Master in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program (Development Science)

The Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program, with a specialization in Development Science, is also offered as a master's degree at Hiroshima University, taught in English over two years with admission in October and April. Hiroshima University is a national institution located in Hiroshima, comprising 12 schools and 4 graduate schools, and it was selected as one of 13 universities for Japan's Top Global University Project in 2014 and one of 13 universities for the WISE doctoral education program in 2018. At the master's level, this program introduces students to the transdisciplinary study of development science, combining perspectives from engineering, environmental science, economics, and social science to examine how technical and scientific knowledge can support economic, social, and infrastructural development. Coursework typically covers topics such as infrastructure planning, resource and environmental management, technology transfer, and the application of engineering methods to development challenges, often with attention to conditions in developing regions around the world. This transdisciplinary structure is intended to prepare students to work across sectors rather than within a single narrow specialization, reflecting the kind of applied, cross-field problem-solving that development work often requires. Hiroshima University's founding principle of contributing to a diversified, free, and peaceful global community informs the university's broader approach to programs with an international development focus. Graduates of a master's program in development science commonly move into roles with international development agencies, engineering and planning consultancies, non-governmental organizations, or government bodies involved in infrastructure and development policy, and some continue on to doctoral study in the same or a related field.