Wakayama University

Educational Sciences

Fostering the development of practical teaching skills able to address the ever-diversifying issues confronting education

Though the Japan of today can boast material wealth, its problems on a psychological level are becoming ever more complex. Society yearns for individuals able to utilize their expertise in order to address the issues that face our schools, local communities and homes on how to interact with our children and foster their development. Mainly based on a curriculum of education, psychology, special needs education and applied education, the course offers students the chance to learn about educational science, namely how to educate children according to their relative development level and environment. In tandem with our university-affiliated elementary schools and cooperative schools, we also provide opportunities for onsite learning and exchange with current educational professionals to educate and train our students to become teachers at elementary, junior high and special needs schools.

Disciplinary Studies Science

The first year of the course provides students with a base in either the arts or sciences. In the second year, students select a major.

The first year provides a broad base for students to enable them to become elementary or junior high school teachers. Students enter either with a focus on the arts or sciences, subsequently selecting a major as of the second year. The curriculum allows them to proceed toward their future path with a solid grasp of the basics. Students not only obtain expertise and learn technical skills in their major areas, but they also deepen their understanding as to what educational techniques exist in order to pass on their newfound expertise and skill.

Music, Arts, Physical Education, Technical Education

A practical program covering a variety of majors offering a full curriculum of paper and practical research

There are a wide variety of majors in practical educational training available in the Faculty of Education, as students can select between music, art, and health and physical education. Students are afforded the opportunity throughout their time in the program to obtain the technical skills and expertise in each of their fields. Students are also able to take courses in other areas of study as they wish. This may allow them, for example, to obtain teaching licenses in music as well as art. The wealth of hands-on learning in real educational venues such as university-affiliated schools also enables students to acquire practical educational skills.

Juvenile Education

This is a new program that goes beyond the boundaries of Educational Sciences and Disciplinary Studies to focus on fostering the development of elementary school teachers with practical educational skills. Utilizing our association with university-affiliated elementary schools and cooperative schools, the program provides a curriculum that addresses the rapidly changing educational front lines in elementary schools. Making full use of the existing educational resources in Educational Sciences and Disciplinary Studies, the program takes into account early childhood education to consider methods of practical education based on a deep understanding of children, as well as aims to foster the ability to create a comprehensive curriculum that goes above and beyond the coursework. In order to graduate from the program, students are required to obtain their Type 1 Elementary School Teacher’s License. And, as a rule, they must also obtain their Kindergarten Teacher’s License. Those students that so request are even provided the opportunity to obtain their licenses for teaching at junior high schools, high schools, and/or special needs schools.

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