Course Summary

The International Joint Graduate Program in Earth and Environmental Sciences (GP-EES), an integrated education from the Master’s Program through the Doctoral Program, is provided for four years from the 2nd year of the Master’s Program. In addition to the usual courses offered in each department, the International & Interdisciplinary Research Ability Cultivation Program and the Cross-Department & Cross-Border Core Program are provided to impart international quality education in the field of earth and environmental sciences. The former program offers five courses (9 credits): Introductory Lecture on Earth and Environmental Sciences I & II and Advanced Lecture on Earth and Environmental Sciences I, II & III; through which students learn in English the basics of earth and environmental sciences and their application. The latter program includes self-planned seminar and participation in workshop and fieldwork involving graduate students from overseas partner institutions (Practical Course on Earth and Environmental Sciences I, II & III). In the Advanced Experiment on Earth and Environmental Sciences I, students are required to receive internship training at overseas partner institutions for at least six months in principle. Thus, students will acquire cutting-edge research ability, interdisciplinary study ability, communication skills, and leadership skills, the development of which is the goal of our graduate school.

A Qualifying Examination (QE) is conducted at the end of both the Master’s Program and Doctoral Program to guarantee the quality of students. The examination consists mainly of interviews, which are conducted in English with not only Japanese professors but also researchers from overseas universities and research institutes. These interviews aim to guarantee that students in this graduate program have the ability to play active roles in the global environment as well as research ability. Superior doctoral students who have completed this graduate course are expected to have acquired the ability to obtain a research position either in Japan or abroad.

Students from overseas universities participating in this graduate program are required to conduct research as Advanced Experiment on Earth and Environmental Sciences II at Tohoku University for at least six months in principle. (The number of credits offered for the course is equivalent to three, with consideration given to the circumstances of individual countries.)

Course Requirements

Student must take the prescribed lectures for their graduate school and the lectures in the below categories.

Syllabus

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学特殊講義Ⅰ （英文）Advanced Lecture on Earth and Environmental Sciences I
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA; Prof. Tomoki NAKAMURA; Prof. Motohiko MURAKAMI; Asso. Prof. Akio SUZUKI （Cooperation institutions）Prof. Daniel FROST; Prof. Tomoo KATSURA; Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	To understand the global circulation of volatile elements, we provide lectures in English including the latest research outcomes on: (1) Migration theory of volatile elements in the crust and upper mantle, transfer of volatile elements between the interior and atmosphere/ocean of the Earth through volcanic activity; (2) Abundance of volatile components in the Earth’s deep interior and their influence on the core/mantle dynamics; (3) Characteristics of volatile components contained in extraterrestrial materials and the roles of volatile elements in early solar system evolution. Graduate students are expected to acquire not only the ability to conduct cutting-edge research but also communication skills through discussion-based lectures with students from cooperation institutions attending simultaneously. Credit points are allocated to the first subject that each graduate student selects from the above (1) to (3) for the lecture.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学特殊講義Ⅱ （英文）Advanced Lecture on Earth and Environmental Sciences II
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA; Prof. Tomoki NAKAMURA; Prof. Motohiko MURAKAMI; Asso. Prof. Akio SUZUKI （Cooperation institutions）Prof. Daniel FROST; Prof. Tomoo KATSURA; Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	To understand the global circulation of volatile elements, we provide lectures in English including the latest research outcomes on: (1) Migration theory of volatile elements in the crust and upper mantle, transfer of volatile elements between the interior and atmosphere/ocean of the Earth through volcanic activity; (2) Abundance of volatile components in the Earth’s deep interior and their influence on the core/mantle dynamics; (3) Characteristics of volatile components contained in extraterrestrial materials and the roles of volatile elements in early solar system evolution. Graduate students are expected to acquire not only the ability to conduct cutting-edge research but also communication skills through discussion-based lectures with students from cooperation institutions attending simultaneously. Credit points are allocated to the second subject that each graduate student selects from the above (1) to (3) for the lecture.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学特殊講義Ⅲ （英文）Advanced Lecture on Earth and Environmental Sciences III
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	1
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA; Prof. Tomoki NAKAMURA; Prof. Motohiko MURAKAMI; Asso. Prof. Akio SUZUKI （Cooperation institutions）Prof. Daniel FROST; Prof. Tomoo KATSURA; Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	To understand the global circulation of volatile elements, we provide lectures in English including the latest research outcomes on: (1) Migration theory of volatile elements in the crust and upper mantle, transfer of volatile elements between the interior and atmosphere/ocean of the Earth through volcanic activity; (2) Abundance of volatile components in the Earth’s deep interior and their influence on the core/mantle dynamics; (3) Characteristics of volatile components contained in extraterrestrial materials and the roles of volatile elements in early solar system evolution. Graduate students are expected to acquire not only the ability to conduct cutting-edge research but also communication skills through discussion-based lectures with students from cooperation institutions attending simultaneously. Credit points are allocated to the third subject that each graduate student selects from the above (1) to (3) for the lecture.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学実践演習Ⅰ （英文）Practical Course on Earth and Environmental Sciences I
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA （Cooperation institutions）Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	According to one theory, the release of volatile elements from the interior to the surface of the Earth through volcanic activity causes climate change such as global warming, leading to the melting of glaciers. This decreases the pressure of the magma reservoir, leading to a further increase in volcanic activity. Thus, volcanic activity is a key factor in the interaction between the atmosphere and the solid earth. In the practical course, we are planning to go on a geological field trip to the Atlantic Canary Islands, one of the hot-spots where such research on volcanoes is being conducted. Graduate students will study the history of geological activity and geological overview, etc. of the Canary Islands hot-spots in advance, and observe volcanic products and geographical features, etc. on the islands. Reports must be submitted after the field trip. The students will be able to observe geological phenomena of a type and scale not found in Japan. Credit points are allocated to the first subject that each graduate student selects from the above.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学実践演習Ⅱ （英文）Practical Course on Earth and Environmental Sciences II
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA （Cooperation institutions）Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	According to one theory, the release of volatile elements from the interior to the surface of the Earth through volcanic activity causes climate change such as global warming, leading to the melting of glaciers. This decreases the pressure of the magma reservoir, leading to a further increase in volcanic activity. Thus, volcanic activity is a key factor in the interaction between the atmosphere and the solid earth. In the practical course, we are planning to go on a geological field trip to the Atlantic Canary Islands, one of the hot-spots where such research on volcanoes is being conducted. Graduate students will study the history of geological activity and geological overview, etc. of the Canary Islands hot-spots in advance, and observe volcanic products and geographical features, etc. on the islands. Reports must be submitted after the field trip. The students will be able to observe geological phenomena of a type and scale not found in Japan. Credit points are allocated to the second subject that each graduate student selects from the above.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学実践演習Ⅲ （英文）Practical Course on Earth and Environmental Sciences III
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Prof. Michihiko NAKAMURA （Cooperation institutions）Professor emeritus Hans SCHMINCKE
Content	According to one theory, the release of volatile elements from the interior to the surface of the Earth through volcanic activity causes climate change such as global warming, leading to the melting of glaciers. This decreases the pressure of the magma reservoir, leading to a further increase in volcanic activity. Thus, volcanic activity is a key factor in the interaction between the atmosphere and the solid earth. In the practical course, we are planning to go on a geological field trip to the Atlantic Canary Islands, one of the hot-spots where such research on volcanoes is being conducted. Graduate students will study the history of geological activity and geological overview, etc. of the Canary Islands hot-spots in advance, and observe volcanic products and geographical features, etc. on the islands. Reports must be submitted after the field trip. The students will be able to observe geological phenomena of a type and scale not found in Japan. Credit points are allocated to the third subject that each graduate student selects from the above.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学特別実験Ⅰ （英文）Advanced Experiment on Earth and Environmental Sciences I
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Faculty staff （Cooperation institutions）Faculty staff
Content	Credit points are granted when students of the Graduate School of Tohoku University engage in doctoral research for a total of at least 6 months in principle in cooperation institutions while attending the doctoral course. This is a prerequisite for granting the Jointly Supervised Degree through the International Joint Graduate Program in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Graduate school students select their research subject from the available subjects prepared by the faculty staff of Tohoku University and determine the details in consultation with the faculty staff. The students conduct experiments and analyses and can receive advice from faculty staff of cooperation institutions. The outcomes of the research will be presented at a symposium or school next year or later, and discussed with the students of cooperation institutions in order to prepare a doctoral thesis in the Tohoku University.

Name of Lecture	（和文）環境・地球科学特別実験Ⅱ （英文）Advanced Experiment on Earth and Environmental Sciences II
University to provide	Tohoku University	Credit(S)	2
Instructor	（Tohoku University）Faculty staff （Cooperation institutions）Faculty staff
Content	In Tohoku University, the students of cooperation institutions conduct doctoral course research for a total of at least 6 months in principle. Graduate school students select their research subject from the available subjects prepared by the faculty staff of cooperation institutions and determine the details in consultation with the faculty staff of Tohoku University as well. The students conduct experiments and analyses and can receive advice from the faculty staff of Tohoku University. The outcomes of the research will be presented at a symposium or school next year or later, and discussed with the students of Tohoku University in order to prepare a doctoral thesis in cooperation institutions.