Master’s Program in Environmental Sciences
2014 Revised Guideline forSustainability Science, Technology, and Policy Program (SUSTEP)BACKGROUND & CONCEPTS
The increasing demand for food, water, energy, and land has caused large-scale environmental
degradation worldwide. The developing world is especially vulnerable to these debilitatingconsequences. Higher education and R&D are vital in mitigating environmental problems
through the creation, dissemination and application of innovations for the sustainable world.
Considering these urgent needs, the University of Tsukuba has launched the Sustainability
Science, Technology, and Policy Program (SUSTEP) to foster global leaders, who are highly
trained in science/technology, humanity/social sciences, and diplomacy/leadership. Whilesocieties face different challenges to overcome, effective education for nourishing prospective
global leaders is the first step. In this regard, the University of Tsukuba has offered theEnvironmental Diplomatic Leader (EDL) Program and the Waste Management Expert Course(G30 Program) since 2009. Through running these programs, the Master’s Program inEnvironmental Sciences and the Doctoral Program in Sustainable Environmental Studies haveacquired valuable experiences and insights that are essential in producing promising globalleaders. By incorporating all of our past experiences and insights, SUSTEP has merged the EDLand G30 programs and go beyond them by offering an innovative and practical education
system that promotes sustainable human resource development in the world, particularly in Asia,Africa and Latin America.

SUSTEP under the Master’s Degree Program
SUSTEP is a certificate program, which is administered by the Master's Program in
Environmental Sciences and the Doctoral Program in Sustainable Environmental Studies. It isdesigned for educating both Japanese and international students. Successful students will earn a
SUSTEP certificate along with their master’s degree. All students, who are admitted to themaster’s program at the University of Tsukuba or an officially affiliated university, are eligible
to apply for this certificate program.

Implementation Pillars in SUSTEPStrong research skill in knowledge acquisition;
Increased intellectual capacity and awareness of global and local issues;
Enhanced curriculum for global leaders education;
Multinational cooperation and brainstorming.

Innovative Curriculum:
SUSTEP—

Offers courses on advanced technologies, sciences and policies for sustainability;
Provides research supervision through the academic committee system
Offers field studies in Japan and abroad;
Provides the opportunity to work for an international research project that is led by ourfaculty members;
Offers rigorous training in four major areas;
Fosters interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that are necessary to solve complex
sustainability issues.
1Requirements
In order to receive a SUSTEP certificate, all students must meet the following six criteria:

Take at least one course from the major of Environmental Policy and Planning (EPP);
Earn 5 credits or more from designated courses in one of SUSTEP’s majors;
Take either International Field Appraisal or Environmental Field Appraisal;At the time of graduation, have 30 credits or more from English courses;
Complete master’s thesis in English;
Master’s thesis must be related to SUSTEP concepts.

Requirements to obtain a Master’s Degree in Environmental SciencesComplete 18 credits from compulsory courses;
Complete at least 12 credits from specialized courses;
Credits taken from other master’s programs can be regarded as part of specializedcourses (up to 10 credits) as long as course contents are necessary for the completion ofmaster’s thesis.
Make interim and final thesis presentations and pass a thesis defense.

2Four SUSTEP Majors
In order to refine expertise and specialized practical skills, SUSTEP offers students theopportunity to choose the following “Majors.” Successful recipients of SUSTEP
certificates will receive special recognition regarding their major field.

1. Environmental Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Climate Change (EHyDIP-CC)
The hydrological cycle is the principal component in the global environment and life.
Also, natural disasters profoundly affect human life in a variety of regions on earth.
Both phenomena are relevant climate change issues. Therefore, we have to understandthe interaction between hydrological phenomena and natural disasters that areinfluenced by climate change. Particularly, we focus on the surface water andgroundwater cycle system, contamination processes in the surface water/groundwatercontinuum system, water source/age/profile information in relation to climate and ecosystems. In environmental disaster prevention, we focus on natural disasters ofearthquake, landslide, debris flow and flooding while considering hydrology. In thismajor, we would like to foster global leaders who have a scientific and technologicalunderstanding of the factors mentioned above and who gain a comprehensive
understanding of environmental policy, ethics, regional culture, and traditional wisdom.
Students are expected to make important contributions to maintaining a sustainable andsafe water environment, disaster prevention and climate system.

Elective Courses Available for This Major
CodeClassCreditTerm

Professor

01AD301

Introduction to Water
Environment

2Fall ABTsujimura

01AD302

Integrated Water Science andTechnology2

Fall AB

Fukushima, Tsujimura

01AD592

Prevention and mitigation ofsediment disaster2

Fall AB

Hotta, Mizuno

01AD316

Climate System Study I

1Spring AB

Ueda

01AD315

Climate System Study II

1Spring AB

Tanaka3

2. Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation and Remediation (EBCR)
It is not disputable that ecosystem and biodiversity protection, rehabilitation, andrestoration are urgently needed. In response to human-induced and natural disturbancessuch as air and water pollution, deforestation and natural disasters, animals, plants, andmicroorganisms have developed their survival abilities through defense mechanisms andremediate environments, which may contain breakthrough ideas to solve interlocked
problems. To learn the basic mechanisms of ecosystems together with soil science,microbiology, and analytical chemistry will help students foster analytical methods andskills and enhance their ability to create innovative measures to mitigate complicatedenvironmental issues.

Elective Courses Available for this Major
CodeClassCreditTerm

Professor

01AD411

Terrestrial Ecology

2Fall AB

Hirota01AD303

Ecological Soil Resources

2IntensiveTamura

01AD305

Environmental Microbiology

2

Fall AB

Nomura, Toyofuku

01AD318

Vegetation Science

1

Fall A

Kamijo et al

01AD605

Environmental Healthperspective2

Spring AB

Kumagai, Shinkai

3. Integrated Resource and Waste Management (IRWM)
Decoupling economic growth from environmental pressure and resource overconsumption is one of the greatest challenges of our time. If we add the socio-economic
disparities, between and within countries, the challenge becomes even morecomplicated. In recent decades, Asian countries have enjoyed a sustained period ofrapid economic growth. However, this economic growth has been accompanied byextensive and inefficient use of natural resources, environmental degradation, andurban–rural socio-economic disparities. The Integrated Resource and Waste
Management (IRWM) Major offers a set of intensive courses for students who wish toacquire advanced knowledge about best available technologies and management
systems that control and reduce the generation of waste through the whole product andsystem lifecycle. It also focuses on adaptive control approaches that improve such
system performance. This Major also provides students with advanced professional andtechnical knowledge in the management of environmental risk, including the risk oftoxic wastes to human health and the management of e-waste. The seminar courses for
Master’s Thesis include weekly presentations and discussions about research progress.
Each student will be supervised by an academic committee, which consists of academic
advisory committee members and one supervisor.

4Elective Courses Available for This Major
CodeClassCredit

TermProfessor

01AD311

Introduction to Waste
Management

2

Spring AB

Yabar

01AD312

Solid Waste Management
Systems Planning

2Fall ABYabar

01AD307

Utilization and Recycling of Bioresources

2

Fall AB

Zhang, Utsumi, Lei

01AD222

Soil and Water Environment
Colloid Science2

Intensive

Adachi

4. Environmental Policy and Planning (EPP)
Environmental conservation and economic development are in a trade-off relationship.
This trade-off can be improved by striking a better balance between higher economic
development and updated environmental bench marks. This major aims to foster
experts who are able to: (1) identify socio-economic and ecological factors behindenvironmental problems; (2) profile the structure and mechanism of trade-off; (3)identify suitable and adaptable environmental remediation technologies and policies inorder to control the environment and natural resources; and (4) construct acomprehensive environmental plan. Main topics of interests are environmental
economics, environmental leadership, ethics, geography, urban planning, and policy
science. Graduates are expected to be active in various fields related with environmental
issues as policy makers and planners.

Elective Courses Available for this Major
CodeClassCredit

TermProfessor

01AD601

Applied Environmental Ethics

2Fall AB

Matsui

01AD310

Environmental Policy Appraisal

2

Fall ABHigano01AD317

Introduction to Environmental
Policy1

Fall ABKaida

01AD430

Environmental Law

2Intensive

01AD607

Policy and Planning for Forest
Conservation

2

Fall AB

Masuda01AD600

Landscape Planning

1

Fall AB

Murakami

01AD603

Spatial Information Engineering inEnvironmental Science

1

Fall AB

Yoshino

01AD614

Simulation of Environmental Policy

2

Spring AB

Mizunoya5