Features and Educational Goals of the Master’s Program

The purposes of the Graduate School of Health and Environmental Sciences are to teach and research academic theories and their applications, cultivate deep knowledge and research skills, and contribute to cultural development. To achieve these purposes, the Graduate School offers master’s programs in Natural Sciences and Environment, Nutritional and Health Sciences, and Environmental Management, and doctoral programs in Environmental Sciences and Nutritional and Health Sciences.
With the environment and health as the key underlying themes, the Master’s Program for Health and Environmental Sciences strives to deliver high-quality education and research from the perspectives of natural science to help students develop broad perspectives and advanced expertise in the related fields.

Diploma Policy

The Graduate School of Health and Environmental Sciences confers a master’s degree on students who have

• (1) gained the required credits; acquired a broad, basic-to-advanced understanding of health and environmental sciences, a field of study that aims to achieve a “health-promoting, environmentally-sustainable society,” and the necessary knowledge and skills to (a) pursue research or an advanced professional career in various health and environmental sciences fields, and (b) integrate the expertise from a variety of disciplines; and
• (2) enrolled at FWU for the specified number of years, successfully defended their dissertation or research paper on a particular topic, and passed the final examination.

Curriculum Policy

Based on its purposes and diploma policy statements, the Graduate School of Health and Environmental Sciences cultivates an understanding of the expertise and technical skills required in creating a health-promoting, environmentally-sustainable society as well as the ability to conduct original, advanced research. To achieve these objectives, the master’s program offers three areas of specialization, Natural Sciences and Environment, Nutritional and Health Sciences, and Environmental Management, whose curricula are designed in accordance with the policy stated below.

• (1) Provide Fundamental Subject to cultivate an awareness of the importance of concepts and approaches that provide the bases for building a health-promoting, environmentally-sustainable society, and develop an understanding in how integrating multiple disciplines can lead to solutions to environmental and societal problems.
• (2) Provide Common Subjects to offer experiential learning opportunities at universities, public organizations, private companies, and other institutions, with the aim of students contributing to society in practical ways at home and overseas.
• (3) Provide specialized courses in each area of specialization (Natural Sciences and Environment, Nutritional and Health Sciences, and Environmental Management) to develop advanced specialized knowledge and skills.
• (4) Provide research training appropriate to individual student needs through collaborative teaching involving a primary and secondary supervisor whose expertise align with the student’s research field.
• (5) Establish a guideline for rigorous and fair grading for graduate schools and consistently apply the criteria set out in the guideline to ensure proper grading.
• (6) Evaluate theses strictly in accordance with the Assessment Criteria for Master’s Theses of the Graduate School of Health and Environmental Sciences to ensure that degree award decisions are made properly and fairly.

Admission Policy

The Graduate School of Health and Environmental Sciences contributes to the development of health and environmental sciences, a field of study that aims to achieve a health-promoting, environmentally-sustainable society from the perspectives of health science, environmental science, and natural science that provide its foundation, by integrating such disciplines as family and consumer sciences, science, engineering, and social science. To achieve its purpose, the Graduate School offers three areas of specialization, Natural Sciences and Environment, Nutritional and Health Sciences, and Environmental Management, and provides education with the mission to produce graduates with advanced research skills, expertise, and abundant creativity. Students of the Master’s Program for Health and Environmental Sciences are expected to take advantage of the small-group teaching that provides opportunities for close interactions with teachers and independently organize experiments, practical training, and fieldwork, while actively sharing the knowledge and skills gained for the benefit of society.
Based on the above, the program seeks students with the following attributes and attitudes:

• (1) A keen interest in the field of health and environment, an ambition for self-improvement, and strong intellectual curiosity and creativity.
• (2) Motivation and drive to undertake experiments and research projects.
• (3) General knowledge in natural sciences and chemistry and biology in particular.
• (4) A keen interest in the real-world issues related to the human health environment, natural environment, and living environment.
• (5) Motivation to drive the creation of a health-promoting, environmentally-friendly society by sharing research findings with the public.

Admission of working adults

• (1) Acceptance of working adults
  There is growing momentum for university graduates working at companies, educational institutions, government ministries and agencies, and various other organizations to pursue graduate studies to further their knowledge and skills as part of life-long learning. To actively support working adults who desire to return to education, various scheduling accommodations are offered, including the Special Provision for Working Adults described below.
• (2) Special Provision for Working Adults
  The special provision for learning arrangements allows working teachers, public servants, company employees, organization and facility staff, and individuals with legitimate and extenuating circumstances, such as childbirth and elderly care, to take classes in the evening, on Saturdays, or during summer or winter breaks. Note that all first-year students should in principle attend daytime classes regardless of their entitlement to this provision.
  Second year students can attend classes or receive research training in the evening or at other specified times or periods with the approval of their supervisor.

Program extension policy

To encourage motivated working adults to pursue graduate studies, the program extension policy grants students an extension of time to complete their program beyond the standard timeframe, based on a request for extension and a proposed schedule submitted by the student at the time of enrollment. The program extension policy applies also to individuals with legitimate and extenuating circumstances, such as childbirth and elderly care.
By taking advantage of this policy, students can be granted an extension up to a maximum of four years for the master’s programs and six years for the doctoral programs to earn the required credits for their degree without additional tuition or fees.