Curricula overview
The Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences (FBS) offers a 5 year-doctorate program. A master's degree will be awarded in an interim period assuming the necessary requirements are fulfilled.
At FBS, intensive courses ensure that all new students can acquire basic knowledge and techniques in their first year. This enables them to master the basics of bioscience research in fields other than their respective specialties. From the beginning of their graduate studies, our educational environment fills the gaps in students’ knowledge and skills to prepare them for conducting their own graduate research.
Courses
First and second year students are expected to take a series of core courses that include lectures and practicals, a minimum number of elective courses, and their thesis dissertation.
Core courses in Japanese are taken between April and July, and core courses in English are taken in October and January during the first academic year. These include a series of subjects that include math, physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. The practicals involve experiments and computer simulations.
Electives can be taken anytime during the first two academic years.
Thesis dissertation credits are to acknowledge the steady progress of a student’s research.
These credits include their thesis defense. For details, please speak to your supervisor.
Master's degree
In February of the 2nd academic year, students must prepare an oral presentation of their research achievements as their mid-term exam. Students will receive a master's degree following the completion of the required credits and passing their presentation defense. Details here.
3rd year courses
In the last half of the course, students will spend more time on their research. Additionally, for a short period students must also participate in research conducted at labs other than the one they belong to promote interdisciplinary research. This lab must correspond to Project Research. Students will also be required to continue their dissertation research that will eventually lead to a thesis publication. Details here.
Degree conferral
PhD students will receive their doctorate degree after earning the required credits, preparing their doctoral dissertations, and following a public doctoral defense. Doctoral dissertations are judged by committee members selected for each defense. Before the final public defense, a preliminary examination is set up to evaluate the preparation status regarding the submission of the doctoral dissertation. Details here.
Early graduation
Students can earn their doctorate in less than the allotted five years if the department deems their work acceptable.
Details here.
