Education and Psychology Program

Education and Psychology Program

Conducting research into education as the source of human behavior and the first step towards peace

The Education and Psychology Program pursues research in academic fields related to education in search of conditions that enable human beings to coexist while engaging in a peaceful and creative endeavor, nurturing leaders who play a pivotal role in realizing an optimum environment in the world.

Message from the Director

CLA.TOMIYAMA Machiko・富山真知子050418.JPGProgram Director
Prof. TOMIYAMA, Machiko

Based on ICU's philosophy of liberal arts education, we offer international and interdisciplinary perspectives leading to rich and specialized knowledge regardless of areas of concentration. The three areas in our program, education, psychology, and language education, are crucially related disciplines all requiring expert knowledge of each field as a foundation and as an enlightenment for the pursuit of one's own area of concentration. In this sense, the program represents the strength and uniqueness of liberal arts education.

In the area of education, we probe into future educational policies by a comparative analysis of how we see the world and human beings, and of issues pertaining to curricula and education laws of the developed and developing countries. In educational technology, we explore the use and effectiveness of information technology in teaching and learning processes. In educational communication, we examine the characteristics, social function and efficacy of interpersonal and mass communication. Furthermore, in educational sociology, we look into the characteristics of the educational system, social structure, and cultural contexts in relation to function, meaning, and policy.

Pursuing the psychology discipline based on liberal arts education necessitates coverage of a wide range of fields including developmental, cognitive, social, and community psychology. In a group and cultural psychology course, for instance, topics such as community mental health, empowerment, and social change are discussed. In a family psychology course, family pathology, family life cycle and development, among others, are examined. Neurological and biological foundations of cognitive development, individual differences and clinical issues are included in the topics of discussion in a human development seminar. These are just a few examples of multi-faceted issues of psychology waiting to be explored in our program.

The area of language education equally requires an interdisciplinary approach. We offer instruction in linguistics, psychology and education that provide the foundation for theory and practice in English and Japanese language education. After deepening the linguistic knowledge of target languages, students proceed to the study of first and second language acquisition, foreign language teaching methods, materials and curriculum development, bilingual education and early language education, among others. To culminate the study for integrating theory and practice, practicum will follow in the target language classrooms.

In all three areas, students will also be trained in both qualitative and quantitative research methods required in respective areas as independent scholars, who are expected to maximally contribute to the advancement of academic research. We welcome enthusiastic, open-minded, and peace seeking individuals to the ICU community; the faculty will join the students in this endeavor.

Voice of Faculty

Prof.
JUNG, Insung

My current research interests at ICU include the quality assurance of distance education/e-learning, the interactive instructional design using various old and new technologies such as TV broadcasting, the Internet and Web 2.0 technologies, online collaboration and communication, the application of instructional theories to e-learning development, and competency-based learning and training.

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that urges 'keep on learning as long as you live'. I argue that everyone involved in our graduate program should be continually engaging the scholarship of discovery, integration, application and teaching. Only then can they truly claim to be professionals in the field. I also emphasize that research is essential for improving understanding and practice, assuring and improving quality, informing and influencing policy-making and ensuring that new types of learning (such as e-learning, media/technology use in education) is recognized as scholarly activity in its own right. And researchers need to turn a much more critical lens to what is occurring in educational and training systems.

I think the Graduate School offers open and interactive learning and research environment in which graduate students can closely communicate and interact with faculty members to decide their courses, develop seminar themes and explore research interests. In addition, students will be able to study other academic fields related to their own research areas across different majors.

Area of Concentrations

There are three "Area of Concentration" for Education and Psychology Program.

  • Education
  • Psychology
  • Language Education

Our fundamental guiding principles on educational policy are a comparative analysis of perspectives about mankind and the world that provides the foundation of education, and problems developing and developed countries face regarding school curricula, education laws and systems. In educational technology, we explore the use and effectiveness of computers and audiovisual equipment in the teaching and learning processes such as in e-learning, as well as distance learning. In educational communication, we investigate the characteristics, social function and results of interpersonal and mass communication. In educational sociology, we look into the characteristics of the educational system, school, family, community, social structure, and cultural context, in relation to educational structure, function, meaning and policy. We also provide instruction in qualitative and quantitative research techniques in educational research methodology. Students graduate with a Master of Arts in Education.

You are welcomed to visit the faculty websites below:

1. Based on the philosophy of liberal arts education, we consider psychology to be a field covering a wide range of subjects that will nurture students who will contribute to research and the practice of psychology.

2. Our flexible and rigorous empirical research methods (in experiments, investigations and observations) feature international and interdisciplinary perspectives.

3. We promote advanced research by integrating science and human nature.

4. We nurture professionals who can conduct research and engage in clinical practice to meet the demands of society.

5. Students graduate with a Master of Arts in Education.

We offer instruction in related areas of linguistics, psychology and education that provide the foundation for theory and practice in English and Japanese language education. After further linguistic study in a language of concentration, students proceed to research in acquiring languages as a first/second language, foreign language teaching methods, materials and curriculum development, bilingual education, as well as teaching foreign languages in primary schools. Practical training will be provided to integrate theory and practice in classrooms where English and Japanese language classes are taught.
Students graduate with a Master of Arts in Education.

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