Faculty of Social Welfare

Welcome Message from the Dean

You’re interested in human nature, how to live, and society, and would like to study these topics in a practical manner with high academic standards. If you have these lofty expectations for your university, I think the Faculty of Social Welfare at Iwate Prefectural University is a wise choice.
There is a tendency to assume that welfare is meant for people that are struggling or for those that need care, but Social Welfare actually applies to the entire　 ‟Social world”. We live in a complicated modern world. We not only have direct relationships, but also have acquaintances and indirect relationships with people all over the world, and we are all unconsciously interdependent. This project explores coexistence despite each individual’s different values, nature, and environmental factors. Surprisingly, we’ve already succeeded in this to some extent, but the road ahead is steep and requires great wisdom.

How can diverse peoples coexist?
The view that people are motivated by self-interest is not always the case from a scientific viewpoint. Progress in various disciplines including evolutionary psychology, behavioral economics, and comparative institutional analysis demonstrates that empathy and cooperation are caused by our human social instinct and are not at all a difficult stretch.
However, achieving this in real day to day situations is a completely different matter. It is not so difficult to be kind and collaborative when your safety is ensured, and your presence is recognized by others.
In 2020, the pandemic facing the world has been likened to war. Faced with a crisis of survival, the values of human rights, quality of life, diversity of lifestyles and cultures become secondary, and sensitivity gives way to harsh judgment of others. I think that those who have studied social welfare will be able to exercise humanity and rationality even in this severe situation.

Each of our two courses examine issues from various distinct perspectives.
At the Department of Social Welfare, we engage with the problems people face at multiple levels including that of the individual and family, workplace and community, as well as municipality and national government. We also consider mechanisms of support and methods for problem resolution, and learn necessary practical skills.
In the Department of Human Welfare, we focus on localizing the problems that people individually face internally and interpersonally, their lifelong development in a framework and learning the methods and techniques to support problem-solving.
As shown in the following pages, the Faculty has its own three-layer curriculum.
1.Specialized baccalaureate degree programs that provide a professional competence. (Faculty’s foundational education -> main subject course) 2. Professional qualification courses that meet the societal needs of professionals. Also, with the ability cultivated through majors 1 and 2, there is a sub-course (3.) that gives added value according to individual career path and interests.
We look forward to sharing the experience with you of this process of discovering your own path as you utilize these courses to their fullest extent.