Agricultural Science

Graduate School of Agricultural Science

The Tohoku University Graduate School of Agricultural Science promotes original basic research as well as applied research in the fields of agriculture related to food, health, and the environment that are closely related to improving human well-being and survival. In this graduate school, in addition to advanced specialized knowledge and academic proficiency related to the basic academic fields of agriculture, our interdisciplinary perspective has positive implications for a wide range of social and academic issues. We strive to train people to lead the quest to find solutions to global food and environmental problems, and in the continued development of Japan’s agriculture – forestry and fisheries – and food industries. For this reason, we seek people who have a strong interest in the fields of agriculture and research, and a strong motivation to be leaders in society, boldly taking on new approaches to solve future problems. As part of the acceptance process, we will carry out three types of entrance examinations: general selection, special selection for international students, and special selection for mature students.

Master’s Degree Program

We train people to carry out original agricultural research that contributes to society from an international perspective, while considering social and academic needs and expanding bioindustry in novel ways. For this reason, we seek candidates with the following qualifications:

1. Proficiency and a wide range of skills related to food, health, and the environment, a broad perspective on the world based on nutrition, and an agriculture mindset stemming from a background in a wealth of teachings in these areas.
2. Fundamental language skills in Japanese and English necessary to collect and utilize data related to a specialized field.
3. High ethical standards and motivation for the advancement of science and technology and its contribution to society.
4. Self-awareness and desire to play a fundamental role as a leader in the global society.

The application process for both “general selection” and “special selection for international students” requires a written exam to evaluate specialized knowledge in the field of agriculture, an English proficiency test (choice of Japanese or English for international students), and an oral examination (interview) to assess the applicant’s motivation and aptitude for conducting relevant research and willingness to contribute to society. Successful candidates will be selected based strongly on the results of the specialized subject written test and the foreign language proficiency test.
The “special selection for mature adults” requires a written exam to evaluate specialized knowledge and an essay to evaluate critical thinking ability related to the field of study, and an oral exam (interview) to evaluate the applicant’s motivation and aptitude for conducting relevant research and willingness to contribute to society. The results of the three examinations will be evaluated with almost the same weight when selecting successful candidates.
Before enrolling, candidates should acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills in the field of agriculture and the basic language skills necessary for advanced research.

Doctoral Program

We train people with advanced communication skills and an outstanding ability to carry out independent and original agricultural research that contributes to society from an international perspective, while considering social and academic needs and expanding bioindustry in novel ways on a global level. For this reason, we seek candidates with the following qualifications:

1. Proficiency and a wide range of skills related to food, health, and the environment, a broad perspective on the world based on nutrition, an agriculture mindset stemming from a background in a wealth of teachings in these areas, and the ability to conduct independent research.
2. Ability to disseminate research findings from an international perspective.
3. High ethical standards and motivation for the advancement of science and technology and its contribution to society.
4. Self-awareness and desire to play a fundamental role as a leader in the global society.

The application process for both “general selection” and “special selection for international students” requires a written exam to evaluate specialized knowledge in the field of agriculture, an English proficiency test (choice of Japanese or English for international students), and an exam based on the content of the student’s Master’s thesis to assess the applicant’s motivation and aptitude for conducting relevant research and willingness to contribute to society. Successful candidates will be selected based strongly on the results of the specialized subject written test and the foreign language proficiency test.
The “special selection for mature adults” requires a written exam to evaluate specialized knowledge about the field of study, a test to evaluate research achievements, an essay to evaluate critical thinking ability regarding the field of study, and an oral exam (interview) to evaluate the applicant’s motivation and aptitude for conducting relevant research and willingness to contribute to society.The results of the three examinations will be evaluated with almost the same weight when selecting successful candidates.
Before enrolling, candidates should acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills in the field of agriculture and the basic language skills necessary to conduct advanced research.