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Graduate School of Law

The Doshisha University Graduate School of Law offers degree programs aimed at cultivating diverse human resources with a legal mind and a wealth of knowledge in the fields of law and political science.

Outline

About the Graduate School of Law

As its primary objective, the Graduate School of Law strives to cultivate human resources with a legal mind and the capacity to adopt a scientifically critical outlook on society. Above all, in view of the growing need for individuals with the advanced professional expertise to handle the demands of an increasingly sophisticated and complex society, the Graduate School of Law places special emphasis on the study and mastery of advanced theories and knowledge systems that are useful in the real world. In particular, we endeavor to produce a diversity of human resources with the capacity to excel in a variety of professional callings: as researchers in the conventional fields of law and political science, as members of the judicial community and public servants in national and local governments, or specialists in private corporate legal divisions. To that end, we pursued sweeping changes in our curriculum early on and by 1991 had already implemented a systematic training program in practical business-oriented specializations. Accommodating this emphasis on diversity demands that we open school admissions to individuals from a wide range of backgrounds; and, to accomplish that , we have moved forward with the task of adopting a diversified, multi-track admissions process. The Doshisha University Graduate School of Law takes pride in the fact that we have led other graduate schools nationwide in instituting reforms and innovations of this kind. Thanks to these efforts, our graduates have earned strong societal acclaim after taking on a balanced and diverse range of careers in research, the legal profession, public service, and at private corporations.

The Cultivation of Research Skills

To receive a master's degree, students are required to first complete at least 30 credits of coursework in a broad range of subjects and then prepare their master's thesis.

Our instructional approach to course work and thesis preparation is designed to encourage students to actively develop their own research skills and to acquire balanced powers of judgment. Specifically, students not only study theoretical subjects, but also receive guidance in exploring the types of legal and political science approaches that are best suited to dealing with various real-world issues. Through class discussions with people experienced in the field, our goal is to nurture the acquisition of thought processes that enable students to discover problems, analyze points of contention, and propose solutions. Because each course has a small-class format, the Graduate School of Law applies a seminar approach that encourages students to more actively participate and articulate their views. In particular, we have established a thesis preparation class for second-year students that puts emphasis on detailed guidance and instruction in the preparation of the master's thesis.

Students aspiring to become researchers matriculate to the doctoral program, and in recent years the number of such students has been gradually climbing. Excellent research achievements are published in the School of Law's research bulletin, The Doshisha Hogaku (The Doshisha Law Review). An increasing number of students receive their doctoral degrees immediately or shortly after completing the doctoral program.

A Varied Curriculum for a Variety of Specialties

One of the highlights of the Graduate School of Law is that students have the freedom to select and enroll in courses suited to their future career plans or research interests. Within certain limits, students may also select and enroll in courses designed for other courses or graduate programs. In fact, many of our students enroll in other courses, including those in the curriculums of the Graduate School of Policy and Management and the Graduate School of American Studies. The class formats range broadly from lectures and seminars to field training, case law research, and readings of original works.

To adapt to and accommodate emerging trends, including the introduction of the law school system in FY 2005, the Graduate School of Law implemented an entirely new curriculum that emphasizes the cultivation of advanced, professional occupational skills in corporate legal affairs and other areas. For example, we have established a business-related course cluster for our private and public law courses and have included a selection of advanced courses in the business law field that are strongly interrelated with corporate legal affairs.

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