The Master s Program of the Graduate School

¡¡Postgraduate students receive research instructions from their main subjects, the lectures for which are conducted by multiple professors (shared lectures), and special research in their major fields. They also take more than 2 main subjects in other fields, and the subjects of other research departments as minor or related subjects. Thus, they can develop the ability to find and solve problems from comprehensive aspects by obtaining findings from various special fields.
¡¡Students can also develop practical research ability by experiencing first-line research in projects conducted by the Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences.

¡¡All admitted students are divided into 4 or 5 groups to attend a 7-day special seminar on microorganisms, molecular organisms, biofunctional molecules, cellular organisms, experimental animals, active substances, and ways to use computers.
¡¡In addition, explanatory meetings regarding computer networks and using the library, as well as seminars on safety measures (e.g., the handling of chemical substances and microorganisms) are provided for all admitted students majoring in any of the 2 courses (the Infection Control and Immunology Course, and Drug Discovery Science Course).

¡¡Professors for all the main subjects provide lectures regarding the latest findings with the themes ¡°Development and Search of Drugs Such as Anti-Infective Agents, and Their Clinical Use¡± and ¡°History of Infectious Diseases and Future Challenges¡± in an omnibus format. These lectures are mandatory regardless of the majoring course.

¡¡The Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences, Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences, or Kitasato University actively hold special lectures (e.g., symposiums, seminars, and various speeches) presented by first-line researchers within and outside Japan. Through these lectures (including debates), participants obtain the latest scientific information and learn international ideas and values.

¡¡Midway presentations regarding special research are provided in mid-June of the 2nd year.

¡¡Since 2003, we have conducted questionnaires aimed at improving classes, which are provided by full-time and part-time teachers of the graduate school.
¡¡Through these questionnaires, postgraduate students express their opinions, give feedback, and describe issues, which will hopefully be improved, about whether lectures are easy to understand, as well as the details of presentations and distributed materials.
¡¡The results of the questionnaire affect the evaluation of limited-term teachers, and aid in improving teachers¡¯ abilities and lectures.

• Subject registration
  (1) Subjects are selected with the aid of mentors, and their registration is completed after their mentors¡¯ approval.
  (2) Students should obtain at least 30 credits from the following subjects: main subjects, Shared Lecture I, Special Research I, special lecture on infection control sciences, special seminar (lecture on basic technologies), minor subjects, and related subjects.
  For details, please see the ¡°Curriculum Guidelines of the Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences¡±.
  (3) If there is a special reason and approval is obtained from their mentors, it is possible for students to take subjects from any faculty of Kitasato University.
  
  ¡¡However, credits for the subjects from these faculties are not added to those required for course completion, but are counted as course credits.
  ¡¡Credit approval: those who have passed the examination of the subject are granted certain credits in accordance with the graduate school rules.
  
  
• Examinations and Grades
  ¡¡Examinations are performed within the specified periods. However, class participation and performance can be used as a substitute for examination grades.
  
  ¡¡Grades are determined on a four level scale according to the methods described in the evaluation criteria of the subject syllabus: fail (lower than 59 points), passing (60-69), good (70-79), and excellent (80-100).

¡¡To complete their course, students are required to attend the first period of the doctoral program (master¡¯s degree) for 2 years or longer (those who re-enter or transfer from another school are required to attend for a mandatory duration), obtain 30 credits or more, and, with the aid of necessary research instructions, pass the review of the master¡¯s thesis and final examination performed by the graduate school.
¡¡However, for those who achieved an outstanding performance, the required period of attending the school is 1 year or longer.

• Thesis Reviewing
  ¡¡A thesis review (master¡¯s degree) and other degree-related issues are stipulated by the degree regulations of Kitasato University.

¡¡The following shows the standard 2-year schedule of the first period of the doctoral program (master¡¯s degree).

Master's thesis presentation 2012

¡¡In the first period of the doctoral program (master¡¯s degree), the master's degree in infection control sciences and that in life sciences had been granted to a total of 181 students until the 2011 school year.

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