One of the most important aspects of life as a university student is to carry out research. The Department of International English has a course called Academic Research that runs for two years, beginning at the start of a student's third year and finishing when the student graduates. Students work in a small-group seminar with the teacher of their choice. There is a lot of communication between students and the teacher, and also between the students in each seminar group. It is a real chance to work in detail on a topic that excites the student. At the end of the two years, the student submits a graduation thesis, and that submission is always a source of pride and accomplishment for students and teachers alike.（大学生活の集大成といえる卒業研究。国際英語学科では、3年次から2年間をかけて「アカデミック・リサーチ」（通称「ゼミ」）の学びと研究を通して、卒業論文を書き上げます。ゼミでは、少人数のグループで、学生たちと教員が対話を重ねながら学びを深めます。学生一人ひとりが「これだ！」と考えるテーマで研究を進め、卒業論文を完成させたときには、学生たちと教員が誇りや達成感、喜びを共有できる素晴らしい瞬間です。）

Our department held its annual Academic Research Seminar explanation event. Each student was provided with a booklet that outlines the contents of each of the available seminars.（学生たちは、まずは説明会での情報をもとにゼミ選びから始めます。）

Students get to choose from a variety of academic fields that include peace studies, global studies, language, culture, literature, and education.（国際英語学科のゼミには、平和学、グローバル・スタディーズ、言語、文化、文学、教育と幅広い分野があります。）

After listening to each of the teacher's explanations, students learnt that not only does each teacher have a different research field, but each seminar has its own style, its own particular characteristics - in some ways, you could say each seminar has it's own flavour.（分野だけでない特色が各ゼミに見られ、指導方法もさまざまです。）

A seminar presentation by one of the Department of International English staff, Yumiko Isobe 

The students listened carefully - they know it is important to make a wise choice; after all, they will be studying in this small-group seminar for two years. Thankfully, students have a wide range of themes to choose from and everyone finds a seminar they feel comfortable with. Teachers are, of course, available for individual interviews with potential seminar students if any student feels they need to know just a little bit more.（学生たちは時間をかけて、時には教員と相談しながら、自分の興味に合うゼミと研究テーマを選びます。）

Good luck to our students as they take the first steps in their very own research process.（今年も学生たちは、無事に卒業研究のための大切な最初の一歩を踏み出しました。）