Message from the Dean
My name is Hirotsugu Iijima and I am Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. I specialize in the economic analysis of companies.
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences was established in April 2016 following the reorganization of the Faculty of Humanities, which began in 1965. The forerunner of the Faculty of Humanities was Hirosaki High School, established under the prewar education system. This high school opened in 1920 and a young Osamu Dazai (Shuji Tsushima) studied there.
For over 50 years since its foundation in 1965, the Faculty of Humanities performed its role and function as one of the premiere educational research locations in the field of humanities and social sciences in the Northern Tohoku region. The objective of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is to further strengthen this legacy and to achieve our educational goal to meet the needs for our new era.
Our educational goal is to create individuals who can play an active role in community revitalization. We will provide practical education with a focus on solving actual community issues, while placing importance on developing the abilities to understand culture from various standpoints, recognize diversity, as well as create and introduce Japanese culture, including the rich culture of local areas.
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences offers Cultural Innovation and Social Management courses. There are five programs under this umbrella: the Cultural Resources Program, Cultural Coexistence Program, Economics and Law Program, Corporate Strategy Program, and Community Initiative Program. Students entering this faculty first build a foundation for learning by following liberal arts and program preparation classes. Then, they embark on different educational curriculums depending on their program. This enables our students to acquire highly specialized knowledge and skills from the areas of humanities and social sciences they are enrolled in and equips them with the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to practical situations.
As globalization becomes more prevalent and social problems driven by population change due to a decreasing birthrate and aging population become more serious, Japan needs to make some drastic changes. It is my strong wish that our students will make full use of the specialized knowledge and skills acquired with this faculty so that they can play an important role in the future not only in Aomori, but also in other places inside and outside of Japan.
Hirotsugu Iijima
Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Hirosaki University
Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture
Japan