General Information:　*As of May 1, 2019

Ritsumeikan’s history begins with its establishment as a private academy in 1869 by Prince Kinmochi Saionji, an eminent international statesman of modern Japan and advocate of Freedom and Internationalism. In 1900, Saionji’s protégé Kojuro Nakagawa retained Saionji’s spirit and established the Kyoto Hosei School, an evening law school that was open to working people. With Saionji’s blessing, the name of this school was changed to Ritsumeikan Private University in 1913. At present, the Kinugasa and Suzaku campuses in Kyoto, as well as at the Biwako Kusatsu Campus in Shiga and the recently opened Osaka Ibaraki Campus in Osaka combined are home to about 36,000 students learning under the core educational philosophy of Peace and Democracy. In order to nurture just and ethical global citizens, Ritsumeikan is working to foster creativity and the development of individual talents on a solid foundation of academic achievement.

Achievement：
Ritsumeikan University has been selected as a designated institution of the "Top Global University Project "by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan. The ministry-appointed panel of experts selected 37 institutions among 104 applications and these institutions hold the “Top Global University” status as of October 1st, 2014 to the end of fiscal year 2023.
The "Top Global University Project" has been established as a way to give financial support to 37 public and private universities aiming to promote comprehensive internationalization and become world-class research and education institutions. With our selection for this prestigious project, Ritsumeikan University will serve as a model for globalized schools.

The life sciences seek to elucidate the structure and mechanisms underlying the complexity and diversity of life and other biological phenomena. It is an area that is highly anticipated to make major contributions toward overcoming the illnesses of humankind, improving human life, safeguarding the food supply, securing resources, and resolving environmental and energy issues. While the life sciences are considered the key to a better life, a better diet, and a better lifestyle in the 21st century, the field is still in its infancy and much research has yet to be done and to be developed.
In April 2012, in accordance with the conception of integrated education and research for the life sciences, Ritsumeikan University established the Graduate School of Life Sciences at the Biwako-Kusatsu Campus, the largest center for science and technological research in western Japan. The Graduate School of Life Sciences focuses on integrated and collaborative education in the life sciences where students can proactively study related fields while simultaneously deepening their understanding of their specialized area of study. We educate students and conduct research in the hope of cultivating individuals with a depth and breadth of knowledge who manifest independence and initiative.
Our aim is to train individuals to acquire wide-ranging knowledge and a high level of specialization in the life sciences so that they are capable of contributing to the solution of problems facing humanity as a whole in the 21st century.

In the Master’s Program, Major in Advanced Life Sciences, we provide 4 courses – the Applied Chemistry Course, the Biotechnology Course, the Bioinformatics Course, and the Biomedical Sciences Course – which are designed to foster the acquisition of broad knowledge and specialized skills related to the life sciences. International students are accepted for all courses, all of which are taught in English.

Educational Objectives:

1. To cultivate individuals with reliable knowledge and research abilities in the natural sciences and specialist areas.
2. To cultivate individuals with logical writing skills, presentation abilities, and communication skills in Japanese or a foreign language.
3. To cultivate individuals who are capable of setting out problems and solving them in specialist areas, on the basis of their awareness of their own responsibilities as researchers or technicians.

Courses:

Applied Chemistry Course
In the Applied Chemistry Course, students can immerse themselves in an expansive field of chemistry theories and technologies that are indispensable to the advancement of agricultural research, building on a foundation of organic chemistry, organic materials chemistry, analytical chemistry, as well as physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry, in order to explain the functions of existing substances and to invent new substances. Researchers in this course develop specialized knowledge in a broad range of fields, from materials chemistry to energy and biological matter.

Biotechnology Course
In the Biotechnology Course, based on fields such as chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, research and education is conducted in fields of study including the environment, soil, vegetation, enzymes, and others, which are closely related to agronomy, agriculture, and agriculture chemistry, as well as fields such as applied microbiology, bioenergy, biofilm, and others, which are deeply related to natural resource management as well as food and nutrition science.

Bioinformatics Course
In the Bioinformatics Course, students have the opportunity to study an expansive range of specialized knowledge related to life science, information science, and biological function analysis technology, which form the basis of explaining the workings of biological activities using information science. Specific research topics include genetic information, the structure-function relationship of protein molecules, and mathematical analysis of biological function, with applications in life science, medicine and pharmaceuticals, food products, and information technology.

Biomedical Sciences Course
In the Biomedical Sciences Course, students explore individual and fused interdisciplinary topics related to the basic medical science field and come to understand unexplained medical biological phenomena and pathogenic mechanisms of various diseases. The also gain the ability to evaluate applications of state of the art pharmaceutical products and learn to apply them to society as well as to pursue developments across a wide field of biomedical science research.

To complete a master’s program, students must have been enrolled in the program for at least two years, earned at least 30 credits in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, undergone the required research supervisions, submitted a master’s thesis and passed the necessary examination and screening procedures. Students are required to enroll in Common Subjects, Major Subjects and Research Subjects, and are to meet the following conditions.

Applied Chemistry

Biotechnology

Bioinformatics

Biomedical Sciences

If you wish to make contact with professors listed above, please email the Admnistrative Office of Graduate School of Life Sciences with name of your desired professors.

<Contact Email Address of Graduate School of Life Scieces>
gsls@st.ritsumei.ac.jp

<Reference Only>

Student Dormitories: 153 single rooms are available in our international student dormitory, the BKC International House, constructed adjacent to the BKC Campus in Sept 2012.
Rooms are furnished with: bed, desk, chair, internet connection, toilet, sink, refrigerator, lighting, and air conditioner. (*Showers in some rooms)
Common areas include: kitchens, showers, coin laundry, study rooms, lobby, multipurpose hall with tatami corner (with TV & DVD player), billiard table, table tennis, basketball hoop, and vending machines.
The dormitory features 24-hour English-speaking managers and student Resident Mentors living on each floor, ensuring that even students coming to Japan for the first time can enjoy a worry-free start to their life in Japan.
*It is possible for the University Cooperative’s real estate agency to offer English-language assistance to students who wish to seek alternate accommodation in the local area.
International Student Dormitory (BKC International House) Website:
http://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/lifecareer/dorm/bkc/

Library Services: BKC is home to two library/media centers. Academic literature related to science and engineering, information science and engineering, life sciences, and pharmaceutical sciences are found in the Media Center, whereas information related to economics, sports and health science, and gastronomy management are found in the Media Library. Both of these facilities are available to students regardless of the research department to which they belong.
*Ritsumeikan University, as a whole, has a collection of 3,415,334 books. (Japanese and Chinese: 2,397,642; Western languages: 1,017,692(as of March 2020))
*Students may also borrow materials from libraries on other campuses using our electronic library services system.
Library Website:
http://translation2.j-server.com/LUCRTMIKNL/ns/tl.cgi/http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/lib/?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0

Medical Service Center: Located on campus, the medical service center promotes the health of students through a combination of general health support services and a medical office that specializes in internal medicine. To ensure their good health, all students must take part in a yearly health check that assesses their overall health condition and, depending on the result, follows up with additional tests as necessary. Students with any persevering health issues are put under watch and given follow up medical guidance until graduation.

Counseling: Professional counseling is available in English or Japanese Monday-Friday.

Training Room: In order to support students from a health perspective, our campus has a training room with the equipment necessary for a healthy workout. Trainers are always on hand and students can use the gym facilities free of charge. Further, a new facility called the Sports and Health Commons, housing both indoor and outdoor pools, a large gymnasium, other sports facilities and a café opened in the fall of 2016, giving students plenty of opportunity to get in a great workout.

Restaurant / Cafeteria: Several restaurants and cafeterias are spread across the campus, providing both a variety of meals and serving as communication spaces where students can interact with each other as well as with their professors. When classes are in session, a number of private boxed-lunch vendors and food trucks selling delicious meals covering everything from traditional Japanese lunches to curries, kebabs, tacos and pasta can also be found across the campus.

Religious and Dietary Considerations: Multiple cafeterias on BKC campus provide halal food and vegetarian options in an effort to better provide a campus that is prepared to meet the dietary needs of its international population. The convenience store on campus also provides vegetarian options and halal snacks for students on the go. Moreover, we also have a room for which students may pray.

International Center and Beyond Borders Plaza: The International Center provides support for Ritsumeikan’s large international student body including organizing new student orientation, promoting exchange activities, and managing scholarships. Assistance is available in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Located directly in front of the International Center is the Beyond Borders Plaza – a global student commons where students can study, relax, take language courses or hold their own events. The lounge is full of books, magazines and newspapers in a variety of languages as well as board games, a computer station, and a TV airing CNN so that students may keep up to date with breaking world news.

Other Support: A special course for JDS students called the JICA/JDS English Program is held to improve students’ applied English ability at the graduate level. Additionally, the university strongly encourages JDS students to enroll in the JICA/JDS Support for Daily Conversation in Japanese, which is held so that students may more smoothly adapt to life in Japan by learning basic conversation skills and the Japanese alphabets of hiragana/katakana.
Finally, On the program, you may have a chance to visit company.

From University:

The Graduate School of Life Sciences has many international students from all over the world. As of June 1, 2020, 22 international students study in our English based program.
Our students actively participate in research activities as well as field work abroad and are able to conduct research with international perspective, which is one of the biggest strengths of our graduate school.
Meanwhile, students are able to study with a focus on agriculture, one of the main industries of Pakistan. We provide instruction that enables students to acquire knowledge and research skills which they will be able to apply to Pakistan’s agriculture, food science, and environmental science fields in the future.

We would like to invite applications from individuals with the following qualities:

• 1. Individuals with basic academic abilities in the natural sciences and specialist areas.
• 2. Individuals with sufficient language skills to understand sciences and technology both in Japan and overseas.
• 3. Individuals who are strongly motivated to acquire the ability to set out and solve problems in specialist areas, on the basis of their awareness of their own responsibility as researchers or technicians.

We look forward to welcoming youth from Pakistan who have enthusiasm to acquire specialized knowledge related to life sciences at our graduate school and believe that we can provide attractive learning opportunities here to contribute to the improvement of your home country.

From JDS Fellow:

Ms. Aatka Jamil
1st batch (2019-)

I did not know much about Ritsumeikan University, but during my search, I came to know that it had 3-4 campuses at different locations. It was again a surprise that how will be my campus look like or where it is actually located. Luckily biotechnology department is in BKC which is named after lake “BIWA” the biggest lake of Japan. It is the most beautiful and biggest campus among all.

If we talk about studies and research facilities of Ritsumeikan University, they are up to date and off course up to standards. Although it’s a private university but its beauty of Japanese education system that both public and private sector have equal levels and quality of education. Research and course work is problem oriented. There are weekly lab meetings and journal clubs in which students present their research work. It is very helpful because it not only improves presentation skills of students but also develop their critical thinking. Presence of teachers “sensei” and other senior students “sempai” in these seminars is accommodating and heartening gesture. The overall environment of campus is very conducive. Worth mentioning feature of campus are being smoking free and zero harassment. So being female these are very satisfactory things. Up till now I had a great and unique experience with most hardworking, punctual and polite nation of the world.