Three Fields | Kobe LL.M.

Improve Your Employability with “MA in Law + Certificates of KIMAP Fields”!

Kobe University Interdisciplinary Master Program (KIMAP) is offered under a collaboration of the three graduate schools: Business Administration and Economics and Law. Students enrolled in KIMAP in Global Business Law can not only obtain the Master’s Degree in Law by satisfying the graduation requirements but also receive certificates by completing one or several specialized fields.

Additionally, a digital open badge, based on international standards, will be issued as proof of field certification. You can attach this open badge to your email signature, resume, or social media profiles to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in the professional field.

What Are Open Badges?

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Three Fields of KIMAP

1. International Business Field

Students can study international business not only from legal point of views but also from the viewpoints of business administration and economics.

Followings are example of the designated courses: (Law) Private International Law, International Business Transactions; International Arbitration; WTO Law; International Investment Law (Business Administration) KIMAP Introduction to Marketing; International Trade; Advanced International Business; Strategic Management; Advanced Supply Chain Management; WTO and IPR (intellectual property rights) (Economics) Comparative Economic History; Microeconomic Analysis I Macroeconomic Analysis I; Econometric Analysis I

2. Entrepreneurship & Finance Field

This field focuses on how to promote entrepreneurship and sustain corporate governance, competitiveness, innovation and financial strength of enterprises.

Followings are example of the designated courses: (Law) International Corporate Law and Practice; Law and Practice of International Finance; Intellectual Property Law; Comparative Competition Law (Business Administration) KIMAP Introduction to Finance; Financial Management; Corporate Finance; Advanced Entrepreneurial Finance; Technology Entrepreneurship (Economics) Public Finance; Monetary Economics; Microeconomic Analysis I; Econometric Analysis I

3. Sustainable Development & Public Policy Field

This field covers a variety of issues including sustainable development which is becoming more and more important in current public policy making and corporate governance.

Followings are example of the designated courses: (Law) International Environmental Law; International Labor Law; Global Business and SDGs; Comparative Constitutional Law; Public International Law (Business Administration) Sustainability Accounting and Reporting; Advanced Supply Chain Management; Sustainable Tourism (Economics) Topics of Development Economics; Macroeconomic Analysis I; Public Finance; Monetary Economics

Requirement for the completion of fields

Registration in the first semester
14 credits from courses designated for each field

Lists of designated courses offered in AY2026

Check which courses are designated (〇) to each of the three Fields.

Past lists of designated courses (AY2023-AY2025)

Table 2 (AY2026)

	Courses	Semester	Regular/ Intensive	Date and period	Credit(s)	Lecturer	Field
	Courses	Semester	Regular/ Intensive	Date and period	Credit(s)	Lecturer	IB*	EF**	SDPP***
Law	Japanese Legal System II	Spring	Regular	Thu 5	2	Kadomatsu and others	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Private International Law	Spring	Regular	Tue 2 (Apr 14-Jun 2)	1	Nishioka	〇	×	×
	International Human Rights Law	Spring	Regular	Wed 2	2	Abe	×	×	〇
	Introduction to Common Law I	Spring	Regular	Wed 3	2	Carpenter	〇	×	×
	Comparative Asian Competition Law	Spring	Regular	Thu 1	2	Radjapov	〇	〇	×
	International Law for Sustainable Development	Spring	Regular	Thu 2	2	Hirano	×	×	〇
	Global and Comparative Law	Spring	Regular	Fri 1	2	Wang	〇	×	〇
	Global Business and SDGs	Spring	Regular	Fri 4 (May 1-Jun 26)	1	Heike/ Yodogawa	×	×	〇
	International Arbitration	Spring	Regular	May 9, 16, 23, 30, Jun 6, 20: 3-4 Jun 13: 3-5	2	Miyatake	〇	×	×
	Law and Business in a Cross-Cultural Context (Negotiation)	Spring	Intensive	May 12, 14: 3-4, May 20: 4-5 May 22: 2 Jun 8: 3	1	Tang	〇	×	×
	Law and Business in a Cross-Cultural Context (Appropriate Dispute Resolution)	Spring	Intensive	May 13: 4-5, May 19, 21: 3-4 May 22: 3 Jun 8: 4	1	Tang	〇	×	×
	Comparative Constitutional Law (Intensive Course)	Spring	Intensive	Jul 21-24: 3-4	1	Yeh	×	×	〇
	International Labor Law	Spring	Intensive	Aug 3-7: 2-4	2	Ago	×	×	〇
	Comparative Law in Asian Context (Kobe SALAD)	Spring	Intensive	Aug 17-21	2	Nishioka	〇	×	×
	Japanese Legal System I	Fall	Regular	Thu 5	2	Riminucci and others	n/a	n/a	n/a
	European Law	Fall	Regular	Mon 4 (Sept 28-Jan 18/ 15:10-16:50)	2	Riminucci and others	〇	×	〇
	Comparative Constitutional Law	Fall	Regular	Tue 1	2	Wang	×	×	〇
	Introduction to Common Law II	Fall	Regular	Wed 3	2	Carpenter	〇	×	×
	International Investment Law	Fall	Regular	Wed 5	2	Lavranos/Hamersma	〇	〇	〇
	Islamic Finance Law	Fall	Regular	Thu 1	2	Radjapov	〇	〇	×
	International Corporate Law and Practice	Fall	Intensive	Oct 20: 3-4 Oct 21: 2, 4 Nov 17, 24: 4 (online) Dec 8, 15: 4 (online)	1	Ködderitzsch	〇	〇	×
	Asian Law	Fall	Intensive	Oct 28: 1-2, 4 Oct 29-30: 3-4 Nov 9: 2-3, Nov 10, 12: 3-4 Nov 11: 2, 4	2	Zhao/Leong	〇	×	×
	Intellectual Property Law	Fall	Intensive	Dec 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, Jan 9, 16	2	TBA	〇	〇	×
	International Business Transactions	Fall	Intensive	Dec 7: 2-3 Dec 8: 3 Dec 9: 2, 4 Dec 10: 2-4	1	Tang	〇	〇	×
	Public International Law	Fall	Intensive	Jan 5, 7, 8: 3-4 Jan 6: 2, 4	1	Devaney	×	×	〇
	Comparative Competition Law	Fall	Intensive	Jan 18, 21: 2-3 Jan 19, 26, 28: 3-4 Jan 20, 27: 4 Jan 29: 3-5	2	Cheng	〇	〇	×
	Third World Approaches to International Law	Fall	Intensive	Feb 1-4: 3-4	1	Mohammad	×	×	〇
	Human Rights and Its Critique	Fall	Intensive	Feb 5, 8-10: 3-4	1	Mohammad	×	×	〇

*IB: International Business

**EF: Entrepreneurship & Finance

***SDPP: Sustainable Development & Public Policy

Table 3 (AY2026)

	Courses	Semester	Regular/ Intensive	Date and period	Credit(s)	Lecturer	Field
	Courses	Semester	Regular/ Intensive	Date and period	Credit(s)	Lecturer	IB*	EF**	SDPP***
Economics	KIMAP Elective Courses／KIMAP選択科目群
	Macroeconomic Analysis I	Spring	Regular	Mon 2	2	Zierhut	〇	〇	〇
	Comparative Economic History	Spring	Regular	Tue 2	2	Hashino	〇	〇	×
	History and Development Paths	Spring	Regular	Wed 3	2	Otsuka	〇	〇	〇
	Topics in Environmental Economics	Spring	Regular	Thu 1	2	Wolf	〇	〇	〇
	Public Finance	Spring	Regular	Thu 2	2	Miyazaki	〇	〇	〇
	Corporate Finance	Spring	Intensive	Jun 15-16, 18-19, 22-23: 3-4 Jun 17: 4-5 Jun 24: 4	2	Chiang	〇	〇	×
	Macroeconomics and Public Policies	Spring	Intensive	Jul 22, 24:3-5 Jul 23:3-4	1	Tsujiyama	〇	〇	〇
Business Administration	KIMAP Elective Courses／KIMAP選択科目群
	Public Administration and Project Evaluation	Spring	Regular	Mon 2	2	Matsuo	〇	×	〇
	Advanced Portfolio Management - Theory and Practice	Spring	Regular	Tue 2	2	Nishimura	×	〇	×
	Corporate Finance	Spring	Regular	1Q: Wed 1-2	2	Tongurai	×	〇	×
	Advanced Entrepreneurial Finance	Spring	Regular	2Q: Wed 1-2	2	Adhikary	×	〇	〇
	ESG Investing	Spring	Regular	Wed 3	2	Nishimura	〇	〇	〇
	Advanced Supply Chain Management	Spring	Regular	Thu 2	2	Cui	〇	×	〇
	International Trade	Spring	Regular	Fri 2	2	Ma	〇	〇	〇
	Organizational Renewal and Innovation	Spring	Intensive	Apr 13-14, 16-17: 3-4	1	Sine	〇	〇	〇
	Strategic Management	Spring	Intensive	Apr 20-21, 23-24: 3-4	1	Wright	〇	〇	〇
	Econometrics for Business Economics	Spring	Intensive	May 11-12, 14-15, 18-19, 21-22: 3-4	2	Li	〇	〇	〇
	Leadership: Advanced Perspectives	Spring	Intensive	May 25-26, 28-29: 3-4	1	Khapova	〇	〇	〇
	Advertising and Marketing Communications I	Spring	Intensive	Jun 1-2, 4-5: 5-6	1	Okazaki	〇	×	×
	Advertising and Marketing Communications II	Spring	Intensive	Jun 15-16, 18-19: 5-6	1	Okazaki	〇	×	×
	Entrepreneurial Mindset & Process	Spring	Intensive	Jun 8-9, 11-12: 3-4	1	Lechner	〇	〇	〇
	Technology Entrepreneurship	Spring	Intensive	Jun 29-30, Jul 2-3: 3-4	1	Eesley	〇	〇	〇
	The Art of Management and Leadership	Spring	Intensive	Jul 21-24: 3-4	1	Lai	〇	〇	〇