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FAQs

What are the hakase-zenki katei (Masters) and hakase-kouki katei (doctoral) courses?

At Kanagawa University, graduate school is separated into a 2-year hakase-zenki katei (Master course) and 3 year hakase-kouki katei (doctoral course). When you complete the hakase-zenki katei or hakase-kouki katei, you obtain a Master’s degree or PhD, so you can understand the hakase-zenki katei as the equivalent of the old shuushi katei (Master’s degree), and the hakase-kouki katei as the equivalent of the old hakase katei (PhD).

What are the requirements for graduating from the Master’s course?

You can graduate from the Master’s course when you have fulfilled the following four requirements.

1. Be enrolled for at least 2 years (however, and particularly in the case of students with outstanding achievements, an enrollment period of 1 year may be sufficient to fulfill this requirement).
2. Have acquired 32 course credit points.
3. Have undertaken the requisite research supervision.
4. Have passed a review and final examination of the Master’s dissertation or the research results of the student’s project (‘Special Research Project’).

What is a Special Research Project?

A Special Research Project is a completion requirement that is the equivalent of a Master’s dissertation. It can take the form of an investigatory report (that may consist of one to three volumes) written on a single or multiple themes, or research (for example, a report on a special lecture that you attended), and is at least 25,000 Japanese characters long. However, if you complete multiple reports for your Special Research Project, you must complete at least one of them in accordance with the research plan that you submitted in your admission application.

Can jobholders also study? Can I attend while working?

There are subjects are held after 6pm on weekdays and on Saturdays, so it is certainly possible to complete the course. Many students with jobs have studied and graduated with us before.

Approximately how many times a week should I attend class in order to complete my studies?

It differs depending on the major, but as a general rule you will be able to graduate if you attend roughly 3-4 days a week.

Can I attend lectures without coming to the Yokohama campus?

Yes. To make it easy for jobholders to study at our graduate school, we implement long-distance learning through the LiveOn system (a web conferencing system – http://www.liveon.ne.jp/) so that you can participate in lectures and seminars held at the Yokohama campus at your workplace or home. Even if you are unable to come to the Yokohama campus, as long as you have a computer with a camera, you can participate in lectures and seminars from home or work and acquire course credits. However, there are some conditions for long-distance learning courses, for example the interim reports which are required prior to final submission for Masters dissertations and Special Research Projects cannot be completed remotely. For more information, please contact the academic affairs supervisor for this university's Graduate School of Law.

Can I have a look at past admission exam papers?

Yes, you may view them at the Admissions Centre at the Yokohama campus.

Is it necessary to contact faculty members before submitting an admissions application? (Or, how should I go about meeting faculty if I want to meet them before admission?)

There is no need to meet faculty members before submitting your application. However, consulting with faculty before you submit is helpful and if you would like to meet them, please contact the representative of the undergraduate and graduate section and the Graduate School of Law (extension 2119).

Can I consult with them by email?

graduate-ycstaff@kanagawa-u.ac.jp
Yes. Please send an enquiry to graduate-ycstaff@kanagawa-u.ac.jp and enter: 1) your name, 2) your email address, and 3) the question that you would like to ask. Out staff will respond to your query.

Is there a 1 year and 3 year course in the Master program? Are the required course credit points the same as for the standard 2 year Master program?

There is no 1 or 3 year course system. However, there is an “Early completion system (Master)” and a “Late completion student system (Master)”.
“Early completion system (Master)”
Under this system, on the submission of an application, students, especially those with outstanding research achievements, may obtain their Master’s degree by completing the course from one year in the year that they commence the course.
“Late completion student system (Master)”
This system allows students who are undertake units and complete the course in three years. It allows students to reduce the number of days a week that require class time and is aimed at allowing students to complete the course and obtain a Masters degree while balancing study with their work commitments. Tuition fees are the same as for the standard 2-year course.

Tell me about scholarships. (What kinds of scholarships are there?)

There are the following: Fellowships for Graduate School Students, study support scholarships, Graduate school scholarships for research and social contribution, overseas activities support scholarships, the Murahashi and Frontier Club Fund Scholarship, the KU Encouragement Scholarship, Graduate School Scholarship for KU Graduates, Kyuryokai (Alumni Association) Graduate School Scholarship, Kyuryokai (Alumni Association) Loan Program. For details, please go to the “Graduate Student Scholarship Applications” page:
http://www.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/campuslife/scholarship/graduate/　

I studied a different major as an undergraduate. Can I still sit the admission exam?

Of course. The Graduate School of Law is a place where legal and political research is carried out, but people who have studied in different fields as undergraduates can still do this research. We have accepted many students who have come from different undergraduate fields of study and have been awarded Master’s degrees.

It’s been a while since I graduated from university, will I be able to study?

At the Graduate School of Law we run the “Research Skills”, “Contemporary Law”, and “General Seminar on Law and Politics”, to give you the knowhow to conduct your studies and research. Many students who are jobholders have successfully tried research, and have obtained Masters degrees.

I did not graduate from university. Can I still enter graduate school?？

Upon consideration of your experience, we will make a decision as to whether you may sit the entrance exam, and even though you do not have an undergraduate degree you may enter graduate school if you pass the entrance exam. However, as it is a decision that takes into account individual circumstances, you must consult with us beforehand. We have had students who have not graduated from university and have completed graduate studies with us.