2nd term of doctoral course

1. The Second Term Graduate School Programs

The second term of the graduate school program consists of two divisions, the Division of Environmental Dynamics and the Division of Environmental Planning. The second term focus is to achieve scientific analysis of conservation and management measures required by environmental changes and the more advanced education and research in theoretical and methodological environmental conservation and planning required for the development of methodologies in the creation of sustainable local communities.

(1) Division of Environmental Dynamics

This division provides education and research to analyze organisms, earth science, physics, chemical transformation processes and environmental dynamics in natural ecosystems and managed ecosystems, such as forests and farmlands, and to create conservation and management methods for the natural environment. The division consists of three courses: the Course in Biosphere Environment, Course in Ecosystem Conservation, and Course in Bio-resource Management in accordance with the research method adopted.
The Course in Biosphere Environment analyzes the macro, meso and micro dynamics of atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, important environmental components of the biosphere. The course provides education and research to optimize management methods.
The Course in Ecosystem Conservation analyzes ecosystem dynamics, environmental management, ecotoxity of chemicals emitted into the environment, and the correlation of bio-community in the hydrosphere, lithosphere and catchment areas, such as natural forests, plantations, rivers, lakes and marshes, and farmlands. The course conducts education and research on ecosystem conservation. Such education and research are essential for sustainable use of natural resources.
The Course in Bio-resource Management provides education and research in the establishment of production systems for lasting and advanced use of organisms as resources, which is a component of controlled ecosystems, the development and use of new genetic resources, and development of production management technology using biological functions.

Contents in the research field and assigned faculty

1. Course in Biosphere Environment
2. Course in Ecosystem Conservation
3. Course in Bio-resource Management

(2) Division of Environmental Planning

The mission of this division is to find the distribution method of resources to satisfy numerous human needs, and to optimize the use of distribution methods, with sustainability as an absolute prerequisite. In order to achieve this mission, the Course in Environmental Design (consisting of two fields: environmental design and architectural planning) and the Course in Regional Environmental Management (consisting of two fields: regional systems and environmental economics/planning) have been planned and organized.
The course in environmental design provides advanced education and research on architectural design in harmony with the natural environment, diversified theory and practice of landscape design, historical view of architecture developed in earlier times and different climates, and the universal/advanced theory of disaster prevention science that can face lasting city/architectural planning based on changes in human activities and local and natural environments.
The Course in Regional Environmental Management develops creative ability as a pioneer researcher through such themes as streamlining management and using methods of environmental/social resources, and developing economic methods for the establishment of sustainable society and methodology of citizen participation for advocacy. Each student is expected to discover new knowledge in selected fields and to contribute toward the creation of a sustainable society as a leader among researchers.

Contents of research field and assigned faculty

1. Course in Environmental Design
2. Course in Regional Environmental Management

2. Features of Education and Research

Based on the education and research received in the undergraduate and masters' level programs, the graduate school promotes advanced education and research enabling leadership in a more specialized advanced international community, and conducts comprehensive academic education and research based on environmental science. The education and research have a broad perspective applicable to the environment during the second term of the doctoral course.
The graduate school provides student guidance through a community consisting of a main supervisory faculty appointed in accordance with the research topic of the student and sub- supervisory faculty (same division or other division, or faculty of other graduate school) necessary for his/her research, and trains human resources to handle diverse environmental issues. Each student is to decide a main supervisory faculty along with his/her research field at the time of admission. The main supervisory faculty, in coordination with the sub-supervisory faculty, will provide guidance on courses, practices, and dissertation writing. The standard period for course completion is three years. After the completion of the compulsory units (4 units of advanced studies and research), a Doctoral degree (Environmental Science), or a Doctoral degree (Science) will be awarded to students who have passed the dissertation review and final examination.