Department of International Public Policy,
School of Law

During the Spring and Summer terms of the first year, the curriculum focuses primarily on general education. One of the greatest appeals of the Department of International Public Policy is the opportunity to study a wide range of disciplines, including law, politics, and economics. The first year is a valuable time to take introductory courses in each field and consider which path you wish to pursue. Take this chance to actively acquire knowledge in Liberal Arts and a second foreign language, even in areas outside your intended specialization. Maintaining a broad perspective is essential, regardless of the field you eventually choose.

When the fall/winter semester begins, you will start taking specialized courses in earnest. Please select your courses carefully, taking into consideration the foundational knowledge gained in the spring/summer semester, the subjects you wish to take in Year 2, and the seminar fields you are interested in joining.

The first year of university is also a time to accumulate a wide variety of experiences. In addition to your studies, we encourage you to go beyond club activities and part-time jobs by engaging with international students and pursuing qualifications and certifications. Make the most of Osaka’s exceptional location and the stimulating environment of Osaka University, where motivated students gather, to enrich your university life to the fullest.

During the Spring and Summer terms of the first year, you will primarily take Liberal Arts courses while also studying the foundations of law, politics, and economics as specialized subjects. You may choose to focus your Liberal Arts electives on law, politics, and economics as I did, or you may find it rewarding for your future to broaden your horizons by taking classes unrelated to your major. As specialized courses begin in earnest during the Fall and Winter terms, it is important to think carefully about your fields of interest in preparation for choosing a seminar (Zemi) in your second year and beyond.

The first year is also the foundation for your entire four years at university. We encourage you to accumulate a wide range of experiences from the very start — not only in your studies, but also through club activities, part-time jobs, qualification exams, and international exchange. In my case, since I wanted to study abroad as an exchange student, I practiced my speaking skills through interactions with international students at Osaka University while preparing for the TOEFL, and was eventually able to achieve the score required for studying abroad. Osaka University is full of opportunities. Please challenge yourself actively from your first year and make the most of your four years here.

In the second year, the range of available courses expands significantly, allowing students to select subjects from the fields of Law, Politics, and Economics based on their individual interests. Some lectures are also conducted in English. I primarily focused on Politics and Economics while also taking legal courses such as International Law and Commercial Law. Through this diverse curriculum, I was able to deepen my understanding across the entire spectrum of Social Sciences.

Seminars also begin in the second year, providing opportunities to study alongside peers who share similar interests. I belonged to a Public Economics seminar, where I gained a wide range of experiences, including joint research with senior students, participating in paper competitions, and visiting infrastructure facilities throughout Japan. Since each seminar has its own distinct character, I recommend identifying your areas of interest during your freshman year.

As you become more accustomed to university life in your second year, how you spend your time depends largely on your own initiative. Since many students become busy with job hunting in their third year, I believe the second year is an ideal time to enrich your academic life and broaden your potential by taking on challenges like studying abroad or engaging in various extracurricular activities.

The most significant change in the second year is the introduction of seminar courses. While the atmosphere varies greatly between seminars, the Department of International Public Policy allows you to choose from a wide range of fields—Law, Politics, and Economics—so I highly recommend finding one that aligns with your specific interests.

In addition, the range of course options expands considerably compared to the first year. As my seminar focused on Economics, I primarily took economics-related subjects such as Econometrics I, Microeconomics, and Mathematics for Social Sciences, while also enrolling in International Law and Constitutional Law. Unlike the introductory surveys of the first year, these courses offer much more specialized content.

Many students in our department likely aspire to study abroad. I participated in an exchange program at a university in the United States during the fall and winter terms of my second year. As you progress through the years, the number of courses conducted in English increases. Since opportunities for exchange programs also exist in the third and fourth years, it is a good idea to choose your courses with an eye toward improving your language skills.

From the third year in the Department of International Public Policy, the number of specialized courses in Law, Politics, and Economics increases, allowing me to select subjects that align more closely with my interests. Since I have been interested in International Law since admission, I took courses such as International Law III and International Economic Law. By joining a seminar specializing in International Law, I gained a broad understanding of the field, ranging from foundational theories to specific legal precedents.

To explore international issues beyond a purely legal perspective, I also enrolled in courses on politics and diplomacy, such as Security Studies and Comparative Politics. Furthermore, driven by my passion for language learning, I took a course in reading literature in French (my second foreign language) and voluntarily participated in the Multilingual Expert Program (MLE) to study Spanish. In the autumn, I challenged myself by taking the DELE Spanish proficiency exam.

I dedicated much of my time outside of class to preparing for my exchange program. For instance, I served as a tutor for international students and made a conscious effort to speak English in my daily life. Since February, I have been studying abroad in Australia.

My long-term goal is to become a researcher specializing in International Politics through a data-driven approach. To achieve this, I have been focusing my studies on Political Science and Econometrics. I structured my curriculum with the objective of exploring topics in International Economics from diverse perspectives and methodologies. In my seminar, to bridge the gap between classroom learning and actual research, I engaged in the intensive reading of cutting-edge papers in International Relations. The ability to learn both Political Science, rooted in qualitative research, and Economics, based on quantitative research, in a well-balanced manner is a significant hallmark of the Department of International Public Policy.

Furthermore, the department allows for a curriculum that fosters deep insights by examining single issues from multiple viewpoints across Law and Economics. Thanks to its highly interdisciplinary nature, taking courses offered by other faculties is also relatively accessible. The Department of International Public Policy provides the perfect environment for those who are unsure of their exact path but have a general interest in studying Social Sciences.

I encourage you to experience the appeal of this department firsthand—discovering your own specialization while exploring a wide range of subjects.

As I was enrolled in the Early Completion Program for the Master’s Course at the Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP), my fourth year was primarily dedicated to graduate-level studies. This program allows students to take a portion of their Master’s degree credits in advance as “non-degree students” during their fourth year in the Faculty of Law, enabling them to complete the Master’s program in as little as one year after admission. While continuing with a few undergraduate courses, I also took several graduate-level economics classes.

Furthermore, although writing a senior thesis is not mandatory in the Faculty of Law, I succeeded in completing a research paper based on the study I had been conducting since my third year under the guidance of my supervisor. Consolidating my research into a formal paper was a rewarding experience that served as the perfect conclusion to my undergraduate studies. Discovering the genuine fascination of research made this the most meaningful year of my four years in university.

Since it is possible to complete the credits required for graduation by the end of the third year, the fourth year is a period that students spend in various ways. In my case, I attended university about three times a week even during my senior year, as many courses I was interested in were designed for third- and fourth-year students, and I had deliberately limited my course load in my third year to focus on studying for professional qualifications. It was a truly rewarding experience to explore various subjects driven by my interests—ranging from advanced courses in my long-term fields of study to entirely new areas I had not previously encountered. I feel that I have grown significantly through this process. Outside of class, I dedicated my time to part-time professional work at my future employer, other part-time jobs, club activities, and traveling. As I chose to start my professional career immediately after graduation, this final year of student life became the most fulfilling one of all.