Kookmin University

Kookmin University
국민대학교
Motto 이교위가 (以校爲家)
Motto in English
 C3 (Change, Chance, Challenge)
Established September, 1946
Type Private
Chairman Chaegyeom Kim
President Jisoo Yu
Academic staff
 1,702 (2014)
Administrative staff
 463 (2014)
Undergraduates 15,493 (2014)
Postgraduates 2,731 (2014)
Location Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea South Korea
Campus Urban
Mascot Two Dragons
Website english.kookmin.ac.kr (English)
www.kookmin.ac.kr (Korean)
Kookmin University
Hangul 국민대학교
Hanja 國民大學校
Revised Romanization Gukmin Daehakgyo
McCune–Reischauer Kukmin Taehakkyo

Kookmin University (hangul:국민대학교, hanja:國民大學校) is the first national private university located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea after the liberation of the Republic of Korea from Japan. Kookmin University was established in 1946. After South Korea was liberated from Japan, Gu kim, Soang Jo and Ikhee Shin who are the members of the cabinet in a provisional government had agreed to cultivate a great leader among the Republic of Korea in perspective, which soon became the banner of the Kookmin University. Ikhee Shin who is one of the key figures of establishment for the Kookmin University was inaugurated as the first president of the University. Kookmin University is owned by the SsangYong Group, which bought the university in 1959.

Kookmin University has an academic family of 22,000 students, about 800 faculty members and 350 administrative staff. Since its establishment in 1946, approximately 60,000 students have graduated.

Kookmin University includes the College of Humanities, the College of Engineering and 12 other colleges. The university includes a Graduate school which consists of three Professional Graduate Schools and ten Special Graduate Schools.

Kookmin teaches in the fields of Design, Architecture, Automotive Engineering, Techno-Design, Social Science and other academic disciplines.

The College of Design held the first rank in three fields and the second rank in two fields among a total of five fields as a result of a nationwide assessment in 2007 in South Korea. The college has been ranked among the top three departments in Korea with Seoul National University and Hongik University.

Kookmin University's Graduate School of Techno Design, which was established with the view of nurturing "design human capability of world level", has been selected for the BK (Brain Korea) 21 project. The Techno Design School's interdisciplinary connection and expertise in educational-industrial cooperation is expected to create synergy with the "UIT design".

In the Joongangilbo University Ranking 2011, the School of Economics achieved third in Korea.

History

Kookmin University was established by the cabinet members of the Shanghai Provisional Government while the Korean government was in exile under the Japanese occupation. Ikhee "Haikong"Shin, became the first president of the university. He went on to serve the country as the first House Speaker of the National Assembly.

In 1959 Sunggon "Sungkok" Kim, the founder of the SsangYong Group, took over the foundation.

Surrounded by the Bukhansan National Park, Kookmin University boasts a clean and green environment.

Presently, Kookmin University consists of 23,000 students, 700 faculty and 300 staff members. There are 13 colleges and 14 graduate schools.

Spring in Kookmin University
University statue Yongduri
Bukhan Mountain National Park

Academics

The emblem of Kookmin University
Campus Hill and Bugak Hall

Kookmin University's academic programs are organized into undergraduate colleges, graduate schools, professional, and special schools.

Undergraduate Colleges

International Buildings
College of Economics and Business
Art Center

Graduate School

  • Department of Korean Language & Literature
  • Department of English Language & Literature
  • Department of Chinese Language & Literature
  • Department of Korean History
  • Department of Education
  • Department of Public Administration
  • Department of Political Science and International Relations
  • Department of Sociology
  • Department of Communication
  • Department of International Area Studies
  • Department of Law
  • Department of Economics
  • Department of Business Administration
  • Department of Accounting
  • Department of Data Science
  • Department of Mathematics
  • Department of Physics
  • Department of Chemistry
  • Department of Food & Nutrition
  • Department of Bio Fermentation Fusion Science and Technology
  • Department of Forest Resources
  • Department of Forest Products
  • Department of Forest Science
  • Department of Advanced Materials Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • Department of Mechanics and Design
  • Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Department of Electronics Engineering
  • Department of Computer Science
  • Department of Architecture
  • Department of Ceramics
  • Department of Metalwork & Jewelry
  • Department of Space Design
  • Department of Communication Design
  • Department of Music
  • Department of Fine Arts
  • Department of Performing Arts and Multimedia
  • Department of Physical Education
  • Department of Cross-Cultural Studies
  • Department of Financial Information Security
  • Department of Security and Smart Electronic Vehicle
  • Department of Nano Science & Technology
  • Department of Applied Information Technology
  • Department of Conservation of Cultural Heritage
  • Department of Integrative Biomedical Science and Engineering
  • Department of Sports Engineering
http://gdse.kookmin.ac.kr/

Professional Graduate Schools

Specialized Graduate Schools

Exchange programs

Kookmin University invites more than 100 exchange students from 17 sister universities annually. At Kookmin University scholarship is granted to exchange students. 800,000 Won per semester is awarded to incoming exchange students up to 2 semesters.

Korean language programs

The previous Korean Language Center has been incorporated and expanded to the Institute of International Education in 2009 to improve cultural diversity of Kookmin University by developing education programs for foreigners and local students. In the nine years of the Korean Language Program, over eight hundred students from 10 countries have completed the course of study. The Regular Intensive Program was introduced in 2006. Classes are divided by skill level into Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced classes, and maintain a small classroom environment of less than fifteen students per class.

Campus

Sungkok library
Myungwon Folk House
Student Center

Bugak campus(Kookmin University, Seoul) is located in the North Seoul area. Within a five-minute walk from the campus are restaurants, bars, shops, and the Bukhansan National Park. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes from Bugak campus to Daehangno and Gireum Station by car.

Academic & Administrative Buildings

Sungkok library was founded at the opening of Kookmin University in December 1946. It moved to its current location in the Jeongneung-dong building in 1971. A new space was built with the support of the SsangYong Group, and was named after its founder Kim Sunggon, also known as Sungkok. The library has a data base and 7 million books, multimedia data, 2000 kinds of internal and external scholarly journals, 50000 kinds of foreign journals (21 DBs), 1300 online journals, 52000 e-Books, and 2700 seats in cubicles.

Myungwon house is affiliated with Kookmin University and has been designated as Seoul Folklore National Treasure No.7. The house was the residence of Han Gyu Seol, who was the Mayor of Seoul and the Minister of Political Affairs during the late Joseon dynasty. In 1980, on the verge of demolition due to the urban redevelopment of central Seoul, it was donated by the family of the former owner, Park Joon Hyuk, to the late Myungwon Kim Mee Hee, and then reconstructed at the present site adjacent to Kookmin University. The spatial arrangement shows the structure of living spaces for the upper class. This house is used as a space for the education and experience of traditional Korean culture. It especially focuses on teaching the traditional Korean tea ceremony.

Research institutes

Notable alumni

Major accomplishments since 1996