“Human Security and Environment” Program
The Graduate School of Environmental Studies
Tohoku University― Guidance for the Entrance Examination on October 2023 ―Application period： December 19, 2022 - January 27, 2023
Examination date： February 10 - 24, 2023
November 2022
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University

“Human Security and Environment”――― Guidance for Entrance Examination ―――
I. AimWhile human activities have achieved a high degree of social and economic development,at the same time they have altered the global environment and are creating new challenges thatcannot be completely solved without interdisciplinary and integrated perspectives from bothsocial and natural sciences. Tohoku University established the “International Joint Educational
Program in Human Security” from April 2005 to March 2019. This involved the cooperation of
the Graduate School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Agricultural Science, the Graduate
School of International Cultural Studies and the Graduate School of Environmental Studies.
Our institute, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, took part in this program to
educate students from environmental perspectives.
Even though the original Human Security program was terminated in March 2019, theimportance of this educational concept has not been extinguished. The Graduate School ofEnvironmental Studies thus built on this predecessor by launching the “Human Security andEnvironment” program. This aims to give future students in this graduate school the opportunity
to take lectures of multiple subjects provided by the International Joint Graduate Program in
Resilience and Safety Studies (GP-RSS), which inherited the curriculum style of the Human
Security. Like the previous Human Security program, GP-RSS involves collaboration acrossseveral graduate schools: the Graduate School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, the Graduate School of Engineering, the Graduate School of International Cultural
Studies, and the Graduate School of Environmental Studies.
All students entering the Graduate School of Environmental Studies through the entrance
examination procedure of the “Human Security and Environment” program will acquireleadership in the field of human security and gain skills to address multiple global andanthropogenic issues.

II. Curriculum and degree
A. Curriculum
Students applying for the “Human Security and Environment” program though thisexamination procedure need to belong to either of the departments indicated below:

Department of Environmental Studies for Advanced Society
Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment; Eco-materials andProcessing
Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment; Applied Environmental
Chemistry
Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment; Cultural Environmental
Studies

The applicant must indicate the name of department and a possible supervisor in theapplication form. Also, students need to complete the requirements of each department, in
addition to some lectures provided by GP-RSS.
Master’s Course (two-year course):
Interdisciplinary subjects:
Environmental Resilience and Energy Security (Environment)
Energy and Resource Resilience Strategies (Environment)
Transdisciplinary subjects:
Human Security and Global Health (Medicine)
Health and Social Resilience for Large-Scale Disasters (Medicine)International Development Studies (Agriculture)
Food Economics (Agriculture)
Global Governance and Safety (Culture)
Environmental Resilience and Sustainability (Culture)
Hydro-Environmental Studies (Engineering)
Theory of Disaster Prevention Systems (Engineering)
Doctoral Course (three-year course):
Interdisciplinary development subjects:
Advanced Lecture on Environmental Resilience and Energy Security (Environment)
Advanced Lecture on Energy and Resource Resilience Strategies (Environment)
Transdisciplinary development subjects:
Advanced Lecture on Human Security and Global Health (Medicine),
Advanced Lecture on Health and Social Resilience for Large-Scale Disasters (Medicine)
Advanced Lecture on International Development Studies (Agriculture)
Advanced Lecture on Food Economics (Agriculture)
Advanced Lecture on Global Governance and Safety (Culture)
Advanced Lecture on Environmental Resilience and Sustainability (Culture)
Advanced Lecture on Hydro-Environmental Studies (Engineering)
Advanced Lecture on Theory of Disaster Prevention Systems (Engineering)
B. Degree
Students must acquire the following credits at least to be awarded a degree.
Master’s Course (two-year course):
1. Credits required by each department
2. One interdisciplinary subject provided by the Graduate School of Environmental
Studies in GP-RSS and two transdisciplinary subjects provided by the otherdepartments (in total three subjects or more)
Doctoral Course (three-year course): at least 16 credits, including the followings:
1. Credits required in each department
2. Two transdisciplinary development subjects provided by GP-RSS. These subjects must
be different from those taken in the master’s course.
Master’s degrees will be conferred with the title of “Master of Interdisciplinary Studies” or“Master of Environmental Studies”. Doctoral degrees will be conferred with the titles “Doctorof Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Studies)” or “Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Studies)”.
III. Admission
1. Admission Policy
A. Tohoku University
Philosophy & Mission
With over 100 years of history and distinguished traditions, Tohoku University has
developed excellence in education and research under its principles of "Research First,""Open Doors," and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education" since its establishment in
1907. The university will maintain these traditions while looking toward even more
dramatic progress in the future. As a world-leading center of education and research, itwill contribute greatly to the human race by grappling with the difficult and complex
issues facing the 21st century. Tohoku University will focus its efforts of its faculties,
graduate schools, and research institutes to foster ethical international leaders who will
carry humanity into the future, while expanding its globally renowned creative research
for the benefit of society at large.
Characteristics
1) Three Foundational Ideals"Research First," "Open Doors," and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education"— soon after its founding, Tohoku University established this set of unique ideals, thesubstance of which it is continually developing in response to our changing times.
2) Rich Educational Environment
Tohoku University has numerous research organizations and facilities, primarily
comprising 10 undergraduate schools, 15 graduate schools, 3 professional graduate
schools, and 6 research institutes. Research institute staff also participate in educational
activities (there are approx. 3,000 instructors; enrollment limits are approx. 2,400 for
undergraduates, 2,700 for graduate students).
3) Research University
Tohoku University is a school that continuously produces numerous internationallyrecognized research results and concertedly pushes forward with leading-edge researchand education.
4) Active Regional/Industrial-Academic Ties
The university is actively working to expand its diverse regional and industrial ties.
5) Globalizing Education and Research
Among Japan's national universities, Tohoku University is one of the top schools interms of agreements with overseas universities. It is actively expanding exchange ineducation and research. The university strives to foster globally active individuals
through strong support for studying abroad by Japanese students, as well as recruitmentof numerous international students.
Ideal Tohoku University Applicants
Tohoku University seeks students who sympathize with the university's principles
and who are motivated by:① the desire to make outstanding contributions as world-class researchers byaddressing the issues facing humanity in the 21st century, and② the desire to make outstanding contributions to the development of society as highly
specialized professionals who possess abundant knowledge and leadership.

To realize these ambitions, students should also have strength of will, academic
curiosity, a broad perspective, and an excellent foundation of specialized knowledge
and abilities.
Tohoku University Admissions Process (Graduate School)
Depending on the number and type of candidates sought, Tohoku University
graduate schools provide multiple categories of, and opportunities for undergoing,
entrance exams to meet the needs of candidates from diverse backgrounds. Schools may
evaluate the candidate's qualifications, abilities, and specialization using interviews,
application documents such as research plans, proficiency exams, and external tests.
B. Tohoku University Graduate School of Environmental Studies
By bringing together the multidisciplinary knowledge of Tohoku University, the Graduate
School of Environmental Studies (GSES) aims to establish environmental science as anintegrated discipline that transcends the traditional divisions of the humanities and sciencesin order to establish a culture supporting sustainable development as well as technologies andsystems needed to establish resource-circulating societies. To achieve this goal, GSES has set
the educational objective of fostering individuals equipped with a combination of broad
knowledge and deep expertise relevant to the understanding and solving of environmental
problems. By effectively integrating insights from existing academic fields while creating
new frontiers of knowledge, GSES seeks to foster environmental professionals capable ofplaying an active role in the international community. GSES is looking for students who sharethese goals. We especially welcome applicants with a strong desire and ability to carry out
study and research, and the fundamental academic skills needed to achieve their goals.
Six entrance examination subject-groups are conducted to match the varying expertise of
applicants. In each subject-group, students are selected through six different examination
procedures: General Selection, Special Selection for Recommended Students, Special
Selection for Working Persons, Special Selection for International Students, and Special
Selection for Graduates of the Early Graduation System. Selection is made based on theapplicant’s motivation to conduct research in line with the educational goals of GSES, as wellas academic knowledge and outstanding research capabilities.
(Master's course (2 years))
In the General Selection examination, applicants are required to take a written
examination to evaluate their specialized knowledge in the relevant field, logical thinking,and ability to write an essay about a specific topic. In addition, applicants must sit an oral
examination or interview (here in after referred to as the "oral examination") to evaluate theirmotivations and research ability as well as their capacity to carry out environmental sciencein an integrated setting. The selection process is based on a comprehensive evaluation that
includes the results of both the written and oral examination, with emphasis placed on thewritten examination's outcome.
Although the content of the examinations for the Special Selection examinations differs
according to the characteristics of the targeted applicants, the evaluation and scoringprocedure is essentially the same as that of the General Selection examination. However, inthe case of the examination for the Special Selection for Working Persons, the relevance of
the applicant's professional experience to the proposed research topic is assessed during theoral examination. In the case of the Special Selection for International Students examinationin the Humanities and Social Science Group, whether the applicant’s Japanese proficiency is
sufficient for research will also be assessed. In all fields, we expect applicants to haveacquired the English language skills necessary for writing and discussing research papers aswell as understanding the fundamentals of each specialized field before entering the GSES
master courses.
(Doctoral course (3 years))
The General Selection examination may include a written component to ascertain if
applicants possess a high level of specialized knowledge in the relevant academic field.
However, in particular, the oral examination will be used to comprehensively evaluate theapplicant's ability to think logically and formulate a research plan based on a criticalconsideration of previous research.
In the same way, although the examinations of the Special Selection for Working Persons
and the Special Selection for International Students may also include a written examination
to assess the applicant's possession of specialized knowledge, selection will mainly be madeon the quality of the research proposal along with the applicant's motivation and sense of
mission to carry out academic research in a university setting. In the Special Selection for
Working Persons and the Special Selection for International Students, while the applicant's
expertise may be assessed through a written examination if necessary, selection is mainly
based on the oral examination.
In all fields, we expect applicants to have acquired both advanced skills and fundamental
knowledge in their respective fields of specialization as well as the ability to orally present
research in academic conferences and publish academic papers.
2. Application procedure
A. Conditions for application
1) Applicants for the Master's Course must be living outside Japan at the time of
application and satisfy one of the following conditions:(1) Have graduated from a university of Japan.
(2) Have acquired a Bachelor degree from a higher education institution approved as a
National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher
Education of Japan.
(3) Completed or expect to complete 16 years of education in a foreign education institution
by September 2023.
(4) Have completed 16 years of foreign education in Japan through a correspondent courseof a foreign university or school while residing in Japan.
(5) Have completed 16 years of a foreign education at an educational institution located inJapan.
※ The educational institution shall be one that has been approved by the educational
system of that country and designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology of Japan.
(6) Be conferred or expect to be conferred a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree uponcompletion of a curriculum that has a course term of three years or longer at a university
or other school (limited to schools whose overall educational and research activities
have been evaluated by the relevant country's government or a government-approved
individual, or are designated separately as having met this requirement by the Ministerof Education) in a foreign country (including cases in which the student completed thecurriculum by taking subjects conducted via distance learning while the student resided
in Japan, and cases in which the student has completed a curriculum at an educational
facility that is positioned within that country's educational system as per the previous
item) by September 2023.
(7) Have graduated from a specialized course of a professional school designated by the
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, on or after
the date fixed by the Minister, or be expecting to graduate.

※ A specialized course shall be more than 4 years and meet other criteria stipulatedby the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.
(8) Have been designated as eligible by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology of Japan.
(9) Have entered a graduate school of another university according to Clause 2 of Article
102 of the School Education Law, and be deemed by the graduate school of Tohoku
University to have a sufficient eligibility to study at that graduate school.
(10) Be 22 years of age or older by the end of September 2023 and, through individual
entrance qualification screening, be deemed by the Graduate School of Environmental
Studies, Tohoku University to have achieved an academic standard equivalent to or
more than those who have graduated from a university.
*1 Applicants need to consult with a possible supervisor about the intended area of research
prior to the application.
*2 Applicants corresponding to (6) need to contact with the administration office by
December 9, 2022 to check eligibility.
*3. Applicants corresponding to (9) and (10) need to submit documents for application
qualification to the administration office by December 9, 2022. The document format
is provided by the administration office.
2) Applicants for the Doctoral Course of the program must be living outside Japan at
the time of application and satisfy one of the following conditions:(1) Have acquired a Master or Professional degree.
(2) Have acquired a degree on par with a Master or Professional degree abroad, or expect
to acquire one, by September 2023.
(3) Have acquired a Master or Professional degree abroad through a correspondent course
while residing in Japan.
(4) Have acquired a Master or Professional degree at educational institution located inJapan that is designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology of Japan.
(5) Have completed a course of the United Nations University, and have acquired or expect
to acquire the degree equivalent to a Master degree by September 2023.
(6) Have completed a course at an educational institution which runs courses from a foreignschool or graduate school, or completed that of United Nation University, and be
admitted to have achieved an academic standard equivalent to or more than those who
possess a Master degree by passing the exam and eligibility screening in accordancewith Clause 2 of Article 16 of the Graduate School Establishment Standards.
(7) Be designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technologyof Japan as follows;i. Engaged in research activities in universities or research institutes for more than 2years after graduation, with an academic ability deemed by the eligibility screeningof the Tohoku University to be equivalent to those who obtained a Master orProfessional degree.
ii. Engaged in research activities in universities or research institutes for more than 2years after completing a formal 16-year school education abroad or 16-year offoreign education in Japan through a correspondent course of a foreign university or
school while residing in Japan, with an academic ability deemed by the eligibility
screening of the Tohoku University to be equivalent to those who obtained a Master'sor Professional degree.
(8) Be 24 years of age or older by the end of September 2023 and, through individual
entrance qualification screening, be deemed by the Graduate school of Environmental
Studies, Tohoku University to have achieved an academic standard equivalent to ormore than those who obtained a Master or Professional degree.
*1 Applicants need to consult with a possible supervisor about the research plan in thisprogram prior to the application.
*2 Applicants corresponding to (7) need to contact with the possible supervisor by
December 9, 2022 to check eligibility.
*3 Applicants corresponding to (8) need to contact with the administration office by
December 9, 2022 to check eligibility.
B. Documents required for application
It is desirable that all university certifications and transcripts are issued in English. If not,they should be attached by an English or Japanese translation officially verified by theinstitute that the certification issued. If it is difficult to submit an officially verified translation,please consult with the administration office prior to the application.


We cannot return any documents you submitted.
We cannot accept any copies, digital files, or printouts from digital files of thecertification.
< Two-year Master’s Course >1. An application form and curriculum vitae (using the prescribed format)
2. An official grade transcript issued by the applicant’s home university
3. An official graduate certification issued by the applicant’s home university
4. A certificate of the applicant’s Bachelor degree issued by the applicant’s home university
5. A formal certificate of TOEFL® test/ TOEIC® test score- Valid official tests: TOEFL-iBT®, TOEFL-PBT®, TOEIC® (Listening & Reading Test)- It is necessary to submit the certificate by 10:00 AM (Japan time) of 27 January 2023.
We cannot accept certificates of TOEFL®/ TOEIC® test scores obtained before 2020.The DI code for sending the TOEFL® test (Official Score Certificate) directly to the
Graduate School is "C648".
- We only accept TOEFL iBT® scores from a single test date, not MyBestTM scores.
- We cannot return the certificate of the TOEFL®/ TOEIC® score. However we will return
the Test Taker Score Report if requested.
6. A research proposal
7. A letter of reference- This should be written by an academic advisor who can evaluate the applicant’s
research ability through previously conducted academic activities (there are no specificformat requirements for this letter).
8. Examination fee of 30,000 Japanese yen- Please make payment at the following website. (Credit card payment)
https://e-shiharai.net/ecard/index.html< Three-year Doctoral Course >1. An application form and curriculum vitae (using the prescribed format)
2. An official grade transcript issued by the applicant’s home graduate school
3. An official grade transcript issued by the applicant’s home university
4. An official graduate certification issued by the applicant’s home graduate school
5. A certificate of the applicant’s Master’s degree issued by the applicant’s home graduate
school
6. A formal certificate of TOEFL® test/ TOEIC® test score- Valid official tests: TOEFL-iBT®, TOEFL-PBT®, TOEIC® (Listening & Reading Test)- It is necessary to submit the certificate by 10:00 AM (Japan time) of 27 January 2023.

We cannot accept certificates of TOEFL®/ TOEIC® test scores obtained before 2020.
- The DI code for sending the TOEFL® test (Official Score Certificate) directly to the
Graduate School is "C648".
- We only accept TOEFL iBT® scores from a single test date, not MyBestTM scores.
- We cannot return the certificate of the TOEFL®/ TOEIC® score. However we will return
the Test Taker Score Report if requested.
7. A research proposal
8. A letter of reference- This should be written by an academic advisor who can evaluate the applicant’s
research ability through previously conducted academic activities (there are no specificformat requirements for this letter).
9. Thesis or essays published by the applicant
10. Examination fee of 30,000 Japanese yen- Please make payment at the following website. (Credit card payment)
https://e-shiharai.net/ecard/index.html

The application documents should be sent by registered mail to the following address
with “Human Security and Environment Application Documents” written in red on theenvelope:
Academic Affairs
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
Aoba 468-1, Aramaki Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8572 Japan※TOEFL®, TOEFL iBT®, TOEFL ITP® and TOEIC® are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS).
3. Entrance Examination
1) The number of students to be admitted:
Quotas for the Master’s course and Doctoral course are highly limited. The entrance date
will be in October.
2) Application period: Entrance Examination for October 2023.
Applications for the Master’s course and Doctoral course will be accepted from
December 19, 2022 to January 27, 2023. In the event that posted applications arrive after
the deadline they will not be accepted.
3) Examination date and details
The oral entrance examination （i.e. the interview）will take place remotely (via Skypeetc.) during the period February 10 to 24, 2023. Precise dates and details of this exam will
be informed by the applicant’s requested supervisor.
Note: It is necessary for applicants to communicate with prospective supervisors before
submitting application documents.
4. Screening
Successful applicants will be decided in accord with the tallied scores from the oral
examination (i.e. the interview), language ability and submitted documents. During theinterview, applicants must make a 20-minute presentation of their previous and intended
research. This will then be followed by 40-minutes of Q&A in order to gauge the researchability of applicants.

IV. Selection and Announcement of Results
Results of the entrance examination will be posted on the website(www.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp) of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at approximately
17:00 (Japan time) on March 10, 2023. The acceptance letter will also be mailed to successful
applicants two days after the online announcement. Please note that we do not accept any phone
calls or e-mails for inquiries regarding results.

V. Fee1) Entrance Fee and Tuition Fee (in 2023)
Entrance fee
Tuition fees
Others282,000 Japanese yen
535,800 Japanese yen per year (267,900 for each 1st and 2ndsemester)Fees for student insurance and texts

2) Exemption and postponement of the entrance fee and tuition fee
Students facing financial difficulties or suffering from illness, an accident or special
circumstances may apply for exemption or postponement of the entrance fee and tuition fee.
Students applying for these waivers must submit the prescribed application forms during theperiod of acceptance. Please ask the administration office about the details of this scheme.

VI. Administration Office
The Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
Address: Aoba 468-1, Aramaki Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8572 Japan
E-mail: kankyo.kyomu@grp.tohoku.ac.jp
Please refer to the following websites for further information about this program.


www.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp
www2.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp/human-security

2023“Human Security and Environment”
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

Form 1 (1/ 2)

Please type or neatly print in English
Please Use CAPITAL LETTERS
Examinee’s seat number (for official use)□

Master’s course□

Doctoral course□

Admission for October/2023

Photograph
4×3cm(1.6”×1.2”)

Name

Write yourin English

LAST nameon the back side

In Chinese
Characters(if applicable)Year

Date of

Month

Day

Birth
Gender□Male

Nationality□ Female

Present Status(with name and address of university or employer)

Present mailing
Address
Phone number

Fax number

E-mail address

Permanent
Address(if different from above)

Phone number
Expected Laboratory

Expected Supervisor

Fax number

Form 1 (2/ 2)

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION“Human Security and Environment”
Name(For foreign students)

Educational Background
Name and address of

SchoolOfficial
number ofyears

Elementary

Year, month and date of entrance and completion〈Year / Month / Day〉*required

amount of timespent at the school
attended

From

years

To

Secondaryandmonthsandmonthsandmonthsandmonthsandmonths

From

years

To

Upper Secondary

From

years

To

Undergraduate

From

years

To

Graduate level

From

years

To

Total years of schooling mentioned above
Research Activities Record
Name of institution

Positionfrom (year/ month/ day) to

Number of years

From
To
From
To
From
To

Employment Record
Name of Office

Positionfrom (year/ month/ day) to

Number of years

From
To
From
To
From
To

Date:

Signature:

Family name

Name

First nameMiddle name
Type or nameAcquired date

Name of institution

Degree

安全保障輸出管理(for official use)

□ 承認済み（承認日：月日）□ 手続不要□ その他（確認事務担当者氏名：）

Form 2 (MODEL)

2023“Human Security and Environment”
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
RECOMMENDATION LETTER(to be filled out by a faculty member familiar with applicant’s aptitude)
Family nameFirst nameMiddle nameName ofapplicantI. How long and how well have you known the applicant and in what capacity?

II. Please evaluate the applicant’s previous accomplishments, intellectual independence,
capacity for analytical thinking, and state reasons for you’re supporting this application.
(Please do not hesitate, if necessary, to use a separate sheet).

Faculty Name:
Signature:
Affiliation:
Contact information (E-mail/ Telephone)Date:＊This is only used for the applicants living in Japan.

2023“Human Security and Environment”
ADMISSION TICKET TO EXAMINATION

Examinee’s seat number(for official use)

Name

＊This is only used for the applicants living in Japan.

2023“Human Security and Environment”

PHOTO ID

Photograph
4cm×3cm
Write your LAST nameon the back side.

Examinee’s seat number(for official use)

Name