Kobe City University of Foreign Studies is committed to providing an academically balanced and responsible education. By promoting the study and teaching of foreign languages and cultures, it seeks to instill in students a deeper understanding of international affairs and foreign countries.

Founded in 1946, the university offers undergraduate and graduate-degree programs in English, Russian, Chinese and Spanish studies, as well as International Relations. In 1991, a graduate program offering a degree in Japanese studies was added to the curriculum.

The current university enrollment is approximately 2,000. The faculty includes many distinguished scholars and eminent researchers with doctoral degrees who are committed to excellence in teaching.

In order to help students gain cross-cultural experiences and valuable practical knowledge for their future careers, the university offers an accredited student exchange programmes through arrangements with about 45 universities and institutions of all over the world.

The university also encourages its students to participate in off-campus educational programs abroad at leading educational institutions and organizations.

Philosophy and Educational Goals

Kobe City University of Foreign Studies has the aim of cultivating the "active cosmopolitan" who can participate in various disciplines, including business, diplomacy and education by utilizing the advanced foreign languages skills which are needed to effectively function in an international society. Additionally, our students will be educated with the skills and knowledge to make capable, competent, and flexible decisions.

Based on this educational philosophy, we set the goal of enabling students to master more than two foreign languages in order to adapt to international society, which is always changing.

By promoting this philosophy and these goals, we hope that students will not only maintain an interest in their own language and culture, but also that they will become cosmopolitan citizens.

Curriculum

To achieve the university's educational goals, we offer the following courses:

1. Each of the four major departments (English, Spanish, Russian and Chinese) offers specialized language courses over a 4-year period.
2. Introductory lecture courses are offered in each department as a way of helping students become familiar with the systems and back grounds of their major languages.
3. "Common Course" lectures are available to all students, regardless of their majors, as a way of introducing students to various points of view.
4. Students also have the opportunity to follow their own interests by developing in-depth expertise in specialized courses.

Based on the specialized knowledge provided by these courses, students will then be able to pursue their studies even further in a chosen seminar, where specialized instruction by professors will be provided.