The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University
Guide for submitting a Doctoral dissertation
Ⅰ Requirements for submitting a dissertation(1) Course Doctoral① Students who have studied for 2 years and 8 months or over in UGSAS under tuition for the doctor's
program and get more than 14 credits.
② Students who have studied more than 1 year and 8 months and achieve very high standards in theirresearch activities and are recommended by their major supervisors.
③ Applicants who had left UGSAS with completion of three or more years in UGSAS and obtainmentof at least 14 credits including 11 credits of required subjects under necessary supervision. Doctoral
dissertation application must be submitted within three years from the date of having left UGSAS.
In addition to the qualifications for submission in ①, ② and ③ above, the applicant must have
two or more academic papers related to the doctoral dissertation in Japanese or English published inacademic journals issued by the professional societies.
a) If the academic paper is a co-authored paper, the applicant must be a first author and the co-author(s)must not have applied for the doctoral dissertation to any university in the past.
b) The Academic papers can include one that was published two years before entering the UGSAS ,but it is limited to one that forms part of a dissertation.
c) The Academic papers may include one with equally contributed authors by submitting a statementof reasons (optional form) and obtaining approval from the Graduate School Committee, but it islimited to that which forms part of a dissertation. Here, there are no restrictions on the number offirst authors or the order of authorship of the applicants in academic papers with equally contributedauthors.
【Patterns of Academic Papers acceptable for the Doctoral dissertation application】
Two years before entering
Application for Doctoral
After enrollment
Patternsthe UGSAS
dissertation
Acceptable
Single ・ Single①Single (one which forms partSingleAcceptable②of a dissertation)
Single ・ Equallycontributed (should submit
Acceptable③
the state of the reason)
Equally contributed (shouldSingle
Acceptable④submit the state of the reason)
SingleEqually contributed
NOT acceptable⑤⑥

Equally contributed
Equally contributed
NOT acceptable
Single: Academic paper with a first author
Equally contributed: Academic paper with Equally contributed authors※The applicant’s affiliation in the academic paper should be the United Graduate School ofAgricultural Sciences, Tottori University.
(2) Dissertation Doctorate
Passing the doctoral degree application qualification assessment. (See Appendix for qualificationassessment application criteria.)
In lieu of above, at least four publications closely related to their PhD dissertation in peer-reviewed,
academic journals in Japanese or English. These can not include academic papers with equallycontributed authors.
Ⅱ Submission period(1)Students who intend to obtain a Doctor's Degree within the years required for completing their courseof study (3 years)：

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Applicants should submit their dissertation before the middle of December for April admission (themiddle of June for October admission) of the third year of UGSAS.
(2)Students who are studying over three years，those who are qualified for I(1)②，③, or applicants for
Dissertation Doctorate：
Applications can be submitted at any time, though, doctoral degrees shall be conferred twice a year,
in September and March. Please be sure to submit documents for application by the specified date.
Please note that those who are qualified for I(1)② should pass the preliminary review board.
(3)Students who drop out UGSAS after they submit their dissertation：
Dissertation result shall be decided at the next General Academic Staff Meeting and theircompletion will be dated back to their leaving date.
Ⅲ Documents to submit(1) Course Doctoral① Application for doctoral degree (Form No. 1-1)
1 copy② List of publications (Form No. 2, also of sub publications)
1 copy③ Doctoral dissertation (in Japanese or in English)
1 copy④ Summary of doctoral dissertation
1 copy(Form No. 3: About 2,000 characters in Japanese or about 1,200 words in English
in 2 A4 papers.
⑤ Articles related to the doctoral dissertation published in academic
Each 1 copy
journals, and other articles that serve as references.
⑥ Curriculum vitae (Form No. 4)
1 copy⑦ If papers related to the dissertation have not yet been published,
Each 1 copy
submit official letters confirming that the articles will be
published or the publisher’s contract.
⑧ If papers related to the dissertation have co-authors, summaries
Each 1 copyof joint-worked publication (Form No.5)⑨ Agreement (extent undertaken by the applicant letters of consent
Each 1 copy
from co-authors) (Form No. 6)⑩ Notification Form of Internet Publication of Doctoral Dissertation (Form No. 15) 1 copy
⑪ If the full text cannot be published through the Internet,
1 copyapplication for publication of doctoral dissertation (Form No. 12)⑫ Electronic File of ②，④，⑥, ⑧(in MS Word format) and ③, ⑤ (in PDF format)⑬ Examination Fee：Only for the applicants who apply to 1(1)③and not exceed one year after having left UGSAS
57,000 yen※ If the applicant is unable to submit a letter of acceptance for publication of the academic paper at
the time of application for the doctoral degree, the applicant must submit a certificate of submission
showing that the paper has been or will be published, by 17:00 on the two days before the date ofthe dissertation defense (excluding holidays).
(2) Dissertation Doctorate① Application for doctoral degree (Form No. 1-2)②～⑫ Same as (1)Course Doctoral⑬ Certificate of Final School Graduated⑭ Certificate of Research History (Form No. 7)⑮ Recommendation from a Major-Supervisor⑯ Proposal for the examination of foreign language (Form No. 8)⑰ Examination Fee

1 copy1 copyEach 1 copy
1 copy1 copy57,000 yen

Ⅳ Submission procedures(1) All documents should be submitted in person or by mail to the Academic Affairs Section of the United
Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University.
(2) Payment of examination fee should be cleared on the day whose application was approved by thePresident of Tottori University．

2(3) Students intending to submit dissertation must consult with and obtain the permission of the major supervisor first.
Ⅴ Guidelines for doctoral dissertation, Summary of doctoral dissertation, and related papers(1) Doctoral dissertation①The dissertation should be printed on A4 size white paper. A typed version is preferred.
②Temporary binding is acceptable for the dissertation when first submitted. After passing the dissertation
defense, one bound–cover dissertation (two bound–cover theses if the UGSAS approves the request notto publish the full text on the Internet within a year after the date of conferment of a doctoral degree.)must be submitted at least one week before the doctorate conferment ceremony and they should meetthe following requirements.
Color and kind of cover paper:
Not specified
Font color:
BlackSize:
30cm(long)×21cm(wide) (standard A4 size paper)③If the dissertation is written in Japanese, the Japanese title on the front cover should be followed by an
English title in parentheses. If the dissertation is written in English, the English title on the front cover
should be followed by a Japanese title in parentheses.
④The cover must also have the name of the author and the year of the final submission of the dissertation(i.e., submission of bound–cover copy after passing the examination).
⑤English and Japanese summaries should be provided on the last page of the dissertation.
⑥The list of papers published related to the dissertation should be appended. Clearly indicate the sectionof the dissertation (which chapter) that relates to the published articles.
⑦Photographs should be reproduced in color in all copies of the bound dissertation.

If the title is in English, provide aJapanese translation.

Title ofDissertation

Year (in Arabic numerals)
20xx (year in which doctoral degree
will be conferred)

Name※ Please ensure that the front cover of your dissertation should be in the format shown above.

(2) Summary of dissertation①The summary should be printed on the form provided by the UGSAS (in MS Word format).
②Figures or chemical symbols should be clearly printed or copied.
(3) Papers related to dissertation①Related papers are publications in academic journals that are related to the theme of the dissertation andthey should be accepted after the applicants’ entrance of UGSAS. In principle, the candidate should be thefirst author of these publications.
The related papers should already have been published or should have been accepted for publication.
For articles not yet published, official letters confirming that the articles will be published, or a publisher’scontract should be attached. (For articles not yet published, one reprint of each article should be submitted
to the UGSAS after publication.)If the applicant is unable to submit a letter of acceptance for publication of the academic paper at thetime of application for the doctoral degree, the applicant must submit a certificate of submission showingthat the paper has been or will be published, by 17:00 on the two days before the date of the dissertation
defense (excluding holidays).
②For related papers published with co-authors, the applicant must have had a major role in the research,and the publications must not have previously been submitted to any university for the purposes of3

obtaining an academic degree by any of the co-authors.
Ⅵ Dissertation Defense
Only doctoral dissertation that satisfy all of the evaluation items of ‘Doctoral Dissertation Defense
Criteria for the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University’ can be accepted asdissertations.
In principle, the defense should be an open oral examination related to the content of the dissertation,
held at the participating university to which major supervisor is affiliated.
Candidates will be informed the date and time of the defense on the website of the UGSAS.
(1) Course Doctoral
An oral or written examination related to the dissertation should be carried out to ascertain that thecandidate has a wide knowledge.
(2) Dissertation Doctorate
An oral or written examination should be carried out to ascertain that the candidate has a wide
knowledge of the specialized field, equal to or exceeding the level of students who obtain the doctoral
degree after completing the doctoral course. Content of this examination should cover subjects related
to the content of the dissertation. In this case, candidates should also prove proficiency in one foreign
language (by describing method).
Ⅶ Submission of dissertation after dissertation and final examinations
The full text of the doctoral dissertation (in PDF format) and one copy (or two copies if the UGSAS
approves the request not to publish the full text on the Internet within a year after the date ofconferment of a doctoral degree.) of the bound–cover PhD dissertation should be submitted to theUGSAS, at least one week before the doctoral degree conferment ceremony.
In addition, if the summary of the doctoral dissertation is published within three months
after the date of conferment of a doctoral degree and part thereof is omitted for certain
reasons, the summary of the doctoral dissertation (Form No. 13: in MS Word format) should
also be submitted.
In addition, if the abstract of the doctoral dissertation (Form No. 14: in PDF format) is
published under unavoidable circumstances, the abstract of the doctoral dissertation (FormNo. 14: in PDF format) should also be submitted.
*************************************************************************************(Appendix)
Educational experience

Research experience

Completion of a Master’s degree course at an agricultural university
Graduation from an undergraduate university course specializing inagriculture
Graduation from or completion of a university undergraduate or
postgraduate course in a field other than agriculture

5 years ormore
8 years ormore
9 years or
more

Graduation from junior college or college of technology

12 years or more

Graduation from senior high school

15 years or more

Applicants who cannot categorized above will be assessed on individually at the Graduate SchoolCommittee.
Notes
Research experience is classified in the following terms, with the sum of all categories being the total
research period.
(1) Period spent conducting research as a full-time faculty member of an agriculture department or school ofa university.
(2) Period spent enrolled in a graduate school specializing in agriculture.
(3) Period spent in a university graduate department specializing in agriculture (e.g., as a full-time researchstudent)(4) Period spent as a full-time employee of a Japanese or foreign government-affiliated agricultural research4

institute or similar institution.
(5) Period spent gaining other experience judged by the Graduate School Committee to be of equal or greater
worth than the above categories.

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