Diploma Policies—Policies for Certifying Completion and Conferring Diplomas
(1) The Ideal Graduate (Educational Goals)
The Graduate School of Law (Department of the Combined Graduate Program in Law and Political Science) will confer a doctoral degree on individuals who have the following qualities and abilities, in addition to meeting the requirements for completion of the program.
Researcher Training Program
This program aims to enable students to work in cutting-edge research and education with their high level of specialized skills in law and political science while acquiring research abilities that enable them to engage in independent research and publish the results both within Japan and internationally based on their broad perspective and deep specialized knowledge of law and political science.
Applied Law and Political Science Program
This program aims to enable students to gain a high degree of specialized knowledge and play a key role in society and to gain the following:
- (1)
- Depth of academic knowledge necessary to engage in highly specialized work
- (2)
- Abilities needed to address issues at the forefront of the study of law, including the ability to discover issues, take a calm and broad-minded approach to analysis in social science, engage in research, formulate concepts, and resolve issues
International Law and Political Science Program
This program aims to enable students to gain advanced research skills and play a key role in the contemporary international community and the development of legal systems and also to gain the following attributes:
- (1)
- Ability to set clear research questions relating to practical and theoretical issues in the law and politics within their home country
- (2)
- Ability to present novel and practical methods for resolving issues and responding to foreseeable criticisms based on research and analysis of theories and systems from outside Japan and relevant prior research
(2) Graduation and Completion Criteria (Requirements)
The School (Department of the Combined Graduate Program in Law and Political Science) grants the following: Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) in Law for the Researcher Training Program, LL.D. in Contemporary Law for the Applied Law and Political Science Program, and LL.D in Comparative Law for the International Law and Political Science Program. As a general rule, to be eligible for graduation, students are required to have been enrolled on the relevant program for three or more years and to have received the necessary research supervision. Students are also required to make public presentations for the purpose of soliciting opinions from researchers other than their academic supervisor for the purpose of improving the quality of their academic writing. Thereafter, students must submit a doctoral dissertation, successfully defend it, then pass an examination, demonstrating that they possess the qualities and abilities listed as part of the educational goals.
(3) Criteria for the Evaluation of Doctoral Dissertations
Researcher Training Program
For the Law LL.D., the doctoral dissertation must be based on research and must demonstrate a high level of research ability, which is necessary to work independently as a researcher, as well as a strong foundation of academic knowledge in the student’s specialized field. Doctoral dissertations are evaluated on the basis of these criteria.
Applied Law and Political Science Program
A doctoral dissertation for the Contemporary Law LL.D. is evaluated on the basis of the following criteria.
- A
- It should be based on original ideas and research without depending on literature in a foreign language beside the student’s native language, and it should be grounded in professional experience.
- B
- It should be recognized as having the potential to contribute to legal research and education especially in the student’s home country in fields related to legal development in Asia.
- C
- It should demonstrate the research ability needed to engage in highly specialized work.
International Law and Political Science Program
A doctoral dissertation for the Comparative Law LL.D. is evaluated on the basis of the following criteria.
- A
- It should contribute to discovering and resolving practical and theoretical issues related to supporting Asian legal development (in the areas of comparative law, comparative political science, and international affairs, including support for legal development and international cooperation related to it).
- B
- It should focus mainly on comparative law and comparative political science. However, if a student is specializing in international affairs, they may also analyze the ways in which international documents and organizations are created and administered, considering how this may apply to domestic law and politics.
- C
- In cases where a dissertation relates to issues in the student’s home country, it should analyze relevant research trends using languages other than the student’s native language (i.e., English and Japanese) and proceed with discussions accordingly even if the primary sources are predominantly in the student’s native language.
- D
- Clearly defined questions must be posed in the dissertation; the student should provide their own answers to those questions.
- E
- It should demonstrate originality when compared with existing research.
- F
- It should be logically consistent and provide answers to foreseeable criticisms.
Curriculum Policies — Policies for Organizing and Implementing the Curriculum
The doctoral program of the School (Department of the Combined Graduate Program in Law and Political Science) is designed on the basis of the policies detailed below to develop individuals who possess the qualities and abilities listed in the Diploma Policies.
Students will be rigorously assessed to ascertain whether they have acquired the necessary qualities and abilities through the supervision and evaluation of their doctoral dissertation.
Researcher Training Program
The School aims to enable students to acquire research abilities to engage in independent research and publish the results both within Japan and internationally based on a broad perspective and deep specialized knowledge of law and political science. To this end, students receive research supervision from their academic supervisors. The aim is to encourage and support students in writing their dissertations and other academic papers, enabling them to do so through their own initiative and in a systematic manner.
While doctoral students are not required to take classes or earn credits as a requirement for course completion, they are required to hold regular interim presentations reporting on the status of their doctoral dissertation. The presentations are attended by students’ main supervisors and two assistant supervisors. These presentations give students the opportunity to receive supervision in a manner that is collective; at the same time, the main supervisor and the two assistant supervisors are directly accessible, so that the student can pose questions and have discussions with them regarding their oral presentations and their progress with writing the dissertation. Doing so enables students to cultivate the ability to engage in research and present their results while being informed by a perspective that is broad, multifaceted, and diverse. As a requirement for submitting their dissertation, from the third year onward students are required to make public presentations on their doctoral dissertation and solicit opinions widely from researchers other than their supervisors to improve the quality of their academic writing.
In addition, through working as teaching and research assistants, students will also have opportunities to support the research and educational activities of supervising teachers. They will also receive training as they participate in supervising the learning of undergraduate students, which enables the doctoral students to prepare for the possibility of working in research and education in the future.
Applied Law and Political Science Program
The School aims to enable students (1) to obtain the depth of academic knowledge necessary to engage in highly specialized work and (2) to acquire the abilities needed to address issues at the forefront of the study of law, including the ability to discover issues, take a calm and broad-minded approach to analysis in social science, engage in research, formulate concepts, and resolve issues. To this end, students receive research supervision from their academic supervisors, who encourage and support them in writing their dissertations and other academic papers, enabling them to do so through their own initiative and in a systematic manner.
While doctoral students are not required to take classes or earn credits as a requirement for course completion, they are required to hold regular interim presentations reporting on the status of their doctoral dissertation. The presentations are attended by students’ main supervisors and two assistant supervisors. These presentations give students the opportunity to receive supervision in a manner that is collective; at the same time, the main supervisor and the two assistant supervisors are directly accessible, so that the student can pose questions and have discussions with them regarding their oral presentations and their progress with writing the dissertation. Doing so enables students to cultivate the ability to engage in research and present their results while being informed by a perspective that is broad, multifaceted, and diverse. As a requirement for submitting their dissertation, from the third year onward students are required to make public presentations on their doctoral dissertation and solicit opinions widely from researchers other than their supervisors to improve the quality of their academic writing.
Students will also receive opportunities to participate in various kinds of internships.
International Law and Political Science Program
The School aims to enable students (1) to acquire the ability to set clear research questions relating to practical and theoretical issues in the law and politics within their home country and (2) to acquire the ability to present novel and practical methods for resolving issues and responding to foreseeable criticisms based on research and analysis of theories and systems from outside Japan and relevant prior research. To this end, students receive research supervision from their academic supervisors, who encourage and support them in writing their dissertations and other academic papers, enabling them to do so through their own initiative and in a systematic manner.
While doctoral students are not required to take classes or earn credits as a requirement for course completion, they are required to hold regular interim presentations reporting on the status of their doctoral dissertation. The presentations are attended by students’ main supervisors and two assistant supervisors. These presentations give students the opportunity to receive supervision in a manner that is collective; at the same time, the main supervisor and the two assistant supervisors are directly accessible, so that the student can pose questions and have discussions with them regarding their oral presentations and their progress with writing the dissertation. Doing so enables students to cultivate the ability to engage in research and present their results while being informed by a perspective that is broad, multifaceted, and diverse. As a requirement for submitting their dissertation, from the third year onward students are required to make public presentations on their doctoral dissertation and solicit opinions widely from researchers other than their supervisors to improve the quality of their academic writing.
Students will also have opportunities to participate in internships with the legal departments of Japanese companies, which will enable them to gain an understanding of law and politics not only at the institutional level but also at the cultural level. Further, it will enable students to develop specialized practical problem-solving abilities based on their experience of addressing issues in a practical context.
In addition, as contemporary societies are becoming ever more complex and diverse in terms of values, we wish to provide students with opportunities to gain the abilities they need to actively contribute to resolving issues and communicating internationally. These abilities and proficiencies include the following: organizing and managing joint research, professionally presenting research and engaging in discussions overseas, compiling high-quality papers and research reports in English, forming international interpersonal networks, participating in professional internships overseas, and demonstrating leadership on the international stage. For students who wish to acquire such abilities, we offer practical training and seminar-based courses such as Collaborative Research Training and Project Management.
Admissions Policies—Policies for Selecting and Admitting Students
(1) Admissions Policy
The Graduate School's doctoral program (Department of the Combined Graduate Program in Law and Political Science) aims to prepare students for careers that require a high level of expertise (e.g., working as a researcher) through attaining a deep knowledge of law and politics that is both comprehensive and highly specialized. To this end, we seek individuals from Japan and overseas with the following requisite qualities and abilities.
- (1)
- Highly specialized knowledge in law and politics
- (2)
- For the Researcher Training Program, the motivation to undertake research as an independent researcher and research skills to share their research results both within Japan and overseas, based on their broad perspective and deep specialized knowledge of law and politics
- (3)
- For the Applied Law and Political Science Program, the motivation and ability to acquire the rich academic knowledge necessary to engage in high-level professional duties, as well as the motivation and ability to learn how to identify problems, analyze issues in the social sciences philosophically and from a broad perspective, conduct investigative research, think inventively, and solve problems, and thus be able to address the latest legal issues
- (4)
- For the International Law and Political Science Program, the motivation and ability to clearly identify problems in practical and theoretical issues related to the law and politics of their home countries, as well as the motivation and ability to investigate and analyze international theories, systems, and related prior research, from which they can propose original and practical ways to solve problems and respond to anticipated criticism
(2) Selection Policy
Researcher Training Program
The Graduate School assesses the extent of the specialized knowledge of law and politics based on their master’s thesis and other documents. An oral examination is conducted to evaluate whether applicants have the motivation to undertake research as an independent researcher and the research skills to share their research results both within Japan and overseas, based on their broad perspective and highly specialized knowledge of law and politics.
Applied Law and Political Science Program
The Graduate School assesses the extent of the specialized knowledge of law and politics based on their master’s thesis and other documents. An oral examination is conducted to evaluate whether applicants have the motivation and ability to acquire the rich academic knowledge necessary to engage in high-level professional duties, as well as the motivation and ability to learn how to identify problems, analyze issues in the social sciences philosophically and from a broad perspective, conduct investigative research, think inventively, and solve problems, and thus be able to address the latest legal issues.
International Law and Political Science Program
The Graduate School assesses the extent of the specialized knowledge of law and politics based on their master’s thesis and other documents. An oral examination is conducted to evaluate whether applicants have the motivation and ability to clearly identify problems in practical and theoretical issues related to the law and politics of their home countries, as well as the motivation and ability to investigate and analyze international theories, systems, and related prior research, from which they can propose original and practical ways to solve problems and respond to anticipated criticism.
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