Graduate School
A Message from our Dean
Yukari Takemi Dean・Professor
Providing Opportunities for Learning Attuned to Scientific Advances and Societal Needs
Whenever and wherever humans exist, the issue of food and health is always the most fundamental and crucial of all issues. Science in this field continues to advance rapidly, while the needs of society constantly evolve. The Graduate School of Kagawa Nutrition University offers two programs: the Nutrition Sciences Degree Program and the Health Science Program. Ever since the graduate school’s founding in 1969, we have sought to cater to the full range of food- and health-related research subjects by developing a unique, multi-level teaching team, along with well-rounded curriculums, and a structure for guiding students’ research. The graduate school also benefits from its own exclusive space within the campus, affording an environment where students have unfettered freedom to study.
Supporting Graduate Students’ Diverse Learning Styles
In order to admit a broad range of graduate students with diverse aspirations, we take a coeducational approach. In our Master’s Course we offer the Special Master’s Scholarship Program. Under this program, students who have the potential to become future leaders within society and achieved outstanding grades in their undergraduate studies and in the entrance exam are exempted from all enrollment and tuition fees. We also have a program offering partial exemption from enrollment and tuition fees to students who have previously attended any school operated by Kagawa Education Institute of Nutrition.
For students who are working while they study at the graduate school, we offer an Extended Study Program, which allows students to complete the Master’s Course over a three-year period. We also hold classes on Saturdays and in the evenings. Furthermore, students who are already employed as teachers can make use of the Japanese government’s Graduate Studies Leave Program to obtain specialized certification related to their teaching job.
For students who wish to further extend their master’s research with the aim of becoming researchers, we provide a three-year Doctoral Course that enables students to obtain a doctorate in either nutrition sciences or health science.
Producing a Succession of Leaders Active in a Wide Range of Nutrition Science Fields
Many alumni of our master’s and doctoral courses are already working in a diverse range of settings in Japan and overseas as researchers or as highly skilled professionals. Indeed, there is now a network of KNU alumni guided by the founding spirit of Aya Kagawa and united by a desire to promote good health through food. I encourage all our students to participate in this network.
Improving the Development of Highly Skilled Human Resources in Our Master’s Program
In 2017, we revamped our master’s courses that cultivate skilled human resources, seeking not only to develop researchers but also to enhance students’ credentials as especially highly skilled professionals in certain fields. Specifically, we launched courses for which there is strong societal demand given the need to extend healthy lifespans. These comprise six courses in the Nutrition Sciences Degree Program and three courses in the Health Science Program. Thus, we aim to develop the type of leaders in the food and health field that society will require from now on: professionals who also have research skills.
Courses and Curriculum
KNU Graduate School has the following Courses and Curriculum:
1. Courses
Master’s Course
Nutrition Sciences Degree Program (Maximum 10 students)
This program will offer an opportunity to study evidence-based scientific approach to analysis the impacts of foods and nutrition on the human mind and body.
Health Science Degree Program (Maximum 10 students)
This program is suitable to those who are interested in the fundamental studies and interested in application for community-based and/or school-based public health program.
Doctoral Course
Nutrition Sciences Degree Program (Maximum 3 students)
This program will offer an opportunity to study evidence-based scientific approach to analysis the impacts of foods and nutrition on the human mind and body.
Health Science Degree Program (Maximum 3 students)
This program is suitable to those who are interested in the fundamental studies and interested in application for community-based and/or school-based public health program.
2. Curriculum
Admission, Curriculum and Diploma Policy
Admission Policy
Graduate School of Kagawa Nutrition University
The Graduate School of Nutrition Sciences aims at supporting students to become researchers or specialists who integrate food and health, contribute to improving the health of others, and make a happier society. Applicants should have: (a) clear career objectives and a desire to pursue studies and research in the fields of nutrition and health science, and (b) adequate prerequisite knowledge and academic training to conduct graduate level research.
Nutrition Science Program
This program is open to those who would are committed to study and practice nutrition science through an evidence-based scientific approach that analyzes the impact of food and nutrition on our bodies and minds.
Health Science Program
This program is open to those who are deeply interested in fundamental studies on community health, school health, and bio-medicine, and intend to promote healthy ways of living.
Curriculum Policy
Graduate School of Kagawa Nutrition University
The following program is formulated to help students deepen their understanding of specific research themes of their interest, while also ensuring their academic research skills and broadening their base knowledge of health and nutrition science through learning.
- A series of comprehensive lectures exclusively by full-time faculty members will be provided to all graduate school students to understand the diversified and inter-disciplinary nature of health and nutrition science before formally commencing research.
- In addition, various advanced lecture courses covering broad areas related to nutrition and health will be offered to further deepen student knowledge. In particular, advanced lectures will include: Basic Nutrition, Applied Nutrition, Ecology Science, Food Culture and Food Science for the Nutrition Science Program. Furthermore, advanced lectures covering heath science such as Clinical Biochemistry and Applied Health at School will be offered for the Health Science Program.
- A lecture on research methodology open to all departments is now being offered in order to help students conduct research in a scientific manner.
- A comprehensive seminar is now being offered for students to identify their research themes and assess their meaning in the context of nutrition and health science in light of the diversified and inter-disciplinary natures of these fields. The seminar is a participatory one in which each student will develop skills to discuss meaning and knowledge with others based on their research theme prior to commencement of their respective research.
- The master’s program and the second half of the doctoral degree ensure adequate guidance to each student with individually assigned professors as their main advisors while also giving them the opportunity to receive instruction from professors in a variety of fields to deepen student understanding of their research topics and practical issues . Furthermore, each student will make a mid-term presentation for all faculty members.
Undergraduate School of Nutrition Science
- To make a smooth transition from high school to undergraduate school, special lectures on essential subjects shall be provided in the first year.
- During the first two years, students are required to select foundation subjects that suit their grade to gain a broader prospective before going for specialization from the third year onwards.
- Lectures on specialized subjects have been designed for students to learn in a step-by-step manner so that they can review and study on their own and ensure adequate understanding and knowledge before going on to the next stage. Compulsory subjects required for acquiring a registered dietitian/nutritionist license, etc., are also integrated into the curriculums of the respective departments.
- The curriculum has been designed to reflect the policy of the respective departments and ensure timely acquisition of expertise. To the extent possible, interactive and participatory teaching methods are utilized such as problem solving and simulations in order to aid students.
- Through internships and field visits, students at the start of school will be exposed to practical examples where nutrition science and nutritionists are contributing to the wellbeing of society in order to visualize their career after graduation, and motivate them for their studies and research at school.
Diploma Policy (Graduation Approval/Degree Conferment Policy)
Undergraduate School of Nutrition Science
I. Master’s Course
A master’s degree (either Nutrition Science or Health Science) shall be granted to students who: (a) fulfilled the required credits, and (b) passed the master thesis screening or completed the report for professional training and passed the final examination. Those students must have acquired the research and necessary abilities required of professionals with high expertise and a broad prospective on nutritional science and health science.
Ⅱ. Doctoral Course
A doctoral degree shall be granted to students who: (a) passed the review of their respective doctoral thesis, (b) passed the final examination, and (c) have been acknowledged by the school to have acquired highly specialized research abilities and knowledge to conduct research independently in nutrition science and/or health science.
Undergraduate School of Nutrition Science
A bachelor’s degree shall be granted along with approval for graduation to those students who attend KNU for at least four years, complete the required credits (in nutrition), and who master the skills below.
- Acquisition of a basic understanding of our diversified modern society and the underlying principles of nature. Equipped with essential learning skills, students will therefore have an ability to grasp nutrition and health science issues beyond their narrow fields and be able to look for comprehensive solutions.
- Acquisition of logical analytical skills, and solution-oriented and proactive ways of thinking to help people improve their eating habits and promote better health. Those students will have therefore acquired the skills to discover, research, and solve various modern problems related to flood, nutrition, and health.
- Acquisition of leadership, commitment, and ethics. Students who have a rich sense of humanity and who are committed to contributing to the wellbeing of an ethical society while pursuing their careers with adequate leadership coordination and communication skills.
- Acquisition of life-long learning and self-motivation. Students who continuously learn new knowledge throughout their lives and improve their skills with self-motivation.
List of Faculty Members
■Master's Course
Nutrition Science Degree Programs
| Human Growth and Development | Prof. Shigeho Tanaka / [Laboratory] Physical Activity and Metabolism |
|---|---|
| Nutrition for the Elderly | Prof. Shoji Shinkai / [Laboratory] Community Health and Gerontology |
| Fundamental Nutrition | Prof. Terue Kawabata / [Laboratory] Basic Nutrition |
| Nutritional Physiology | Prof. Kazuhiro Uenishi / [Laboratory] Physiological Nutrition |
| Clinical Nutrition | Prof. Osamu Ishihara / [Laboratory] Clinical Medicine |
| Medical Nutrition | TBD |
| Nutrition Management | Prof. Hiromi Ishida / [Laboratory] Administrative Dietetics |
| Nutrition Education | A/Prof. Fumi Hayashi / [Laboratory] Nutrition Ecology |
| Community Nutrition | Prof. Yukari Takemi / [Laboratory] Nutrition Ecology |
| Theory on the Management of Children’s Diet | A/Prof. Akemi Nakanishi/ [Laboratory] School Meal System and School-Based Dietary Education |
| Nutrition Health Management | Prof. Nobuko Endo / [Laboratory] Health Promotion and Nursing |
| Molecular Nutrition | Prof. Akiko Fukushima / [Laboratory] Molecular Nutrition |
| Biochemistry | Prof. Hisanori Kato / [Laboratory] Nutritional Biochemistry |
| Biochemistry | Prof. Yukiko Kurihara / [Laboratory] Synthetic Organic Chemistry |
| Anthropology | A/Prof. Moriya Akiko/ [Laboratory] Food Cultural Anthropology |
| Food Communication | A/Prof. Kumi Eto/ [Laboratory] Global Food Communication |
| Environmental Education | Prof. Rie Imoto / [Laboratory] Family Resource Management & Environmental Education |
| Food Analysis | Prof. Teruyuki Usui / [Laboratory] Food Functionality |
| Food Material Development | Prof. Masataka Saito / [Laboratory] Food Science and Technology |
| Food Functions | Prof. Toshihide Nishimura / [Laboratory] Food and Nutrition |
| Food Preparation Science | Prof. Keiko Shibata / [Laboratory] Cookery Science |
| Cookery & Dietary Life | Prof. Fumiko Konishi / [Laboratory] Cookery Science |
Health Sciences Degree Programs
| Environmental Health | Prof. Ken Kawamura / [Laboratory] Public Health |
|---|---|
| Community Health | Prof. Shoji Shinkai / [Laboratory] Community Health and Gerontology |
| Health Statistic | Prof. Hiromitsu Ogata / [Laboratory] Epidemiology and Biostatistics |
| Kinanthropometry | A/Prof. Masaharu Kagawa / [Laboratory] Institute of Nutrition Science |
| Sports Methodology | Prof. Yoshinori Kaneko / [Laboratory] Gymnastics Methodology |
| Clinical Biochemistry | Prof. Naoko Ikoshi / [Laboratory] Microbiology and Medical Technology |
| Molecular Biology | Prof. Akiko Fukushim / [Laboratory] Molecular Nutrition |
| Immunology | A/Prof. Ken-ichi Ishibashi / [Laboratory] Host defense and responses |
| School Health Nursing | Prof. Nobuko Endo / [Laboratory] Health Promotion and Nursing |
| Human Growth and Health | Prof. Shigeho Tanaka / [Laboratory] Physical Activity and Metabolism |
| School Welfare | A/Prof. Koichiro Fukada / [Laboratory] Sociology of Welfare |
| Pedagogy in Nursing | Prof. Kumiko Onuma / [Laboratory] Practical Yogo Science |
■Doctoral Course
Nutrition Science Degree Programs
| Nutritional Physiology | Prof. Kazuhiro Uenishi / [Laboratory] Physiological Nutrition |
|---|---|
| Food Service Management | Prof. Hiromi Ishida / [Laboratory] Administrative Dietetics |
| Community Nutrition | Prof. Yukari Takemi / [Laboratory] Nutrition Ecology |
| Fundamental Nutrition | Prof. Terue Kawabata / [Laboratory] Basic Nutrition |
| Biochemistry | Prof. Hisanori Kato / [Laboratory] Nutritional Biochemistry |
| Environmental Education | Prof. Rie Imoto / [Laboratory] Family Resource Management & Environmental Education |
| Food Functions | Prof. Toshihide Nishimura / [Laboratory] Food and Nutrition |
| Food Preparation and Functions | Prof. Fumiko Konishi / [Laboratory] Cookery Science |
Health Science Degree Programs
| Healthy Longevity | Prof. Shoji Shinkai / [Laboratory] Community Health and Gerontology |
|---|---|
| Health Statistic | Prof. Hiromitsu Ogata / [Laboratory] Epidemiology and Biostatistics |
| Sports Methodology | Prof. Yoshinori Kaneko / [Laboratory] Gymnastics Methodology |
| Applied School Health Nursing | Prof. Nobuko Endo / [Laboratory] Health Promotion and Nursing |
| Human Growth and Health | Prof. Shigeho Tanaka / [Laboratory] Physical Activity and Metabolism |