Enter Graduate School

Improve the expertise! Enter graduate school

 Ninety percent of the students who have graduated from the faculty go on to graduate school. Many of them go to the Life Science Institute, innovative life science course and master’s program (first stage of the doctor’s program) to enhance their expertise as members of the laboratory that conducts graduate research.

Graduate School of Life Science / Transdisciplinary Life Science Course and Division of Soft Matter

Transdisciplinary Life Science Course and Division of Soft Matter is the most advanced life science! 

 As symbolized by the Human Genome Project, today’s life science is becoming an innovative science that handles a vast amount of information and makes full use of science of various fields. In addition, while scientific and technological progress, such as energy production, regenerative medicine, food production, space development and so on, is remarkable, human beings have to overcome new challenges, such as environmental problems and infectious diseases. There are a lot of problems that cannot be solved by only approaching from a particular field in this way.
 In the innovative life science course at the graduate school of life science, education and research that explores “science of co-existence of life and substance”, which is necessary for the next generation, is conducted from different ideas. Human resource development as active leaders in various societies is being promoted.

Promote graduate school education reform, such as human resource development and international exchange

■Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) commissioned projects
Special program (IGP-PRLS) that performs the priority placement of national expense overseas students (overseas research students)

(IGP-PRLS)(2007 to 2011 and 2012 to 2016)
Seven overseas students are accepted every year. This contributes to international exchange.

■ Promotion of graduate school education reform
We are adopting the outcomes of the systematic graduate school education reform promotion program (MEXT commissioned projects; 2008 to 2010) in the graduate school curriculum and proceeding with the continuous education reform.

■ Cooperate with the Human Resource Development Division, Hokkaido University
Collaboration of career education
We are participating in the planning and management of the Human Resource Development Division and promoting career education actively.

MC-DC combined program to shorten course study

Division of Life Science (Transdisciplinary Life Science Course) and Division of Soft Matter, Graduate School of Life Science established “MC-DC combined program to shorten course study” (Hereinafter, shortened course) which shorten the period until taking Ph. D. degree. It aims to foster distinguished Ph. D. s in academia and industrial world as early as possible.

Those who applied for this course and passed the examination will be able to receive various support such as tuition support, research environment support, and career education support while they are enrolled in graduate school. Furthermore, in this course, if the course student can concentrate on research activities consistently from the master’s program to the doctoral program and achieve excellent research achievements, the period of study will be shorter than the standard (2 years for the master’s program, 3 years for the doctoral program). They can also get priority to participate in human resource development programs to improve the skills needed to play an active role in society.

When a course student completes MC by shortening and go on to DC in Transdisciplinary Life Science Course or Division of Soft Matter, he/she will receive the “Encouragement Award for Academic Acceleration.” Also, when a course student completes DC by shortening, they will receive the certificate.

IGP Program (English degree program)

Training Program for Global Leaders in Life Sciences (IGP) : Both Japanese and international students study under the same curriculum to become leaders with a global perspective. From enrollment to graduation, English is the main language used throughout the program. [ IGP website ]

To enroll

 In the master’s program, we assume the admission of students who have completed the basics of a wide range of natural sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and so on, at university. Many students from overseas and other universities are accepted in both master’s and doctor’s programs.

Master’s (first stage of the doctor’s program) program and doctor’s program

entrance exam information here.