In the Department of Agricultural Science, we aim to train highly specialized professionals and researchers with knowledge and skills beyond the undergraduate level who have a wide range of perspectives (including cultivation, breeding, agricultural production technology, food processing, and distribution) and can respond to various issues related to food and agriculture, which are becoming increasingly complex and severe, based on the characteristics of agriculture as an integrated science.
Department Chair: Tatsuro Hirose (Professor/Agricultural Science/Ph.D.)
| Department | Program | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Science | Master’s Program Doctoral Program |
MS (Agricultural Science ) Ph.D. (Agricultural Science ) |
Faculty members and fields of education and research
| Fields | Disciplines | Chief Instructor | Main research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life science | Basic life science | Professor Yoshiharu Toyama Lecturer Kengo Okamoto |
Rheological research on blood fluidity and food texture Research on epigenetics and gene expression |
| Biotechnology | Professor Hideki Kawasaki | Molecular analysis of insect metamorphosis Research on substance production using transgenic silkworms |
|
| Plant life science | Professor Takeshi Yoshizumi Associate Professor Hiroshi Katoh |
Development of genetic transformation technology for plant cells as “factories” that achieves the production of highly functional products Behavioral analysis and development of rapid detection methods for plant pathogenic fungi and other plant pathogens |
|
| Animal life science | Associate Professor Toshitada Nagai | Mechanism of health benefits of mastication Physiological effects of foods and their constituents |
|
| Crop horticulture systems | Crop science | Professor Tatsuro Hirose (Chariperson of the department) Associate Professor Mayuko Okabe |
Physiological and genetic research on transport and storage of photoassimilate in rice and konjac plants Research on cultivation methods and product quality of crop |
| Horticultural science | Professor Yoichi Araki Associate Professor Yasuhiro Ishigami |
Research on the development of new varieties of horticultural crops and cultivation techniques Research on environmental control and growth predictions in greenhouses based on the environmental responses of horticultural crops |
|
| Agricultural information systems | Professor Kenji Omasa (Dean of the graduate school) Professor Yo Shimizu Lecturer Eiichi Ono |
Research on the global environment, regional resources, and SDGs using satellite observations, GIS, information tools, etc. Research on plant environmental responses and smart agriculture using ICT, image information, drones, etc. |
|
| Food science | Food chemistry | Professor Hiroki Matsuoka Associate Professor Kei Kumakura |
Functional research on metabolomic analysis of pickling vegetables Functional research on the processing and preservation of mushrooms and molecular biological research on enzymes involved in functional expression |
| Food microbiology | Professor Sanae Okada | Research on the physiological and ecological dynamics of lactic acid bacteria inhabiting traditional fermented foods, mainly producing from plant materials Elucidation of the functional components contained in fermented foods and the ability of fermenting microorganisms to convert substances |
|
| Food safety | Associate Professor Taisei Ishioka | Research on the control and molecular epidemiological analysis of foodborne and infectious disease pathogens such as bacteria and viruses Research on the effects of food components and nutrients on allergic diseases |
|
| Agribusiness | Agribusiness | Professor Hitoshi Kusakari Associate Professor Fuminobu Saito Lecturer Akiko Tani |
Research on environment, resource, and trade policy and sustainable food supply and food consumption Research on management strategies, inter-organizational relationships, and marketing of entities that constitute the food system Research on food loss reduction through cooperation between household and the food industry |
Education Policy
Diploma Policy (DP)
Master’s Program
A master’s degree will be awarded to those who have been enrolled in this program for more than the prescribed number of years, received research guidance, earned the number of course credits determined by the Graduate School, acquired the abilities listed below, and passed a master’s dissertation and a final examination.
- Has acquired a wide range of high-level scientific expertise to understand and respond to food and agricultural issues.
- Has acquired the professional skills to scientifically research various issues related to food and agriculture, and appropriately summarize and disseminate the results obtained.
Doctoral Program
A doctoral degree will be granted to those who have been enrolled in this program for more than the prescribed number of years, received research guidance, earned the number of course credits determined by the Graduate School, acquired the abilities listed below, and passed a doctoral dissertation and a final examination.
- Has acquired the advanced and extensive scientific expertise necessary to elucidate and resolve various issues related to food and agriculture, and acquired the skills to conduct scientific demonstrations through specialized experiments and investigations.
- Has acquired the advanced skills necessary to scientifically investigate various issues related to food and agriculture, appropriately summarize the results obtained, and disseminate them to the international community of sciences.
Curriculum Policy (CP)
Master’s Program
In order to develop the human resources who are the aim of this program, we provide the following education.
- A total of 22 credits or more, including lectures and exercises, are required to acquire a wide range of advanced scientific knowledge related to food and agriculture.
- Under the supervision and research guidance of an academic advisor selected according to the research topic of each graduate student, students are required to undertake “special research” for writing their master’s thesis.
- In the process of writing a master’s thesis, one will be required to make a presentation at a designated interim report meeting.
- The comprehensive evaluation of learning achievements will be based on examinations, reports, presentations, the number and content of remarks in discussions, etc.
- We encourage the publication of research results at academic conferences and aim to improve the qualifications of researchers through their ability to disseminate information to the scientific community and discussions.
Doctoral Program
In order to develop the human resources who are the aim of this program, we provide the following education.
- In order to acquire advanced specialized knowledge, graduate students are required to take 8 or more credits of lecture courses related to their research topic.
- Under the supervision and research guidance of a faculty member selected according to the research topic of each graduate student, students are required to undertake “special research” for writing their doctoral dissertations.
- In the process of writing a doctoral dissertation, one will be required to make a presentation at a designated interim report meeting.
- The comprehensive evaluation of learning achievements will be based on examinations, reports, presentations, the number and content of remarks in discussions, etc.
- We require students to proactively publish research results in the form of conference presentations and academic papers, and we encourage the improvement of researcher qualifications through dissemination of information to the scientific community and discussions.
- We cultivate a mindset of giving back to society through research results.
Entrance examination outline
| Name | Years to master | Enrollment capacity | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agricultural Science | 2 years | 4 | MS (Agricultural Science) |
| 3 years | 2 | Ph.D. (Agricultural Science) |
Admission Policy (AP)
Master’s Program
In this program, we will bolster people’s lives and health from the fields of food and agriculture, conduct advanced and specialized research to contribute to the happiness of mankind, and develop human resources who can work practically to solve various problems. To that end, we expect the admission of those who possess the following attitudes, knowledge, skills, and motivation.
- Possesses an attitude of conducting logical inquiries based on scientific evidence on a wide range of matters.
- Has acquired a wide range of basic knowledge and skills for cross-disciplinary understanding of food and agriculture.
- Has a strong motivation to acquire advanced specialized knowledge and conduct research that contributes to the elucidation and solution of various problems related to food and agriculture.
Doctoral Program
In this program, we will conduct advanced and specialized research in the fields of food and agriculture to bolster people’s lives and health, and develop human resources who can contribute to solving various problems and developing related scholarship. To that end, we expect the admission of those who possess the following attitudes, knowledge, skills, and motivation.
- Possesses an attitude of aiming to elucidate and solve various problems through scientific research based on their own awareness of the problem.
- Have a cross-disciplinary understanding of food and agriculture, and have acquired a wide range of advanced specialized knowledge to discover and study by themselves problems to be solved.
- Has acquired the professional skills required to appropriately summarize and publish the results obtained from scientific research.