Outline

　The AAP Course was established as a special 5-year English the master’s  and a doctoral Course for International Students from Asian, African, and Pacific Rim countries (AAP Special Course) and is offered by the Shikoku International Student Education Consortium through the Graduate School of Agriculture of Kagawa University and Consortium Universities from 2008. 

　The first two years are the master’s course at the Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University. The next three years will be a doctoral course at the United Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University (http://rendai.agr.ehime-u.ac.jp/english/), but research activities will be conducted at the Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University. 

【Program Goals】 

There are many challenges facing humanity , such as the protection of environment, climate change and the the population explosion, that are closely related to agriculture, agricultural technology and marine science. The AAP Special Course has been established to foster global leaders that can contribute to agriculture, agricultural technology and marine science, while utilizing the unique regional characteristics of the Shikoku area in research.

【Academic Plan】 

  1. The AAP special course is a five-year continuous education program composed of master’s and doctoral courses. After completion of all the requirements in the first two-year master’s course, a student will be awarded a master’s degree from the university where he/she was located. (The requirements include 30 credits from the AAP special course curriculum, an approved master’s thesis and a passing grade on the final examination.) Students are expected to continue their studies in the doctoral course (three years) of the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University. Students will be awarded doctoral degrees after completion of all requirements, which include gaining more than 12 credits, approval of their doctoral dissertation and passing the final examination. Furthermore students who would like to enroll in only the first two-year master’s course can also apply for the AAP special course. It is also possible to enroll from a three-year doctoral course. 
  2. This system enables students to create a curriculum that corresponds to their own needs. With the help of academic advisors, students can select from over 130 classes to develop their own unique program. 
  3. All classes and research instruction are given in English, however, all students are required to take a ‘Survival Japanese’ class after entering the program and, if desired, students may take other Japanese language classes. 

Admission Policy 

  • Knowledge and Understanding: Academic knowledge and skills at a bachelor degree level appropriate for advanced research on environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sciences to solve the essential issues related to the student’s home country. 
  • Thinking, Judgment and Implementation: The basic ability to identify and theoretically address the issues in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and related industries to solve those essential issues. 
  • Interest, Motivation and Attitude: The ability to actively works to solve the above issues ethically through independent thinking in cooperation with others. 
  • Skills, Expression and Explanation: Basic communication and presentation skills to explain one’s reasoning, judgment and achievement to others. 

Curriculum Policy 

  • “Introductory Subjects/Elective Subjects” provide basic knowledge on environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries for food production and basic techniques for presentation. Besides, the subjects include language education for basic conversational expressions and sentence structures essential for daily life in Japan*. 
    • *All students are required to take a Survival Japanese class after entering the program and students may take other optional Japanese language and culture classes. 
  • “Research Subjects” promotes the abilities to plan and execute research, and to debate and make presentations. 
  • “Practical Subjects” offer students a chance to gain experience in practical field-work for gaining work experience in Japanese companies, understanding the regional characteristics of the Shikoku area as an academic research field, and understanding the culture of Japan and Japanese communities in the Shikoku area.
  • “Specialized Subjects” provide a broad and high level of advanced knowledge on environmentally friendly food production through a curriculum that is developed by each student corresponding to own needs. 
  • The “Master’s Thesis” leads to the ability to understand advanced knowledge and to acquire experimental techniques as well as to develop logical and system thinking. 
  • Evaluation is comprehensively performed based on “Knowledge and Understanding “, “Theoretical Thinking, Judgment and Implementation”, “Interest, Motivation and Attitude” and “Skills, Expression and Explanation” acquired in the process of describing the Master’s thesis. 

Diploma Policy 

  • Knowledge and Understanding: Acquire comprehensive knowledge and understanding of technology concerning environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sciences, and certain knowledge of Japanese economy, industry, culture and tradition. 
  • Thinking, Judgment and Implementation: Acquire advanced ability and knowledge to identify and theoretically address important issues in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and industries. 
  • Interest, Motivation and Attitude: Acquire independent thinking skills with a global perspective, high ethical standards and the ability to work with others in order to serve as a leader in addressing these issues. 
  • Skills, Expression and Explanation: Acquire advanced communication and presentation skills to explain one’s reasoning, judgment and achievement to others. 

【Course Overview】