The Faculty of Law, the Department of Law
The Faculty of Law boasts a comprehensive and tailored curriculum to suit each student’s interests and career ambitions.
Goal-specific two courses
The Faculty of Law offers two courses: a Public Service course and a Private Industry course. The Public Service course is designed for those who aims to work as public officials in local government, as well as in police and fire services. The private industry course is for students who wish to work for private companies with legal and social-scientific knowledge and skills.
Preparatory course for public service examinations
Many students majoring in law are pursuing a career as public officials. We provide a special preparatory course for those who aim to be public officials. We also support them by co-hosting preparatory courses for public service examinations with the Career Center. The course fees are reasonably-priced so students can afford additional courses after school.
Comprehensive yet flexible curriculum spanning pure and applied theory
While legal studies are often considered difficult and demanding, the Faculty of Law at Okayama Shoka University offers a range of introductory subjects to ensure that all students receive a proper grounding in the basic principles of law. These are complemented by practical subjects that demonstrate applications of the law, as well as optional subjects in fields not directly related to law, such as business administration and economics. There is also a dedicated program specifically for those intending to pursue a career in the legal profession.
Four-year course structure
First-year Develop basic legal study skills and explore potential career paths
It is most important to develop good legal study skills from the outset. To this end, students take first-year subjects such as Introduction to Law, Overview of Civil Law, and the Constitution of Japan. Along with the basic legal skills, students are also expected to extend themselves by studying liberal arts classes such as foreign languages. The First-year Seminar is aimed to discuss and debate assigned topics and develop report-writing skills. The first year is also a time for students to identify their particular areas of interest and consider their future career paths.
Second-year Choose either the Public Service course or the Private Industry course
In the second year, students must choose between the Public Service course and the Private Industry course. In the Public Service course, students will study Administrative Law and Politics, which would be helpful for public service examinations. If they intend to pursue a career in the police force, they can take subjects such as Police and Law, Criminal Law, and Criminal Procedure Law. The Private Industry course covers Company Law and Civil Law.
Third-year Study more specialized subjects
By the third year, many students have formed an idea of their career preference and are in a position to take applied subjects in particular areas. Third-year students are expected to work independently to prepare for acquiring qualifications of their choice or take additional courses for public service examinations.
Fourth-year Job hunting and employment examinations
By the fourth year, students will ideally have obtained most of the necessary credits to graduate, which allow them to concentrate solely on job hunting and studying for employment examinations. Some are required to write a graduation report. They can also attend lectures of interest and prepare for other qualifications considered useful for their future career.