Join us and discover your passion!

It is my great pleasure to introduce TMU’s undergraduate course in the biological sciences, where all lectures and seminars are conducted in English. This course will provide you with a wide range of unique experiences in the field of biology. With our interactive lessons and small class sizes, you will have many opportunities to learn about scientific philosophy, expand your knowledge, develop fundamental experimental skills, and cultivate a mindset of innovation. To this end, we have designed our curriculum to cover a wide range of basic life sciences, spanning from molecules to cells, individuals to social groups, and local habitats to the global ecosystem. Our areas of research cover all forms of life, from bacteria to fungi, plants, and animals, so I am confident that you will be able to explore any aspect of modern biology and discover your own passion and excellence through cutting-edge research. It is my hope that by exploring different areas of biology, you will find the career path that suits you best. These days, English proficiency is crucial for success in many fields, and biology is no exception. Therefore, I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities this all-English biology course provides to build a strong foundation for your future career. I am very much looking forward to working with you in this program.

Features of Our Curriculum

Our curriculum is highly experience- oriented, so almost half of our program is allocated to experiments and practical training inside and outside the laboratory.

Through the curriculum, we aim to nurture “Skills and knowledge for studying nature”, which is highly beneficial even when applied to activities outside research. Practical training and research in marine spots and fields are also conducted mainly during the summer.

Independent Research for freshman program, which starts in the first year, the most strongly reflects the special features of our curriculum. Unlike the Graduate Research in the senior year, the topic of research is not limited to topics studied in your professors’ lab.

Students learn how to turn their own ideas and interest into a valid research question. Students learn to organize research groups, plan how the research should be carried out, conduct the actual research and present their achievements, with assistance of academic advisors.

Throught this program, we encourage students to gain first-hand experience in biological research and to learn the fundamental skills required to study and understand natural organismseir achievements, with the assistance of academic advisors. Through this program, students are encouraged to gain first-hand experience in biological research and to learn the fundamental skills required to study and understand natural organisms.

In order to conduct outstanding bioscience research, internationality, communication skills, computer literacy, etc. are indispensable. Therefore, the university also invests a large amount of energy on the education of English and Japanese language skills, and also bioinformatics.

Characteristics of Our Teaching Staff

Our teaching staffs are highly experienced in teaching and conducting research in English. Many have studied and/or worked in non-Japanese laboratories. Therefore, we are fully capable of providing our course in both Japanese and English. We have also enlarged our staff. A native English speaking staff and a Japanese staff who has a long experience teaching biology in United States have joined our department.

New Professors

Shawn E. McGlynn

Prof.Adan L Cronin

  • 1995-1998
    Flinders University, Australia
  • 2000-2002
     Post doc at Hokkaido University
  • 2002-2003
    Post doc University College London
  • 2008-2010
  • Research Fellow at Universite Pierre et Marie Curie
  • 2011-2014
  • Research Fellow / Lecturer at Iwate University

 

I am originally from Australia but have had the opportunity to work all over the world, and with people of all different cultures, through conducting scientific research.

My research concerns how social organisms function. I study how living in groups allows species to achieve things that individuals cannot alone, and how different social systems can allow species to survive in different environments.

 

English capability is essential in modern science, and TMU is very lucky to have this degree program entirely in English. I hope you take advantage of it to provide yourself with the best possible basis for your future career.

Kanae Ando

Prof.Kanae Ando

  • 1996-2001
    Graduate school of the University of Tokyo, Pharmaceutical
  • 2001-2006
    Postdoctoral fellow at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
  • 2006-2014
    Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University

Are you amazed by the beauty of living creatures and eager to understand them? Biology is not only exciting but also plays increasingly important roles in the modern world. TMU biological science course introduces you to a broad range of topics in life science and provides the instruction, research experience, and mentoring to help your expedition to discover how life works. At the end of this course, you will be ready to apply your knowledge and skills to make this beautiful planet even better place to live. Come on board with us to a fascinating journey into biology!

The brain is the most complex organ in our body and the seat of intelligence. By using cutting-edge techniques in cell biology and molecular biology, my research goals are to understand the molecular basis of brain functions and to provide fundamental insights into eventual cures for neurological diseases.

What We Look For

The following are characteristics of prospective students with whom the university is willing to make progress in the study and research of Biology.

 ・ Applicants who are very interested in biology and aspire to gain a profound knowledge of living organisms
 ・ Applicants who are very interested in experiments, observations, and research
 ・ Applicants who have mastered the basic of English, chemistry, physics, and mathematics

Come to Study with Us

Masaki Kawanobe

Okuto Kato

4th year student

English Course of Biological Sciences

‘Biological Science program in English’ ... it may scare you. But there is no need to concern at all, because the teachers and TAs will support you. Learning Biology in English gives you a lot of strength, including listening skills and writing ability. Moreover, it will enhance your motivation to study. This program is flexible and you can mix lectures in English and those in Japanese. So, why don’t you give it a try?

 

Kurumi Shimonaka

Chika Den

4th year student

Engli Course of Biological Sciences

What made me realize the importance of learning a specialized subject in English was the research of fossil plants, which I conducted in high school. During my research, I had to read many papers. But, it was tough for me to understand because most of them were written in English. In the present world, most of the latest scientific news and papers are written in English, and it can be said that English is the common language in science. I felt that I had to acquire English skills from my experience, and that is why I chose the Biological Sciences English program at TMU. In addition, one of the key characteristics of TMU’s Biological Sciences English Program is that the lectures are conducted in small groups. Teachers and assistant staff support us well in our studies. Although I was nervous about taking lectures in English at first, I feel that my English skills have significantly improved compared to last year. Of course, you can choose to take only part of the courses in English. However, if you decide to take all the courses in English, you can expect to achieve the level of English close to what you may be able to earn overseas. Why don’t you study biological sciences in English with us?

 

Studying in English (or in Both Languages)

The Biological Sciences Department offers its courses in both English and Japanese. Students can take all 124 credits required for graduation in English. This includes the coursework necessary for graduation.

All seminars and lectures are provided in both English and Japanese. The choice of language can be based on the students’ interest and language skill. Students can switch from one language to another from a new semester.

Interactive Education in a Small Class

The size of the English course class is planned to ten to twenty students. We will take advantage of the small class size and will conduct our lecture in a more interactive manner. We will also provide language care for students who need them.

Advantages of Cross Cultural Classroom

Our classroom will be a mixed language classroom consisting of English and Japanese speaking students. Lectures and seminars in such a classroom will be a cross-cultural experience. We have learned from experience that studying with your peers who have different views, ideas and opinions is the best way to study any subject matter. Our Professors assist students of both languages to overcome the lingual difficulties and cultural differences.

After Graduation

After finishing Undergraduate School On average, 70%~90% of our alumni proceed to a master's degree. Other students find employment in public and private sectors. The following is an excerpt from the list of career path of our alumni.
- Private sectors
Food and Beverage Industry, Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacturing Industry, and Learning Support Organizations
- Public Sectors
Ministry of Environment, Forestry Agency

After finishing Mater's Program After obtaining a master's degree, many students proceed to the doctoral program while others find employment. Many students stay in our department for their Ph.D degree, while other students join Ph.D programs in other universities such as The University of Tokyo and University of Lausanne.

Career paths of International students Some of our previous international student alumni returned to their own countries and have found positions in local universities. Other students have remained in Japan and started their own venture companies. With our new English course, we expect that career paths of our international students’ alumni will broaden. Studying biology in English should increase chances for the alumni to find Biology-related jobs in multi-national organizations and public sectors.