The Graduate School of Sustainability Science

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science (master’s program) at Tottori University, based on the educational purpose of the graduate school, awards the degree (master’s) to its graduate students when they have completed the educational program specified by this graduate course, have passed the thesis review and final examinations after acquiring the predetermined number of credits, and have acquired the skills stated in the following:

• Have acquired a broad perspective and deep academic knowledge that contribute to creating a sustainable society and have acquired excellent research competencies for identifying and solving problems or the capability to engage in an occupation that requires a high level of expertise
• With high ethical standards, have acquired the capability to contribute to the development of regional sciences, engineering, agricultural science, or dryland science
• Have acquired the capabilities to be pragmatic and take an active part in the global community with communication skills that allow graduate students to collaborate with other fields, while gathering information related to issues to create a sustainable society as well as taking advantage of the respective academic expertise

Department of Dryland Science

The Department of Dryland Science of the Graduate School of Sustainability Science at Tottori University, based on the educational purpose of this department, awards the master’s degree (agriculture or science) to its graduate students when they have completed the educational program specified by this department, have passed the thesis review and final examinations after acquiring the predetermined number of credits, and have the acquired skills stated in the following:

• With deep academic knowledge of the community, climate, water resources, ecosystem and agriculture in dryland which are the most fragile regions on Earth, have acquired the research competencies leading to identifying and solving problems on the global issues humankind is facing such as desertification, food shortages, and poverty or the capability to engage in an occupation that requires a high level of expertise
• Can contribute to the development of dryland science with high ethical standards
• Have acquired the capabilities to be pragmatic and take an active part in the global community with communication skills that allow graduate students to collaborate with other fields, while gathering information related to issues to create a sustainable society, as well as taking advantage of the expertise in dryland science

Although the university awards the Master of Agriculture degree to its graduate students, this department assumes that the study may include other fields. In such cases, it awards the Master of Science degree after examining the academic history and thesis.

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science (master’s program) at Tottori University, to enable its graduate students to acquire the skills shown in the policy for awarding degrees, organizes and implements a systematic educational program in this graduate course under the policies stated in the following:

• Educational program and contents
  • This graduate course organizes a systematic educational program by providing specialized subjects composed of basic and advanced courses to acquire deep academic knowledge, as well as general subjects composed of foundational and transdisciplinary courses to obtain a broader perspective.
  • It properly arranges practical exercises/practical subject practicum and subjects on research guidance to cultivate practical skills on the specialty of this graduate course.
  • It properly arranges practical exercises/practical subject practicum and subjects on research guidance to cultivate practical skills on the specialty of this graduate course.
• Method of education
  • This graduate course provides opportunities for its graduate students to interact with others whose areas of expertise are different in order to develop high-level communication skills.
  • It develops its coursework properly combining lectures, practical exercises/practical subject practicum, and one-on-one tutoring to improve graduate students’ overall capabilities to identify, analyze, solve, and explain issues.
  • Through research guidance by multiple faculty members with different specialties, the program aims to help students acquire advanced problem-finding and problem-solving skills.
• Evaluation of learning achievements
  • The academic achievement of each course is evaluated based on the grading standards established by each department.
  • To review a thesis submitted by a graduate student, it evaluates the relevant learning achievements according to the assessment criteria for academic performance defined in advance. Moreover, it strictly evaluates the novelty and originality of the thesis in the thesis committee.
  • It verifies its educational program based on the learning achievements of graduate students and the questionnaire.

Department of Dryland Science

The Department of Dryland Science of the Graduate School of Sustainability Science at Tottori University, to enable its graduate students to acquire the skills shown in the policy for awarding degrees, organizes and implements a systematic educational program under the policies stated in the following:

• Educational program and contents
  • This department organizes a systematic educational program with specialized subjects composed of basic and advanced courses to acquire deep academic knowledge, as well as general subjects composed of foundational and transdisciplinary courses to obtain a broader perspective;
  • It provides such advanced subjects as not only deepening expertise but learning the quality of life of the people living on dryland, to systematically acquire knowledge and techniques in various fields on dryland science that include climate and ecosystems, as well as foods and agriculture on dryland.
  • It provides its graduate students with practical training in basic subjects incorporated in training in thesis writing in English and practical activities overseas, in order to acquire knowledge on advanced dryland science aiming to obtain knowledge and a grounding needed to be an international player.
  • It provides its graduate students with a subject on researcher’s ethics as a compulsory subject to acquire the high ethical standards required to carry out research.
• Method of education
  • This department develops the high-level communication skills of its graduate students in the way that graduate students whose areas of expertise are different study together in an interdisciplinary manner.
  • It provides education to improve its graduate students’ overall capabilities to identify, analyze, solve, and explain issues through practical exercises and research activities.
• Evaluation of learning achievements
  • This department evaluates the learning achievements of its graduate students according to the assessment established by the department and it also strictly evaluates the novelty and originality of the thesis in the thesis committee.

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science

The Graduate School of Sustainability Science (master’s program) at Tottori University widely accepts graduate students stated in the following by conducting various entrance examinations in this graduate course:

• Those who have achieved expertise and skills in the undergraduate courses on regional sciences, engineering, agricultural science, or dryland science
• Those who aspire to obtain a broad perspective and deep knowledge of global and local issues in the creation of a sustainable society
• Those who, with high ethical standards, aim to contribute to the creation and development of a sustainable society in cooperation with others
• Those who aspire to acquire communication skills to collaborate with other fields in order to create a sustainable society, taking advantage of their respective expertise

Department of Dryland Science