Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS)

2 years English open

7-stage learning journey

2 years · English

Compulsory Course on Sustainability Science (2 credits) Two credits of compulsory coursework are required of every master's student. "Through compulsory courses, students acquire basic skills in research methods and develop the ability to analyze complex issues related to sustainability from a bird's-eye view." GPSS's compulsory courses are among those opened to other GSFS departments as the Minor Program, whose published subject list includes "Fundamentals of Sustainability Science (2 credits)". Fundamentals of Sustainability Science (2 credits) Compulsory Exercise Course (2 credits) A separate compulsory exercise (practical) requirement of 2 credits, distinct from the compulsory lecture course. Its title and content are not published on the GPSS English pages; it is listed as one of the GPSS elements opened to Minor Program students. Compulsory Elective Lecture Courses (minimum 4 credits) Students must take at least four credits from the compulsory-elective lecture pool. The GPSS English pages do not publish the full pool; named sustainability-science lecture subjects that GPSS teaches and opens to the Minor Program are listed below. Climate Change Governance (1 credit) Management and Policy Studies of Sustainability (1 credit) Sustainability Science: Japanese Perspectives (2 credits) Master's Thesis Related Courses (12 credits) The largest single block of the degree. "All GPSS students are required to complete a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation related to sustainability science as part of the requirements of the compulsory core courses, Master's/Doctoral Research on Sustainability Science." Research is carried out under a supervisor; master's applicants nominate three faculty members at application and may be assigned one they did not choose. Master's Research on Sustainability Science GPSS elective courses and courses from outside GPSS (minimum 10 credits) "GPSS Elective Courses, and courses offered in other departments and graduate/undergraduate schools (up to 4 credits) — Min. 10." "Students in the master's course can take credits from the undergraduate programs, other departments, majors, graduate schools, or the Center for Global Education and maximum of 10 credits can be counted towards the completion requirements of the Master's program." The credit table's parenthetical "(up to 4 credits)" and the note's "maximum of 10 credits" are not reconciled by the source — see dataNotes. GPSS elective courses Courses in other GSFS departments, other UTokyo graduate schools, undergraduate programmes and the Center for Global Education GPSS Student Seminar (weekly, running throughout the programme) A weekly peer-learning forum for all students in the programme, described by GPSS as "the main pillar of our program". Students present their research to other students and faculty across disciplines. The seminar subjects opened to Minor Program students are "Seminar on Sustainability Science I (1 credit)" and "Seminar on Sustainability Science II (1 credit)". Seminar on Sustainability Science I (1 credit) Seminar on Sustainability Science II (1 credit) Year-by-year sequencing

Compulsory Course on Sustainability Science (2 credits) curriculum

The detailed course list for this stage has not been published yet.

Course domains

Natural Environmental Studies (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
Ocean Technology, Policy, and Environment (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
Environment Systems (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
Human and Engineered Environmental Studies (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
Socio-Cultural Environmental Studies (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
International Studies (participating department) — One of the six Division of Environmental Studies departments that jointly operate GPSS and supply supervisors.
Sustainable Society Design Center (SSDC) — "In April 2022, a new organization called Sustainable Society Design Center was established under the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University
Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo — Listed alongside SSDC and the six departments as a source of GPSS supervising faculty.
Climate change governance and climate policy — A taught subject in the GPSS core curriculum ("Climate Change Governance", 1 credit) and a recurring master's thesis theme (e.g. "Opportunities and Chall
Sustainability management and policy studies — Taught as "Management and Policy Studies of Sustainability" (1 credit) in the core curriculum.
Energy systems, low-carbon transitions and agrivoltaics — Recent GPSS award-winning master's theses include "Exploring the Influence of Agrivoltaic System on Rice Yield in Japan" (Yoshida Yoshikuni) a
Urban and ecosystem services research — Recent master's theses include "Unravelling mechanisms linking cultural ecosystem services from urban blue spaces and human well-being" (Fukushi Kensuke) and "U
Life-cycle assessment and sustainable consumption — Recent master's theses include "Life Cycle Analysis of Household Air Conditioning in Southeast Asia" and "Life interrupted: Impacts of Power Interru
Marine and fisheries sustainability — Recent master's theses include "A Dynamic Energy Budget Individual-based Model (DEBIBM) for the Japanese Anchovy Engraulis japonicus" (Kimura Shingo) and "Operati
Education for sustainability and public perception — Recent master's theses include "Assessing conceptions of climate change: An exploratory study among Japanese early adolescents" (Kitamura Yuto) and
Supervising faculty — full published roster (32 members) — GPSS publishes 32 faculty members. By home unit: Sustainable Society Design Center 8; Socio-Cultural Environmental Studies 5; International S

Doctoral course — GPSS also runs a doctoral course, which admits through its own Schedule B examination and awards a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Sustainability Science. Doctoral applicants, unlike master's a

Research student (non-degree) entry — "The Postgraduate Research Student Program and Postgraduate Foreign Research Student Program are non-degree seeking programs for those who wish to research a spec

Careers after graduation — The programme states its purpose as producing "Leaders capable of collaborating with local residents and policymakers in international organisations, consulting firms, and N

"The graduate program at GPSS is designed to enhance students' capacity to co-design and co-create knowledge, leading to transformative change and helping to realise an inclusive, sustainable society.

The programme states that it will produce "Leaders capable of collaborating with local residents and policymakers in international organisations, consulting firms, and NGOs" and "Leaders proficient in

"We link our research outcome with existing academic results, collaborate with various stakeholders, conduct research to understand complex issues related to sustainability from a bird's-eye view, and

"In order to realize a society in which no one is left behind, we develop human resources who can explore problem-solving and social implementation that reflect the voices of various stakeholders."

"We develop human resources who will be responsible for fundamental reforms that encourage a shift from values that place excessive emphasis on short-term, individualistic, and material gains to value

"Through compulsory courses, students acquire basic skills in research methods and develop the ability to analyze complex issues related to sustainability from a bird's-eye view." "Encourage internshi

"In our program, sustainability science is an approach to identifying global, national, and local sustainability issues through academic studies and proposing solutions. The fields of study range from

"Sustainability is a notion that entails dynamic process. What is considered to be sustainable depends on various social and natural environments, and circumstances of the time… GPSS is a platform for

GPSS is included in the GSFS admission policy: GSFS "seeks students who have acquired sufficient basic academic skills to learn their desired area of study and related fields and language and communic

Core learning formats

"All courses are offered in English" (Japanese: "講義や演習はすべて英語で行われます"). GSFS additionally publishes a school-wide list of courses taught in English, and GPSS students may count up to 10 credits from cou
A 2-credit "Compulsory Exercise Course" is required of every master's student, alongside the 2-credit Compulsory Course on Sustainability Science. The individual course title, format and any field com
"GPSS seminar is a peer learning forum for all the students in the program. This weekly seminar provides students from various backgrounds with the opportunities to present their research to other stu
12 of the 30 required credits are "Master Thesis Related Courses". "All GPSS students are required to complete a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation related to sustainability science as part of t
The master's curriculum policy states that GPSS will "Encourage internship at international organizations and private companies to equip students with science communication skills to be able to commun
"The compulsory courses, the compulsory exercise course, and the seminar courses of GPSS curriculum are open to the students in other departments in the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences as 'Minor
"In carrying out sustainability science, it is also important to incorporate a process of dialogue with people with diverse opinions and values. Social issues are occurring outside the university camp
Programme sources (41)