Graduate School of Law
We offer the following three programs in which a Master’s degree is conferred upon completion: the Aspiring Scholar Program, Advanced Businessperson Program, and Kobe University Interdisciplinary Master Program in Global Business Law (KIMAP in Global Business Law). We offer the following three programs in which a doctoral degree is conferred upon completion: the Aspiring Scholar Program, Advanced Businessperson Program, and the Top Lawyers’ Program. The educational goals of each program are as noted below.
The educational aim of the Aspiring Scholar Program, is to train the next generation of academic researchers who will be active in their respective fields across Japan and the world.
The educational aim of the Advanced Businessperson Program is to provide training so that one can gain specialized knowledge in the field of law and political science to be able to solve the various complex social problems in today’s world.
In this program, we accept not only recent university graduates but also businesspeople and public servants who possess ample experience in the real world and have a wide range of interests.
In the field of international business, the ability to do everything in English is required in addition to having specialist knowledge. The objectives of the KIMAP in Global Business Law program is to provide interdisciplinary knowledge in business management and economics as well as specialist skills and knowledge in law. In addition, the program is to help students acquire practical skills in English and to produce people that are able to flourish in lives as international business legal practitioners.
The educational aim of the Aspiring Scholar Program is to train the next generation of academic researchers who already possess a Master’s or J.D. degree. The program emphasizes the pursuit advanced and original research by offering comprehensive knowledge of law and political sciences, as well as basic problem-solving skills.
The educational aim of the Advanced Businessperson Program is to train those who have already obtained a master’s or a J.D. degree and possess specialized knowledge of law and political sciences, in addition to the skills and initiative required to actively solve a wide range of complex social problems in today’s world.
The educational aim of the Top Lawyers’ Program is to train internationally prominent lawyers specializing in a field of business law by giving them the opportunity to take coursework taught by actual practitioners as well as tutorial sessions by our highly qualified faculty members.
Per the aims noted above, we seek applicants with the following qualities.
- For the Aspiring Scholar Program, we seek applicants who are eager to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed as next generation academic researchers.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation]- For the Advanced Businessperson Program, we seek ambitious applicants who are eager to expand their abilities and knowledge far beyond what they have attained as an undergraduate student. In the case of businesspeople and public officials, we seek applicants who have ample experience in the real world and are motivated to acquire new knowledge in the field of law and political science in order to be able to solve practical problems in today’s world.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - For the KIMAP in Global Business Law, we seek applicants who wish to play an active role in the field of international business; and to acquire English communication skills and basic experience of working abroad in addition to interdisciplinary knowledge in business management and economics and specialized and advanced knowledge in law. [Required competences: basic knowledge and academic ability, critical thinking, decision making skills, and writing and verbal expression, curiosity and motivation, independent thought processing and teamwork skills]
- For the Advanced Businessperson Program, we seek ambitious applicants who are eager to expand their abilities and knowledge far beyond what they have attained as an undergraduate student. In the case of businesspeople and public officials, we seek applicants who have ample experience in the real world and are motivated to acquire new knowledge in the field of law and political science in order to be able to solve practical problems in today’s world.
- For the Aspiring Scholar Program, we seek applicants who are eager to acquire the abilities and knowledge necessary to succeed as the next generation academic researchers.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation]- For the Advanced Businessperson Program, we seek applicants who have broad and rich experience in the real world and are eager to become specialists at the cutting-edge of the practice of international law or politics.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - For the Top Lawyers’ Program, we seek applicants who possess ample experience in the practice of law, and have not only the ability but also the motivation to be internationally prominent lawyers specializing in a particular field of business law.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation]
- For the Advanced Businessperson Program, we seek applicants who have broad and rich experience in the real world and are eager to become specialists at the cutting-edge of the practice of international law or politics.
In order to select the appropriate students, we will assess and evaluate the basic qualities of the applicants through admission examinations in accordance with our diploma and curriculum policies.
In each admission entrance exam, including the General entrance examination, Special entrance examination for working adults, and Special entrance examination for international students, we evaluate the following qualities of the applicant: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, leadership, and team work.
Law School（Department of Professional Legal Education, Professional Degree Program）
The Law School at Kobe University sets forth three educational goals to train the highly skilled legal professionals that our society requires.
First, is to train legal professionals with the basic knowledge and high level practical skills required by all legal professionals.
Second, is to train legal professionals that can effectively handle complex and sophisticated legal disputes drawing upon their in-depth knowledge and practical skills in so-called business law, and the advanced field of corporate transactions in a broad sense.
Third, is to train legal professionals with an in-depth global awareness and expertise supported by advanced research and a multitude of abilities and experiences.
In order to achieve these goals, the law school will seek students with various qualities and abilities. Specifically, the law school has in mind the following students.
For the three-year course (those without prior legal education):
- Students with the qualities and motivation to enable them to adroitly adapt to the rapid pace of globalization.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - Students with knowledge of and skills relating to natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences fields other than law, that they can utilize as legal professionals.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - Students with varied work experiences that they can utilize as legal professionals.
[Required competences: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation]
For the two-year course (those with prior legal education):
- Students with the basic knowledge of and skills in positive law that are necessary for legal professionals.
[Required competencies: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression] - Students with the qualities and motivation to enable them to adroitly adapt to the rapid pace of globalization.
[Required competencies: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - Students with knowledge of and skills relating to natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences other than positive law, that they can utilize as legal professionals.
[Required competencies: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation] - Students with varied work experiences that they can utilize as legal professionals.
[Required competencies: basic knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking, prudent judgement, writing and verbal expression, curiosity, and motivation]
Basic Policy for the Selection of Students:
Students are selected in accordance with the Law School’s Diploma Policy and Curriculum Policy. The school conducts following entrance examination which assess an applicant’s knowledge and competency.
For the General entrance examination and Special entrance examination: basic knowledge and technical skills; critical thinking, prudent judgement, and writing composition, leadership and team work; and curiosity and motivation.