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Overview
The Faculty of Law offers the Peace and Human Rights (PHR) program for students in the English Medium Program (EMP) course. The PHR program belongs to the International Peace and Diplomacy Course in the Faculty. The course provides a wide range of lectures taught in English which are part of our English Medium Program (EMP). Under this EMP program, overseas students will be able to graduate with a degree using only English.
The Faculty of Law offers EMP students the chance to enjoy legal and political studies by providing a variety of exciting courses in Legal Studies, Global Studies, and Peace Studies as well as sociological, historical, and geographical approaches to Law and Politics.
By belonging to the International Peace and Diplomacy Course, EMP students will acquire expert knowledge in internationally oriented subjects centered on the four concepts of “peace,” “human rights,” “environment,” and “development”. By immersing themselves in such subjects, students can expand their horizons and refine their sense of human rights as a global citizen in order to solve global issues.
➡️Purpose of Education
Diploma Policy
Based on Soka University’s diploma policy, the Faculty of Law requires students to obtain the following skills and knowledge and will award a bachelor’s degree (in law) to students who satisfy the degree requirements.
(1) Knowledge Foundation: Wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise
Accurately understand the values and basic principles that form the basis of the country’s legal and political systems, and be able to make specific and appropriate decisions regarding legal or policy issues.
(2) Practical Skills: Communication skills and the ability to apply knowledge in society
Be able to accurately identify and analyze the nature of the legal or policy issues which the society is facing, determine the options for solving them and come up with solutions, and communicate the above in an easy-to-understand manner.
(3) Internationality: Ability to accept diversity and cooperate with others
Learn English and a second foreign language, understand the various values of foreign countries and the diverse opinions of others with conflicting interests, and at the same time be capable of working to reach a consensus through discussion with people who have different opinions.
(4) Creativity: Ability to consolidate and think creatively
Be able to comprehensively utilize the knowledge acquired, apply it to new issues in the society, and find solutions through creative ideas.
Curriculum Policy
Based on Soka University’s curriculum policy, the Faculty of Law has organized its curriculum based on the following policy, with the aim of fostering students who meet the faculty’s diploma policy as described above.
(1) Acquire a wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise through four years of study
Through the four years of the degree program, students will acquire a wide range of knowledge beyond the area of law and political science through the General Education Courses. The Faculty of Law has established four courses comprising: the “Legal Profession Course,” the “Business-related Legal Affairs Course,” the “Public Policy and Government Course,” and the “International Peace and Diplomacy Course.” Through these courses, students will learn the advanced expertise required for legal professionals, businesspeople, public officials, diplomats, and other careers. In addition, for students aspiring to become legal professionals, the faculty has established the Global Lawyers Program (GLP) and a curriculum aimed at fostering legal professionals from the first year.
In the first year, students will learn the basics of legal studies in the required departmental course; “Introduction to Legal Studies”. In the “Freshman Seminar” general education course, they will acquire the basic ability to collect materials related to legal and policy issues in society, read and think about them on their own, and express their opinions both orally and written. In semester 2 and 3, “Theme Seminar” is held, with the aim of bridging the gap between the introductory and specialized education stages while fostering the academic attitude required for students to take the major course.
Students will choose a course in their second year, and by completing at least 24 credits of required elective courses in their selected major course by graduation, they will be able to acquire a wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise depending on their chosen career path.
(2) Acquire practical skills and creativity through workshops, etc.
In the major course from the second year, based on the advanced specialized knowledge learned in the lecture courses, students will conduct group research on predetermined themes and examine solutions alongside actual practitioners in “Business & Law Workshop 1—3” (Business related Legal Affairs Course), “Public Policy Workshop A/B” (Public Policy and Government Course), and “Human Security Studies Workshop” (International Peace and Diplomacy Course). By comprehensively applying the knowledge acquired from these courses and applying it to issues in society, students will cultivate the ability to think creatively when considering solutions. In addition, in “Fieldwork in Hachioji” and the “Human Security Fieldwork,” students will acquire the ability to discover and solve issues by listening to opinions on-site. Furthermore, during the internships for each course, students will learn how to devise more realistic solutions by learning about the actual work done. Students will take seminar courses each year in which they will develop the ability to logically explain their opinions with reasons and coordinate various opinions with conflicting issues.
Through these courses in which students work together in groups and through active learning, students will cultivate communication skills.
(3) Acquire internationality
By taking English and second foreign language courses as part of the general education courses and English courses in the major course during their first and second years, students will acquire the basic language proficiency necessary for studying the legal and political systems of foreign countries. In addition, by taking major courses taught in English from the second year, students will not only obtain language proficiency but will also be able to complete the major course in English. At the same time, they will learn to understand the diverse values and opinions of people with conflicting interests and will acquire the ability to cooperate in order to reach a consensus through discussion with others. Further, the Faculty of Law has established its own short-term overseas training program, long-term study abroad program, and double-degree program which offer opportunities to acquire more advanced language proficiency, expertise, and internationality.
(4) Appropriate evaluation of the skills to be acquired
These skills that students are expected to acquire will be appropriately evaluated through quizzes, midterm exams, regular exams, reports, presentations, theses, discussions, etc. In addition, the Faculty of Law will inspect and evaluate the learning outcomes indicated in the diploma policy through a combination of direct evaluation methods (e.g.: sampling theses and measuring students’ levels of achievement) and indirect evaluation methods (e.g.: self-evaluation by the students in the assessment courses). Further, the faculty will continuously make efforts to improve the education.
➡️Goal of the Course
The International Peace and Diplomacy Course is a course for students who want to acquire high-level expertise in peace issues and develop a strong language proficiency in order to thrive in and contribute to the international community.
➡️Future Career Path
-Becoming a diplomat
By becoming a diplomat, one can realize their nation’s interests and contribute to the international community through planning and drafting foreign policies and negotiating with the governments of other nations.
-Proceeding to graduate school and becoming an expert at the UN or an INGO
One can earn a degree at a foreign graduate school and thrive as a specialist in an international institution or an NGO.
-Becoming a business person in a global company
One can become a business person in the world of global business or support public sectors for citizens through businesses.
➡️Learning Environment
The International Peace and Diplomacy Course admits around 50 students per academic year. The course members can create deeper bonds by studying in unity.
➡️Message from the Dean
Professor Yoshiyasu Sudo, Dean of the Faculty of Law
The Peace & Human Rights program (PHR) in the Faculty of Law is for students to learn about the trans-national social problems we face today. We offer opportunities for students to learn about various facts, think about how to deal with them, and express their own opinions. The faculty members are looking forward to working with incoming students on various topics. I hope that many students who are eager to develop their skills will join us on our beautiful campus.
The Faculty of Law offers EMP students the chance to enjoy legal and political studies by providing a variety of exciting courses in Legal Studies, Global Studies, and Peace Studies as well as sociological, historical, and geographical approaches to Law and Politics.
By belonging to the International Peace and Diplomacy Course, EMP students will acquire expert knowledge in internationally oriented subjects centered on the four concepts of “peace,” “human rights,” “environment,” and “development”. By immersing themselves in such subjects, students can expand their horizons and refine their sense of human rights as a global citizen in order to solve global issues.
➡️Purpose of Education
Diploma Policy
Based on Soka University’s diploma policy, the Faculty of Law requires students to obtain the following skills and knowledge and will award a bachelor’s degree (in law) to students who satisfy the degree requirements.
(1) Knowledge Foundation: Wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise
Accurately understand the values and basic principles that form the basis of the country’s legal and political systems, and be able to make specific and appropriate decisions regarding legal or policy issues.
(2) Practical Skills: Communication skills and the ability to apply knowledge in society
Be able to accurately identify and analyze the nature of the legal or policy issues which the society is facing, determine the options for solving them and come up with solutions, and communicate the above in an easy-to-understand manner.
(3) Internationality: Ability to accept diversity and cooperate with others
Learn English and a second foreign language, understand the various values of foreign countries and the diverse opinions of others with conflicting interests, and at the same time be capable of working to reach a consensus through discussion with people who have different opinions.
(4) Creativity: Ability to consolidate and think creatively
Be able to comprehensively utilize the knowledge acquired, apply it to new issues in the society, and find solutions through creative ideas.
Curriculum Policy
Based on Soka University’s curriculum policy, the Faculty of Law has organized its curriculum based on the following policy, with the aim of fostering students who meet the faculty’s diploma policy as described above.
(1) Acquire a wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise through four years of study
Through the four years of the degree program, students will acquire a wide range of knowledge beyond the area of law and political science through the General Education Courses. The Faculty of Law has established four courses comprising: the “Legal Profession Course,” the “Business-related Legal Affairs Course,” the “Public Policy and Government Course,” and the “International Peace and Diplomacy Course.” Through these courses, students will learn the advanced expertise required for legal professionals, businesspeople, public officials, diplomats, and other careers. In addition, for students aspiring to become legal professionals, the faculty has established the Global Lawyers Program (GLP) and a curriculum aimed at fostering legal professionals from the first year.
In the first year, students will learn the basics of legal studies in the required departmental course; “Introduction to Legal Studies”. In the “Freshman Seminar” general education course, they will acquire the basic ability to collect materials related to legal and policy issues in society, read and think about them on their own, and express their opinions both orally and written. In semester 2 and 3, “Theme Seminar” is held, with the aim of bridging the gap between the introductory and specialized education stages while fostering the academic attitude required for students to take the major course.
Students will choose a course in their second year, and by completing at least 24 credits of required elective courses in their selected major course by graduation, they will be able to acquire a wide range of knowledge and advanced expertise depending on their chosen career path.
(2) Acquire practical skills and creativity through workshops, etc.
In the major course from the second year, based on the advanced specialized knowledge learned in the lecture courses, students will conduct group research on predetermined themes and examine solutions alongside actual practitioners in “Business & Law Workshop 1—3” (Business related Legal Affairs Course), “Public Policy Workshop A/B” (Public Policy and Government Course), and “Human Security Studies Workshop” (International Peace and Diplomacy Course). By comprehensively applying the knowledge acquired from these courses and applying it to issues in society, students will cultivate the ability to think creatively when considering solutions. In addition, in “Fieldwork in Hachioji” and the “Human Security Fieldwork,” students will acquire the ability to discover and solve issues by listening to opinions on-site. Furthermore, during the internships for each course, students will learn how to devise more realistic solutions by learning about the actual work done. Students will take seminar courses each year in which they will develop the ability to logically explain their opinions with reasons and coordinate various opinions with conflicting issues.
Through these courses in which students work together in groups and through active learning, students will cultivate communication skills.
(3) Acquire internationality
By taking English and second foreign language courses as part of the general education courses and English courses in the major course during their first and second years, students will acquire the basic language proficiency necessary for studying the legal and political systems of foreign countries. In addition, by taking major courses taught in English from the second year, students will not only obtain language proficiency but will also be able to complete the major course in English. At the same time, they will learn to understand the diverse values and opinions of people with conflicting interests and will acquire the ability to cooperate in order to reach a consensus through discussion with others. Further, the Faculty of Law has established its own short-term overseas training program, long-term study abroad program, and double-degree program which offer opportunities to acquire more advanced language proficiency, expertise, and internationality.
(4) Appropriate evaluation of the skills to be acquired
These skills that students are expected to acquire will be appropriately evaluated through quizzes, midterm exams, regular exams, reports, presentations, theses, discussions, etc. In addition, the Faculty of Law will inspect and evaluate the learning outcomes indicated in the diploma policy through a combination of direct evaluation methods (e.g.: sampling theses and measuring students’ levels of achievement) and indirect evaluation methods (e.g.: self-evaluation by the students in the assessment courses). Further, the faculty will continuously make efforts to improve the education.
➡️Goal of the Course
The International Peace and Diplomacy Course is a course for students who want to acquire high-level expertise in peace issues and develop a strong language proficiency in order to thrive in and contribute to the international community.
➡️Future Career Path
-Becoming a diplomat
By becoming a diplomat, one can realize their nation’s interests and contribute to the international community through planning and drafting foreign policies and negotiating with the governments of other nations.
-Proceeding to graduate school and becoming an expert at the UN or an INGO
One can earn a degree at a foreign graduate school and thrive as a specialist in an international institution or an NGO.
-Becoming a business person in a global company
One can become a business person in the world of global business or support public sectors for citizens through businesses.
➡️Learning Environment
The International Peace and Diplomacy Course admits around 50 students per academic year. The course members can create deeper bonds by studying in unity.
➡️Message from the Dean
Professor Yoshiyasu Sudo, Dean of the Faculty of Law
The Peace & Human Rights program (PHR) in the Faculty of Law is for students to learn about the trans-national social problems we face today. We offer opportunities for students to learn about various facts, think about how to deal with them, and express their own opinions. The faculty members are looking forward to working with incoming students on various topics. I hope that many students who are eager to develop their skills will join us on our beautiful campus.