Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University
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Master's Program

The 3 courses in the Master’s Program are outlined as follows.

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Master's Program

Course Outline

Based on the “Educational Goals” of the Graduate School of Medicine, in the Master's Program, we aim to nurture individuals who have basic knowledge and skills to play active roles in their own field as (i) researchers and educators in the fields of medicine, life science and public health, (ii) highly specialized professionals in the fields related to medical care and public health, or (iii) experts in health services and health policy management. In order to nurture individuals who attain “Expected Competencies” , we offer interdisciplinary education beyond the boundaries of existing academic disciplines, aiming at the acquisition of basic knowledge and technology of mutually related fields. In addition, to nurture talented individuals responding to the diversified social needs, we introduce three types of coursework to study systematically through multiple subjects. Students choose the course that suits best to their purpose.

Medical Science Course

This course allows students to learn basic medicine research methods that provide the knowledge and skills required for medical research through experiential learning, as well as oral and written research presentation skills. Basic general medicine and basic medical research are offered to facilitate the development of specialists with the required extensive knowledge and skills.

Message from Graduate Student

Challenges in the Development of New Cancer Immunotherapies

Medical Science Course
Department of Immunobiology

TANJI Masafumi

I am interested in immunology and have enrolled in the Department of Immunobiology, which focuses on the development of cancer therapies and cancer vaccines based on immunological approaches. In graduate school, I have access to the latest technologies and theories, and can expand my academic perspectives and gain new knowledge through discussions with professors and research presentations. Although there are many unresolved problems in the field of cancer treatment, I aim to produce results that will lead to the development of new therapeutic and promote methods.

(As of April 2023)

Public Health Course

Public Health Course (Two-Year Course)

Public Health Course aims to develop human resources who are capable of playing active roles in addressing the challenges of public health with broad knowledge and high skills for the maintenance and improvement of the entire society and people's health, life and security.

Public Health Course (One-Year Course)

This course is intended for medical doctors (i.e. licensed physicians), dentists, pharmacist and other professionals with certain amount of practical experience, and aims to train, in one year, highly specialized professionals who play active roles in medical and public health fields.

This course will be established against the backdrop of growing public interest in health/medical problems and the aging and depopulation problems unique to Hokkaido, and provides education in five disciplines (Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Health Services Administration, and Environmental Health Sciences) based on the essential criteria of the Council on Education for Public Health in the United States, thereby allowing students to acquire the extensive public health knowledge and skills necessary for highly specialized professionals.

Those who have chosen Public Health Course (either Two-Year Course or One-Year Course) should be affiliated with one Laboratory, selecting from Departments of Social Medicine Course.

※ Students should decide their preferred course during the application, and students will be allocated to either one- or two-year courses after the admission accounting for their preference. (Details will be informed after the admission.)

Master of Public Health (MPH) Course Details

Message from Graduate Student

Accurate Medical Evidence

Public Health Course (Two-Year Course)
Department of Biostatistics

OKURA Hiroki

I previously studied mathematics for a bachelor’ s degree. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized the importance of providing data-based medical evidence. The field of such data-based science is also strongly related to mathematics, so I decided to change my major and started studying biostatistics at the school of public health. Biostatistics is a challenging yet captivating field because it requires a deep knowledge of mathematics, statistics, as well as medicine. I am currently developing new methods of statistical analysis through simulation studies. My goal is to discover new features through data that have been overlooked and provide more accurate evidence for clinical practice through my research.

(As of April 2023)

Message from Graduate Student

Student Mom's Struggle！

Public Health Course (One-Year Course)
Department of Health Data Science
Master's degree completed in March 2021
(Working as an obstetrician)

NOSHIRO Tomomi

After completing my residency, I worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist and became the mother of two children. Seeing my children's remarkable growth, I thought, "I want to try something new and grow!" I had been interested in preventive medicine for a long time, so I enrolled in the 1-year public health course. I would not have survived without the support of my family, so I am very grateful to them. After graduating from the university, I worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist at a general hospital and was blessed with the opportunity to teach sex education at a public high school.

(As of April 2023)

YAZAKI Hiroshi

Obtainable degrees

Medical Science Course
Master of Medical Science
Public Health Course
Master of Public Health

※Students who enrolled before April of 2016 can earn only a master's degree (medical science).

Completion Requirements

Students are required to be enrolled in the Graduate School of Medicine for 2 years or more to complete Medical Science Course or Public Health Course (Two-Year Course), and for 1 year or more to complete Public Health Course (One-Year Course).
Students should acquire 30 credits or more in majored fields, and pass the qualifying review and examination of the Master's thesis or research achievements of specific assignment after receiving required research instruction from the supervisor.

Career Options

After completing the Master’s Program, students can decide whether to enroll for the Doctoral Program, toward becoming highly skilled researchers or finding employment as medical professionals in society.

(As of May 2025)

Alumni

(As of May 2025)

Pursuing a doctorate

It is desirable that students who have completed their Master’s Programs pursue a doctorate, because they are still growing as students and researchers. Examination/admission fees are not required from students who continue their studies and research as doctoral students.

Message from a Graduate of the Master’s Program

Pursuing a doctorate

A place to develop your potential

Doctoral Student
Social Medicine Course, Department of Public Health
Master’s degree completed in March 2021

YAEGASHI Akinori

I worked as a Registered Dietitian at a hospital, and after completing a master's degree at another university, enrolled in the master's program at Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine.In the Department of Public Health I conducted nutritional epidemiology research and learned to judge various nutrition and health-related information. Guided by my professors, I researched the "Association between Protein Intake and Skeletal Muscle Mass among older adults," presented my results at academic conferences and submitted articles for publication.

I wanted to further improve my research skills, entered a doctoral program, and researched the “Association between low-carbohydrate diets and the development of diabetes mellitus.” The results are now analyzed and summarized in a paper. Research and report writing involve hard work, but provide a sense of accomplishment when a paper is accepted and published in medical databases. I wish to continue my research and write more papers. If you are interested, I recommend that you enroll in a graduate school.

(As of April 2023)

Nanumi Han

Finding employment

Faculty members of the Graduate School of Medicine help students find employment.

  Positions Businesses
Employment options for specialists
  • At medical institutions
  • At business organizations
  • In government and other public offices
  • Life science research
  • Medical/health administration
  • Development of medical equipment/drugs/food safety technologies

Message from a Graduate of the Master’s Program

Finding employment

Expansion of horizon: Obtained from the Academia

Master’s degree completed in March 2013
Working at the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development

WAGATSUMA Takanori

In graduate school, I studied cancer cell invasion and metastasis using light and microscopy to Understand life phenomena on both the macroscopic and microscopic levels.
After graduate school, I joined several national scientific programs involving infectious diseases, carcinogenesis, and post-translational modification. I then considered to expand my fields by experiencing both clinical needs and scientific seeds.

I now belong to the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and facilitate national basic research programs to resolve social issues in healthcare and medicine in the future. I have thus been working while applying my scientific visions cultivated since graduate school.

(As of April 2023)

Long-Term Study Program

(NOT eligible for Public Health Course (One-Year Course))

1. Purpose

The standard term is two years. Long-Term Study Program (longer than two years) is offered for those who wish to study and acquire a degree through a long-term enrollment due to time limitations. Applicants are individually screened for eligibility.

2. Eligibility

Those who have difficulties in completing the program within the standard term due to personal reasons such as (1) full time jobs, (2) part time jobs (3) child-raising or a long-term nursing care, or (4) visual disabilities, auditory disabilities, physical disabilities or other disabilities are eligible to apply for this program.

3. Period of Enrollment

Students in Master’s program may extend their term of study up to four years, and extension of study term can be applied by the year as a unit. Students in Master’s Program are allowed to stay enrolled up to two years in addition to the period approved for a Long-Term Study Program.
Students in a Long-Term Study Program are allowed to have two years leave as well as regular students.

4. Application Procedure

(1)
Application Period
Please request at the time of application for admission. Application form is available at Student Affairs Office of the Graduate School of Medicine.
(2)
Application Documents
Please submit the following documents to Student Affairs Office of the Graduate School of Medicine.
  • i)   Application for the Long-Term Study Program (Form 1-1)
  • ii)  Reasons to apply the Long-Term Study Program (Form 2)
  • iii) Study plan of the Long-Term Study Program (Form 3)
  • iv) Documents proving the need for the long-term study program

5. Shortening or re-extension of Long-Term Study Program

When deemed necessary by the Graduate School of Medicine, study term of Long-Term Study Program could be either shortened or re-extended once during the program.
Please contact Student Affairs Office of the Graduate School of Medicine for further information.

6. Tuition Fees *

Annual tuition fee of the Long-Term Study Program is determined by dividing the total fees paid for the regular program of standard term (annual fee×2 years) by the number of years allowed for the Long-Term Study Program. Tuition fee is non-refundable, and the tuition already been paid will not be adjusted.

* Please do NOT pay tuition fee of the long-term study program before receiving a notice of determination.

Course Guidance

The following 4 subjects are offered in the Master's Program in Medical Science.

  • Required Core Subjects (Kyoutsu Koa Kamoku)
  • Required Subjects I (Hisshu Kamoku I)
  • Required Subjects II (Hisshu Kamoku II)
  • Elective Subjects (Sentaku Kamoku)

Public Health Course provides 5 discipline areas of education (Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Health Services Administration and Environmental Health Sciences) which are set as essential requirements by accreditation criteria of the Council on Education for Public Health in the United States. Students learn basic subjects at Required Subjects I that allow them to acquire minimum knowledge and capability that are required for public health experts. Required Subjects I will be conducted under the interdisciplinary educational system, offered by lecturers with a broad background, including specialists in medicine, science and engineering, and humanities and social sciences. “Elective Subjects” are offered to additionally cultivate expertise broaden the understanding of various public health issues, and build up the capacity of gathering information and proper judgement.

Required Core Subjects (Kyoutsu Koa Kamoku)

Course Subject Credit
Medical Science Course
Public Health Course
(Two-Year Course)
Public Health Course
(One-Year Course) 		Introduction to Basic Medical Research 1
Basic Experimental Methods and Research Designs 1
Introduction to Medical Ethics 1
Introduction to Translational Research 1

Required Subjects I (Hisshu Kamoku I)

Course Subject Credit
Medical Science Course Basic Research Methods in Medical Sciences I 1
Basic Research Methods in Medical Sciences II 1
Public Health Course
(Two-Year Course) 		Basic Epidemiology 1
Basic Biostatistics 1
Basic Social and Behavioral Sciences 1
Basic Health Services Administration 1
Basic Environmental Health Sciences 1
Introduction to Basic Medicine 1
Introduction to Clinical Medicine 1
Public Health Course
(One-Year Course) 		Basic Epidemiology 1
Basic Biostatistics 1
Basic Social and Behavioral Sciences 1
Basic Health Services Administration 1
Basic Environmental Health Sciences 1

Required Subjects II (Hisshu Kamoku II)

Course Subject Credit
Medical Science Course Scientific Presentation and Communication 1
Presentation Skills I 1
Presentation Skills II 2
Master's Thesis Research in Medical Sciences 10
Public Health Course
(Two-Year Course) 		Scientific Presentation and Communication 1
Presentation Skills I 1
Presentation Skills II 2
Master's Thesis Research in Public Health 10
Public Health Course
(One-Year Course) 		Presentation Skills I 1
Presentation Skills II 2
Master's Thesis Research in Public Health 10

Elective Subjects (Sentaku Kamoku)

Course Subject Credit
Medical Science Course Basic Principles of Medicine [2]
Introduction to Clinical Genomics 2
Biomedical Informatics 1
Clinical Epidemiology 2
Clinical Sequence Technique 2
Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 1
Introduction to Basic Medicine 1
Introduction to Clinical Medicine 1
Required Subjects I and Required Subjects II of Public Health Course (EXCEPT Master's Thesis Research in Public Health)  
Public Health Course
(Two-Year Course)
Public Health Course
(One-Year Course) 		※Advanced Epidemiology [1]
※Advanced Biostatistics [1]
※Advanced Social and Behavioral Sciences [1]
※Advanced Health Services Administration [1]
※Advanced Environmental Health Sciences [1]

※As for the subject which credit number is indicated as [number], students can take multiple choices as far as the chosen subjects belong to different subject titles.

How to take subjects

Medical Science Course
Take 4 credits from Required Core Subjects, 2 credits from Required Subjects I, 14 credits from Required Subjects II, and 10 credits or more including Basic Principles of Medicine offered by belonging laboratory from Elective Subjects.
Public Health Course
(Two-Year Course)
Take 4 credits from Required Core Subjects, 7 credits from Required Subjects I, 14 credits from Required Subjects II and 5 credits or more from subjects with ※.
Public Health Course
(One-Year Course)
Take 4 credits from Required Core Subjects, 5 credits from Required Subjects I, 13 credits from Required Subjects II and 8 credits or more from subjects with ※.