Research at the Department of Earth Science pursues a greater understanding of the origin, the structure and the evolutionary processes of the earth, planets, environment, and life comprehensively, including special investigations of the global environmental change problem that all humans face today.
We offer undergraduate degree programs for students in the Department of Earth Science (including the Division of Geoenvironmental Science, the Division of Earth and Planetary Materials Science, the Center for Northeast Asian Studies, the Tohoku University Museum, and the Graduate School of Environmental Studies), with respect to the geology, geochemistry, geobiology, biogeochemistry, environmental science, and planetary science.
Graduate degrees are offered in the field of Earth and Planetary Science, with strong ties to the global Center of Excellence (COE) program, offering multidisciplinary links with the Departments of Geophysics and Environmental studies. The Master program typically requires two years and requires production of a thesis. The Doctor program, culminating with a dissertation, typically requires three years. The programs are flexible and are tailored individually to each student.
Since Tohoku University was established in 1911, we have been making ceaseless efforts to exploit the earth science frontier.
Additionally, we are participating in an important international project of the earth science: the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). Our involvement as one of the founding organization members extends from that program’s very establishment.
The 29 faculty members are the most numerous of any Earth Science Department in Japan. We are working continuously to serve our role as the hub of international academic information exchange for earth science, hosting seminars almost every month for research workers invited not only from domestic areas but widely from the international areas as well.
To young people who are longing to draw a rich portrait of the future of an Earth that has such myriad and interesting characteristics, we extend our invitation for as many as possible to join us. We are hoping and expecting that today’s young people can accomplish great works and move further into many undiscovered areas and domains of Earth and Planetary Science.