Mastering the Law — A Step Beyond Learning the Law

~ Legal Studies (Major in Civil Law and Major in Public Law) Edition

For those who wish to further master legal studies beyond their learning in the Faculty of Law, there is the Graduate School of Law, a research and educational institution.

The knowledge of legal studies and the logical thinking skills honed through them can be applied in various situations and professions in society. Among these, when one thinks of legal professionals and specialists, the legal profession (judges, lawyers, and prosecutors) likely comes to mind first. However, it is not only these legal practitioners but also university faculty who teach law—that is, legal researchers—who play an important role as legal specialists on the academic side. So, what exactly are 'legal studies as an academic discipline' and 'research in law'? What do university faculty members do?

On this special website, we have asked faculty members engaged in research and education at the Graduate School of Law, as well as individuals who have become researchers after completing graduate programs, to share their thoughts on studying law from various perspectives. Through their stories, we hope you will come to understand the significance and appeal of researching 'legal studies' and that it will help you consider the path of research as one of your future career options.

Professor

Specialty: Constitutional Law

“While keeping an eye on various social phenomena, we fill the gaps between the lines of legal articles through interpretation and contribute to the realization of constitutional values in society. That is the mission of constitutional law studies.”

Professor

Specialty: Civil Law

“Grounded in the broad and deep theories of civil law, I want to engage with the present state of society and design the society of tomorrow.”

Professor

Specialty: Criminal Law and Code of Criminal Procedure

“If I can thoroughly explore my own interests and that leads to guiding judicial practice in a better direction, there is no greater joy.”

Professor

Specialty: Philosophy of Law

“The philosophy of law has as its mission the pursuit of the law as it ought to be—something that does not exist here and now.”

Professor

Specialty: Private International Law

“Aiming for the realization of international judicial harmony—that is the discipline of private international law.”

Full-time Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Okayama University

Alumnus of the Ph.D. program, Major in Civil Law, at this Graduate School

Major Publications: “Risk Allocation in the Termination of Composite Contracts and the ‘Typology’ of the ‘Transaction’ Concept,” *Hogaku Seijigaku Ronkyu*, No. 130, p. 153 et seq., etc.

The core of research activity, I believe, is to understand existing knowledge and debates, critically examine them, and present new findings. In particular, since law is a crucial norm in society, understanding the law leads to understanding society itself. Perhaps because of this, I feel there is an irreplaceable charm in the thrill of making new discoveries about the society we live in through the practice of legal research. The desire to make such a fascinating activity my life's work was my motivation for entering the Graduate School of Law.

However, research is not all fun and games. It often involves anxiety and worry, and these feelings can frequently be overwhelming. Nevertheless, I also believe that the true appeal of research lies in the very process of experiencing such hardships, overcoming them, and making a discovery.

Our Graduate School of Law offers various opportunities to experience the appeal of legal research. —Though it can be challenging, you get to journey through the unknown world of law with excitement and anticipation.— Wouldn't you like to experience the charm of legal research for yourselves?

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Takushoku University

Alumna of the Ph.D. program, Major in Public Law, at this Graduate School

Major Publications: “The Void in the First Amendment: The Basis for Regulating Obscene Expression in the United States,” in Tōkyū Toshihisa (ed.), *Sexuality and the Legal Order* (Shogakusha), p. 158 et seq., etc.

I conduct comparative research on freedom of expression in Japan and the United States, for which case law analysis is essential. However, when I first entered graduate school, I believed that I could understand a case simply by reading the text of the judgment literally. It was the small-group classes in graduate school that made me realize this was not the case. In a class on reading American case law, I learned that judgments written by skilled legal minds are texts worth reading many times over. In a class on reading French literature, I learned the importance of tracing the meaning of each word and the logic line by line. Even legal texts that seem dry and uninteresting can appear completely different once you discover the fascination of considering their historical background and logical structure.

Currently, I am in charge of a seminar at Takushoku University where we read public law cases. Although I can hardly match the level of the professors at this Graduate School, I read cases with my students, hoping to convey even a little of the fascination I felt in my own graduate school classes.

Below is an overview of the Graduate School of Law, its admissions process, and more. For further details, please refer to the pamphlet available on the site linked below.

The Graduate School of Law is composed of three majors: Civil Law, Public Law, and Political Science. The first two correspond to the Department of Law in the Faculty of Law. The Major in Civil Law covers subjects such as Civil Code, Commercial Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Private International Law, and Intellectual Property Law. The Major in Public Law covers subjects such as Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Tax Law, Public International Law, Criminal Law, and Code of Criminal Procedure. Depending on their research theme, students in Basic Jurisprudence, Foreign Law, and Social Law can belong to either the Major in Civil Law or the Major in Public Law.

Additionally, the Master's Program in the Major in Public Law offers a 'Space Law Course' in collaboration with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) to train legal professionals involved in space activities.

The graduate school curriculum is divided into a 'Master's Program' (2 years) and a 'Ph.D. program' (3 years).

The Master's Program is the first program after graduating from an undergraduate faculty. Upon completing the required course credits and submitting a master's thesis that passes examination, a 'MASTER OF LAWS' degree is conferred.

In the Ph.D. program, which students enter after completing the Master's Program, they earn required credits and conduct research on their own themes under the guidance of their academic advisor. Upon submitting a dissertation that passes examination, a 'Ph.D in Law' is conferred.

As for law-related graduate schools, there is also the Law School (Graduate School of Legal Affairs), which aims to train legal professionals. A path also exists to enter the Ph.D. program after completing the Law School program.

Many of those who complete the Master's Program, advance to the Ph.D. program, and complete it aim for positions as university faculty and researchers.

To date, this Graduate School has produced a great number of university faculty and researchers in various fields of law.

While this site focuses on the 'path to becoming a researcher,' the Graduate School of Law also trains individuals to become highly specialized professionals. Those who complete the Master's Program go on to various occupations that leverage their research experience, such as working in corporate legal departments or as civil servants.

The entrance examination for the Master's Program is held twice a year: the 'Fall Round (application: July, examination: September)' and the 'Spring Round (application: December-January, examination: February).' The first stage is a written examination (one foreign language and one specialized subject), and the second stage is an oral examination.

For details on application and examination schedules, examination methods, etc., please refer to the 'Admissions Guide' linked below.

There is a recommendation system for fourth-year students of the Keio University Faculty of Law who meet the following requirements, which exempts them from the first stage examination of the Master's Program.

For more details on the Master's Program recommendation system, please see below.

The Keio University Graduate School offers various scholarship programs for students who are outstanding in both academic performance and character and who, despite their desire to pursue research, face financial difficulties in their studies. For details, please see below.

The Graduate School of Law appoints Research Associates (Non-tenured)/Research Assistants from among those enrolled in the Ph.D. program or those who have completed the program or withdrawn after earning the required credits. The Research Associate position is a system established to support the development and career advancement of young researchers. Their main duties are research activities and educational assistance (they do not teach classes), for which they receive a salary.