Graduate School of Science and Technology, Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences
Degree Program in Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology
Overview
The Mater’s Program in Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology aims to cultivate researchers and highly trained professionals with research ability and abundant knowledge fundamental to the Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology, principally based on agronomy, biological sciences, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, and social sciences for agriculture and forestry.
This program consists of 5 domains that are different in terms of their major theoretical and practical methodologies. Four domains are divided into Agro-biological Science, Agricultural Economics and Sociology, Applied Biochemistry, Bioresource Environment Engineering, and Biosystem Science. Each domain consists of very wide array of the relevant scientific fields from basic to applied aspects relating the characteristics of each domain. Besides these 5 domains, new course programs, “International Agricultural Science program (English program)”, mainly for foreign students and “Global Food Security course” have been offered.
Message from the Chair
Developments in science and technology for sustainable use of agro-bioresources without causing serious damage to the environment are required to obtain enough and better quality foods as well as safer living space for humankind. However, many problems must be solved to accomplish this ideal situation in the future. To solve these problems, first we must recognize what are the problems and then gain basic knowledge related to agro-bioresources to find methods for solve them. Highly educated professionals approaching these problems from international points of view are in demand now. The Mater’s Program in Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology aims to cultivate researchers and highly trained professionals with excellent research abilities and abundant knowledge fundamental to the Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology; principally based on agronomy, biological sciences, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, applied chemistry, biotechnology and social sciences for agriculture and forestry. Besides the Japanese program, we also offer an English program, “Professional Training Program in International Agricultural Research” that aims to develop leading edge technology to solve current problems of agricultural research throughout the world. Furthermore, a double degree program in global food security with University of Bordeaux will open to create opportunities for students to gain more international experiences in food security, obtain communication skills, and become global leaders. We welcome students who wish to study enthusiastically and become global leaders in each field of study related to the Agro-Bioresources Science and Technology.
Degree Awarded and Academic Competences
Master of Agricultural Science
The degree is awarded to those who are committed to learning about the diverse biological functions of animals, plants, and microorganisms around us and the molecular roles of chemical compounds related to those organisms. They will actively utilize the knowledge obtained to solve emerging challenges in the fields of food, health, and the environment, and also contribute to global social development.
Academic Competences
Our Curriculum is systematically designed to enable students to gain the following specific competences:
- Ability to execute research
- Expertise and ethics
- Ability to publish research results
- Adaptability to various research tasks
Domain & Course
Agro-biological Science
Agro-biological Science is a domain which constitutes a basis for food production. It aims for the development of a producing technology which is based on the traditional system of agronomy and at the same time incorporates the latest biological techniques such as a molecular biological technique. In this domain, the education/research is conducted in the field relating to the breeding and production of crops, vegetables, ornamental plants and fruit trees; the production and management of livestock; the cultivation and conservation of forests; and the control of the animals, insects and microbes that have adverse influences on them.
Applied Biochemistry
The research project includes the following: understanding of the universality and diversity of life activities such as expression and regulation of gene functions; interactions between biological macromolecules, mainly a protein; adjustability of biological functions at a cellular or individual level; interactions between living organisms as well as between living organisms and the environment. Based on the research achievements, it carries out the development research of an environmentally friendly and ecologically sound biological production system, and an education/research regarding the extraction and production of useful substances, the application of biological functions to biomimetic chemistry, etc.
Bioresouce Environment Engineering
This domain consists of an interdisciplinary and fusional system incorporating biochemical techniques into the traditional engineering techniques based on mathematics and physics. It aims to achieve a new engineering with the goal of saving the impact of the modern society on the environment as much as possible. With this aim, the main field of research includes the development of new biological resources, the production and use of biological resources, the conservation and restoration of nature and ecology, the environmental utilization of biological resources etc. And it aims to understand the environmental problems according to the natural characteristics of the location and the developmental stage of the society and thereby to seek solutions.
Agricultural Economics and Sociology
Biological resources are products resulting from ecological mechanism. As far as this ecological mechanism is maintained, reproduction of biological resources can be ensured. Both developing countries and highly developed countries are faced with social maladies due to environmental burdens and uneven distribution of food production, which makes it difficult to realize sustainable reproduction of biological resources. This domain provides an education/research aiming at the construction of a theory of ecologically sound economics and the development of a recycling socio-economic system that embodies the theory.
Biosystem Science
As the life industry has become rapidly highly sophisticated and specialized, people who are in charge of the practical tasks in this field are required to possess the latest knowledge and a wide perspective that enable them to comprehensively evaluate the social needs and social acceptability. Therefore, this domain aims at training students especially to gain ability to understand practical problems and solve them. It discloses a concept of post-biotechnology and realizes a practical education/research aiming at the following: creating new biological resources based on biotechnology, and a method that harmonizes their functions with living organisms and biological system; and constructing a permanent cycle in the closed system of human beings and other living organisms as well as inorganic materials from a perspective of future sustainable development of the whole of life.
The international agricultural sciences is a multidisciplinary masters leading doctoral program focusing on agricultural topics dealing with appropriate technology and sciences for sustainable development, biosphere resource science and technology, life sciences and bioengineering, and bioindustrial sciences. The aim of this program is to develop leadership of agricultural expert capable to introduce innovative utilization of agricultural bioresources towards sustainability. The scientific reasoning and innovation can be achieved through this specialization degree, focusing fundamental and analytical research capability and enhancement courses for knowledge discovery, and finally performing a cutting-edge research in the emerging areas of agriculture, food, environment and energy.
The University of Tsukuba seeks students or on job professionals who are interested to develop them as frontier in the field of agricultural sciences focusing on agriculture, food processing, agricultural economics, applied biochemistry and aim to develop leading edge technology to solve the current problems of agricultural research on global perspectives.
Global Food Security Course
This degree program has been utilizing overseas bases established by the University of Tsukuba to launch the Global Food Security Course (double degree program) in English with the University of Bordeaux (France), the National University of Taiwan (Taiwan), and the Utah State University (USA). This course aims to foster superior international personnel who are tackling global issues related to Bioresource Science. Those who wish to participate in this course will select one of the above overseas affiliated universities and conduct master’s research at both universities for one year each. If one submits Master’s theses to both universities and passes the final exam, one will be awarded a Master’s degree (Agriculture) from the University of Tsukuba and a designated Master’s degree from the overseas partner university.
* After enrollment, students must pass the screening (English score, interview) of the program.