MS and PhD Programs

The Department of Biological Sciences offers both Master's and Doctoral Programs!


Our Master's program     is a two-year program aimed to prepare students for specialized careers in the industry and in the academia. We put strong emphasis on learning how to apply scientific knowledge for work in various areas in biology. Students in this program are expected to engage in laboratory research and develop a research thesis, in addition to participation in relevant coursework, laboratory seminars, and research conferences. Graduates from this program have gone on to work in the industry, non-profit organizations, academia, or have continued to do their Ph.D.



Our Doctoral program    is a three-year program aimed to provide students the opportunity to conduct intensive research with a broad scope on their specific topic of interest. Students are encouraged to interact and learn within a multi-disciplinary research that incorporates components of evolutionary biology, ecology, systems biology, cell biology, molecular biology, developmental genetics, and neurobiology. Students in this program are expected to engage in high-level laboratory research, develop a dissertation, and publish their work, in addition to participation in laboratory seminars, research conferences, and optional coursework. Graduates from this program have gone on to work in the industry and the academia, including several alumni as post-docs here and abroad.



Graduate programs at our department are designed to prepare our students for global careers in Biological Sciences. To this end, we have put together a comprehensive array of learning avenues where students can participate to build their skills, broaden their research network, and promote their work to both local and international communities. Biology graduate students are provided with a wide range of classes that are held both in English and Japanese. We regularly invite accomplished local and foreign researchers to talk about their work in order to provide students with exposure to a diverse set of research topics and experimental techniques. We provide opportunities for students to participate in research exchanges with universities abroad, where they can gain international experience, and we regularly host conferences on campus to foster local exchange. Most importantly, we continuously strive to offer our students the chance to conduct immersive, cutting-edge research by providing access to good experimental facilities and support from our experienced, multi-disciplinary faculty. Our department hosts many local and foreign graduate students at both Master's and Doctoral levels.


Interested in learning more? Take a look at our  Admissions Information  for more information on admissions procedures and funding opportunities for graduate students. You can also browse through our research laboratories to find out what projects we are currently involved in. Our department also welcomes post- docs, so we encourage everyone to contact the professors in your laboratory of interest!