Licence en Lettres

A fundamental fact must first be made clear: the Faculty of Letters is not just a place to study literature. Philosophy, religion, history, language, art, and social sciences are included among the wide range of subjects that can be studied here.

So, then, why do we call ourselves the “Faculty of Letters”? The reason lies in the fact that all of our 27 departments involve the study of “letters” in some form or another. All of the following items and concepts, for instance, fit into this category: the philosophies the great thinkers have bequeathed to us, government documents of historical significance, archeological relics, and paintings and other visual arts. Another area which belongs in this group is the written word, which literally would be considered a study of “letters.” Even various types of data on social issues can be interpreted in this way. Thus, these objects and concepts, divergent as they are from one another, all fall under the broadly defined category of “letters.”

The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. As a leading research university, UTokyo offers courses in essentially all academic disciplines at both undergraduate and graduate levels and conducts research across the full spectrum of academic activity. The University aims to provide its students with a rich and varied academic environment that ensures opportunities for both intellectual development and the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills.