History and Archaeology
As fundamental disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, History and Archaeology offer testing grounds for thinking deeper into human actions, beliefs, and ideas. History and Archaeology are the study of the past. They touch on every dimension of human activities, including social life, the economy, culture, thought, and politics.
Our major is recognized as both a vibrant research body and a center of excellent teaching, offering the following degree programs: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy. Our faculty covers most of the major geographical and chronological fields in Japanese history. While we have long been proud of its extensive engagement with the history and archaeology of Japan, other fields in our major, East Asian and Southeast Asian history, and Russian and European history, have also been proven strong.
Our undergraduate curriculum is diverse and rich, covering most periods and areas of the world. Courses explore various methodologies and different approaches to the past. Students will cultivate skills needed to examine the people and societies of the past by working with both primary and secondary source materials. Our principal goals in the undergraduate courses are to develop the intellectual breadth of our students and to deepen analytical skills and historical thinking.
Our major encompasses four fields: Japanese History, Asian History, European and American History, and Archaeology.
Japanese History
In the field of Japanese History, students will study the history of Japan by learning how to read historical materials such as ancient documents and books. The Faculty of Letters at Okayama University has faculty members who study across ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern times. Depending on the class, you can use the actual ancient documents in the library, or you can study the ancient documents every year by staying overnight, so you can learn at the site of historical research.
Asian History
In this field, we study the history of Asian regions from various perspectives such as politics, society, religion, culture, economy, and international affairs. In class, we read historical materials written in Chinese and English, but we also encourage students to leave the classroom and explore Asia themselves, with many students undertaking study abroad and research trips. Both domestic students and international students from regions including China and Southeast Asia are enrolled in the graduate school.
European and American History
In this field, we study the history of Europe and America from the perspectives of politics, society, religion, and culture. History is a discipline that reconstructs past human activities through fragmentary literature and artefacts. While reading the historical documents of Western languages, we will find missing links and clarify what kind of history the West has followed and what kind of influence the West has had on the history of the world.
Archaeology
Archaeology is a discipline that reveals past societies and culture through the excavation of archaeological sites and the analysis of excavated items. At the Faculty of Letters, you will acquire knowledge and skills for research, from excavation to computer analysis of archaeological sites and relics. We are also actively conduct collaborative research with overseas scholars. In the overnight survey conducted during the holidays, it is possible to excavate the ruins from the Jomon period to the Kofun period.
Japanese History laboratory homepage [Japanese]
Asian History laboratory homepage [Japanese]
European and American History laboratory homepage [Japanese]