide variety of industries, from education within and outside the prefecture, to the aviation and travel industries where English skills are essential, as well as to globally expanding companies and locally rooted businesses.
The educational philosophy and objective of Department of English is to "cultivate proficiency in English, which holds the status of an international language, and to nurture a keen sense of other cultures and otherness, thereby fostering truly global citizens who are tolerant of diverse cultures." Department of English offers a curriculum that progressively improves the four skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking over four years. While courses for improving English proficiency skills often end by the second year at other universities, a distinctive feature of Tohoku Gakuin University's Department of English is its curriculum that enhances English ability throughout the four years.
In today's world, where portable translation devices and artificial intelligence have advanced so much, jobs that merely require English language skills will likely be replaced in the future. However, English is not merely a tool for superficial communication. In order to cultivate true global citizens who are tolerant of diverse cultures by fostering a keen sense of other cultures and otherness, as stated in the latter half of the educational philosophy and objectives mentioned above, Department of English has established two specialized curricula that allow students to deeply study the origins of English as an international language and the cultures behind it. In the field of English and American Literature, students cultivate a keen sense of other cultures and otherness with different ways of thinking that transcend language barriers, through literary works such as poetry, plays, and novels written in English, mainly in the UK and the US. In the field of English Linguistics, English itself is the subject of research, studying everything from the historical changes of English to the characteristics related to English pronunciation, the general characteristics of languages including English, and the linguistic abilities that only humans possess.
In Department of English, students can acquire various qualifications, including an English teacher's license, as well as qualifications as a museum curator or librarian. In addition to regular classes, there are also many opportunities to broaden one's horizons through various overseas study programs and volunteer activities.
As a university professor, I often get asked questions like, "What's the point of this?" when it comes to my field of study. I imagine you all get similar questions when you're considering Department of English. Is it because you like English? What do you like about English?
To be frank, the humanities are of no immediate use from a modern, short-sighted, economically utilitarian perspective. So why is English literature, which dates back to Old English in the 7th century, still read today? And what is the underlying linguistic analysis behind the remarkable developments in artificial intelligence? Medicine, law, economics, and technology may enrich our lives, but what constitutes a "rich life"? Literature, art, thought, and philosophy illuminate the meaning of human existence. Department of English offers learning that can help with this.