Curriculum Policy in the Graduate School of Agriculture

Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University establish a curriculum composed of fundamental subjects (3 credits), common subjects for rare sugar (2 credits), and intermediate subjects (1 credit or more) as common subjects of the graduate school; as well as major seminar (3 credits), specialized subjects (7 credits or more including 4 credits of course specified subjects), and research for master’s thesis (14 credits) in order to foster human resources shown in the diploma policy. The curriculum requirement is 30 credits or more and to pass the final examination with a presentation of the master’s thesis. The Graduate School of Agriculture adopts the quarter system for all lecture subjects which are set in the 1st to 4th quarters of the 1st year. Lecture subjects are conducted by various forms specified in the syllabus and research subjects are given from the main and secondary supervisors as daily guidance. The principles outlined in the diploma policy are realized through the educational methods described below.
1. Expert Knowledge and Understanding
*Students acquire the mind of R & D (research and development) and a research topic of rare sugar science by taking common subjects for rare sugar including “Rare Sugar Innovation,” usually in their 1st year. In addition, students understand and acquire a wide range of knowledge by specialized subjects of applied biological science of 4 courses established from the 1st to 4th quarter of each year. Moreover, students will acquire a wide range of specialized knowledge necessary for an advanced occupational person by “Advanced Research Topics” (intermediate subject) which is established from their 1st to 2nd year.
2. Research and Applicability
*Students acquire presentation skills and discussion abilities by “Applied Bioscience Crosstalk Seminar” in their 1st year and “Major Seminar” held at the laboratory unit during their 1st and 2nd years. Students tackle “Master’s Thesis Research” under the guidance of several teachers over the course of two years and set up research subjects related to the specialty, build hypotheses and decide methods for solving, and analyze to take results and conclusion. Students cultivate research abilities and specialized applicability through compiling them in the master’s thesis.
3. Ethics and Social Responsibility
*Students acquire the basic knowledge to become a highly professional person in society by taking “Literacy for Scientific Study” which is offered in the 1st quarter in the 1st year to learn research ethics, education for safety, information literacy, intellectual property, etc.
4. Global Mind
*Students acquire presentation skills using English at “Basic Communications for International Study” held in the 1st quarter of 1st year. Furthermore, more advanced English, presentation abilities and international perspectives are cultivated in “International Scientific Internships”, “Advanced International Scientific Communication”, “Practical International Scientific Communication”, etc. Students who are interested in studying abroad can take “International Study” in which they investigate on overseas and acquire a practical global mindset for research. Students can also acquire a global mind by participating in the Double Degree Program and Joint Master’s Program. *Academic achievement is evaluated by the degree of comprehension of acquired knowledge for lecture subjects and the ability to give a good explanation. The students’ ability to plan and implement research with knowledge and expert technologies for research subjects are also taken into account. Students are evaluated strictly on a five-level grading system and grade point averages [GPAs]. For Master’s thesis, a final examination is conducted by a judging committee (one chief examiner, two or more sub-examiners, and outside examiners may be present) based on the degree examination criteria prescribed by this graduate school.

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